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API keys

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An API key is what apps and coding agents use to call Vikey. All keys of one account share the same balance.

Creating a key

Section titled “Creating a key”

Open API Keys in the dashboard and create a new key. Give it a clear name, such as work-laptop or telegram-bot, so its usage is easy to tell apart.

Create a separate key for each machine or app. If one key leaks, you only turn that key off without affecting the others.

Per-key settings

Section titled “Per-key settings”
Setting Purpose
Usage limit Optional. Limits the number of requests for this key.
Active or inactive An inactive key is rejected right away with 403, without deleting it. Turn it back on any time.
Hide provider name GET /v1/models shows short names such as claude-sonnet-5.5. See Choosing a model.

Keeping keys safe

Section titled “Keeping keys safe”
  • Keep the key in an environment variable such as VIKEY_API_KEY, not in code.
  • Never commit a key to a repository. For Claude Code, use ~/.claude/settings.json or .claude/settings.local.json, not a project’s .claude/settings.json.
  • Never put a key in a frontend or mobile app. Call Vikey from your server.