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

# Authentication

> Use your HandTextAI API key with standard Bearer authentication.

All endpoints except `GET /api/v1/status` require an API key.

## Header format

```http theme={null}
Authorization: Bearer htext_your_api_key
```

## API key notes

* API keys are tied to your account and are rate-limited
* Keys start with `htext_` prefix
* Manage your keys in the [dashboard](https://dashboard.handtextai.com)

## Request tracking with X-Request-ID

You can include your own `X-Request-ID` header for request correlation:

```http theme={null}
X-Request-ID: my-app-12345-request-001
```

**Best practices:**

* Use a unique value per request (UUID recommended)
* Include your app name or context for easier debugging
* The API echoes back your ID in the response `X-Request-ID` header
* If you don't provide one, the API generates a UUID automatically

This is useful for:

* Correlating requests in your application logs
* Referencing specific requests when contacting support
* Tracing requests across your infrastructure