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Authentication

Every request to Takumo needs an API key. Keys authenticate your tools and track usage per organization.

Getting your first key

1

Sign in

Go to cloud.takumo.io and sign in to your account.
2

Open API Keys

Navigate to Settings > API Keys in the sidebar.
3

Create a key

Click Create Key. Give it a name that tells you where it’s used (cursor-laptop, ci-pipeline, team-shared).
4

Select scopes

Choose what the key can do. Start with shield:write for basic secret protection.
5

Copy the key

Copy the key immediately. It’s shown once. You won’t see it again.

Setting the key

export TAKUMO_API_KEY="tk_live_a1b2c3d4e5f6..."
Or in your .env file:
TAKUMO_API_KEY=tk_live_a1b2c3d4e5f6...
API keys are 64-character hex strings with a prefix for identification:
PrefixEnvironment
tk_live_Production
tk_test_Test / development

Key scopes

Scopes control what an API key can do. Assign the minimum scopes needed.
ScopeWhat it controls
shield:readRead scan results and detection history
shield:writeRun scans, tokenize, and rehydrate
audit:readRead audit log entries
fleet:readView gateway fleet status
fleet:writeRegister and manage gateways
policy:readRead policy configurations
policy:writeCreate and update policies
org:readRead organization settings
org:writeUpdate organization settings, manage members

Rotation

Create a new key. Update your tools to use the new key. Revoke the old one. No grace period needed if you switch atomically. For zero-downtime rotation:
  1. Create a new key with the same scopes
  2. Deploy the new key to your tools
  3. Verify requests succeed with the new key
  4. Revoke the old key

Revocation

Revocation takes effect within seconds. A revoked key returns 401 Unauthorized immediately. There is no undo. To revoke a key: Settings > API Keys > click the key > Revoke.

Security

Keys are SHA-256 hashed before storage. Takumo never stores your key in plaintext. Constant-time comparison prevents timing attacks. The raw key exists only at creation time. After you close the creation dialog, the only copy is the one you saved.
Your API key is shown once at creation. Copy it immediately. If you lose it, create a new one.

Plan limits

PlanMax API Keys
Free3
Developer10
Pro20
EnterpriseUnlimited
See Plan Comparison for full details.

Next: Your First Request

Send code through Takumo and see what happens