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

# API key

> Authenticate with the Chainshift Platform API using an organization API key

You issue API keys from the Chainshift console. Each key starts with the `cs_live_…` prefix.

Pass the key in the `API-Key` header.

```
API-Key: cs_live_xxxxxxxx
```

The same header works for both the REST API and the MCP endpoint (`/mcp`). To connect an MCP client, see [Connecting to MCP](https://dev-docs.trychainshift.ai/en/mcp/connect.md).

> [!WARNING]
>
> API keys are secrets. Never expose them in client-side code, repositories, or
> logs. If a key leaks, revoke (rotate) it immediately in the dashboard.


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