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

# Authentication

> How to authenticate with the MetaLink API

Every request to the MetaLink API requires an API key. You can pass it in two ways:

## Header (Recommended)

```bash theme={null}
curl "https://api.metalinkapi.com/v1/metadata?url=https://example.com" \
  -H "X-API-Key: ml_live_YOUR_KEY_HERE"
```

## Query Parameter

```bash theme={null}
curl "https://api.metalinkapi.com/v1/metadata?url=https://example.com&api_key=ml_live_YOUR_KEY_HERE"
```

<Warning>
  The header method is recommended. Query parameters may be logged in server access logs and browser history.
</Warning>

## Key Format

All MetaLink API keys use this format:

```
ml_live_ + 32 hex characters
```

Example: `ml_live_de5c435f025332da7a0d07a21baeb95f`

## Getting Your Key

1. Sign in at the [Dashboard](https://metalinkapi.com/auth/login)
2. Click **Create API Key**
3. Copy the key immediately

<Info>
  API keys are shown only once at creation. They are stored as SHA-256 hashes — we cannot retrieve them for you. If you lose a key, deactivate it and create a new one.
</Info>

## Key Limits

The number of active keys depends on your plan:

| Plan     | Max Active Keys |
| -------- | --------------- |
| Free     | 2               |
| Starter  | 5               |
| Growth   | 10              |
| Business | 20              |