> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.adaptive-ml.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Authentication

> Configure API access, service accounts, and HTTP requests

## Find your credentials

You need two values from your Adaptive deployment:

| Credential         | Description           |
| ------------------ | --------------------- |
| `ADAPTIVE_URL`     | Your deployment URL   |
| `ADAPTIVE_API_KEY` | Your personal API key |

<Frame caption="Generate an API key from the top left navigation switcher">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/adaptiveml/PADjThkrE4-_Dc39/static/api_key_light.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PADjThkrE4-_Dc39&q=85&s=8aadcf5c742e2e649d129e15f9ccffd0" className="block dark:hidden" width="288" height="742" data-path="static/api_key_light.png" />

  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/adaptiveml/PADjThkrE4-_Dc39/static/api_key_dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PADjThkrE4-_Dc39&q=85&s=5e426eeec8d524bc98882adc3d166a7e" className="hidden dark:block" width="288" height="742" data-path="static/api_key_dark.png" />
</Frame>

Click the navigation switcher in the top left corner (labeled *View all projects*) and select **Generate new API key**. Your deployment URL is provided by your administrator.

## Set environment variables

```bash theme={null}
export ADAPTIVE_URL="https://your-deployment.adaptive-ml.com"
export ADAPTIVE_API_KEY="your-api-key"
```

The SDK and HTTP clients use these environment variables to connect to Adaptive.

## Service accounts

Create service accounts for CI/CD pipelines, automation, and programmatic integrations that don't belong to a human user.

```python theme={null}
result = adaptive.users.create_service_account(
    name="ci-bot",
    teams_with_role=[("engineering", "power_user")]
)
# result.api_key is returned once; store it securely
```

The API key is returned once at creation and cannot be retrieved later. Store it immediately.

Authenticate the same way as personal accounts: set `ADAPTIVE_API_KEY` to the returned key. Service accounts follow the same role and team permission model as regular users.

<Accordion title="Alternative: OpenAI client">
  Use the OpenAI Python library with your Adaptive deployment:

  ```python theme={null}
  import os
  from openai import OpenAI

  client = OpenAI(
      base_url=f"{os.environ['ADAPTIVE_URL']}/api/v1",
      api_key=os.environ["ADAPTIVE_API_KEY"],
  )

  response = client.chat.completions.create(
      model="project_key/model_key",
      messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}],
  )
  ```

  Set `model` to `project_key/model_key`.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Alternative: HTTP requests">
  Include your API key in the `Authorization` header:

  ```
  Authorization: Bearer ADAPTIVE_API_KEY
  ```

  ```bash theme={null}
  curl "$ADAPTIVE_URL/api/v1/chat/completions" \
    -X POST \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $ADAPTIVE_API_KEY" \
    -d '{
      "model": "project_key/model_key",
      "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]
    }'
  ```
</Accordion>