API Keys

API keys allow you to access the Competitor Watch API programmatically.

Creating an API Key

1. Go to Settings → API Keys in your dashboard
2. Click "Create API Key"
3. Give your key a name (e.g., "Production API", "CI/CD")
4. Select the scopes/permissions for the key
5. Copy the key immediately (it won't be shown again)

API Key Scopes

API keys support different scopes for fine-grained access control:

• sites:read - Read site information
• sites:write - Create and update sites
• changes:read - Read change data
• changes:write - Manage changes (admin only)

Using API Keys

Include your API key in the Authorization header:

Authorization: Bearer your_api_key

Security Best Practices

• Never commit API keys to version control
• Use environment variables to store keys
• Rotate keys regularly
• Delete unused keys
• Use different keys for different environments (dev, staging, production)

Managing API Keys

You can view, rotate, or delete API keys in Settings → API Keys. Each key shows:

• Last used date
• Usage count
• Creation date
• Status (active/inactive)