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Authentication Methods

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Bearer Token

The most common authentication method is using a Bearer token in the Authorization header: 
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

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API Key Header (Anthropic Format)

For Anthropic-compatible endpoints, you can also use the x-api-key header: 
x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY

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Getting Your API Key

1

Dashboard Method

The recommended method for obtaining an API key is through the MegaLLM dashboard:
  1. Visit megallm.io/dashboard
  2. Navigate to API Keys section
  3. Click “Create New API Key”
  4. Copy the key (starts with sk-mega-) and store it securely
2

CLI Tool

If you have the MegaLLM CLI installed:
npx megallm@latest
Follow the interactive prompts to set up your API key.

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Security Best Practices

Never expose your tokens: Always store tokens in environment variables or secure vaults, never in code.

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Environment Variables

  • Linux/Mac
  • Windows
  • Docker
# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
export MEGALLM_API_KEY="your_api_key_here"

# Or use a .env file
echo "MEGALLM_API_KEY=your_api_key_here" >> .env

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Using SDKs

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OpenAI SDK

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="https://ai.megallm.io/v1",
    api_key=os.getenv("MEGALLM_API_KEY")
)

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="gpt-4",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]
)

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Anthropic SDK

from anthropic import Anthropic

client = Anthropic(
    base_url="https://ai.megallm.io",
    api_key=os.getenv("MEGALLM_API_KEY")
)

message = client.messages.create(
    model="claude-3.5-sonnet",
    max_tokens=100,
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]
)

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LangChain Integration

from langchain_openai import ChatOpenAI

llm = ChatOpenAI(
    base_url="https://ai.megallm.io/v1",
    api_key=os.getenv("MEGALLM_API_KEY"),
    model="gpt-4"
)

response = llm.invoke("Hello!")

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Troubleshooting

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Common Authentication Errors

Error CodeMessageSolution
401UnauthorizedCheck if your API key is valid and not expired
403ForbiddenVerify API key has required access
429Rate LimitedWait and retry or contact support

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Debugging Authentication

Enable debug mode to see detailed authentication information: 
curl https://ai.megallm.io/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $MEGALLM_API_KEY" \
  -H "X-Debug-Auth: true" \
  -d '{"model": "gpt-4", "messages": [...]}'
Need Help? Check our FAQ or contact support if you’re experiencing authentication issues.