API key
Also called API keys.
An APIAn application programming interface, or API, is a defined way for software to request data or actions from other software. key is a credential an application sends so an API can identify or authorize the caller.
Example
A server sends its APIAn application programming interface, or API, is a defined way for software to request data or actions from other software. key with a request to a maps API. The key stays on the server. The browser page never includes it.
Why it matters
A key is a secret. It should not appear in a public page, a screenshot, or a chat transcript. A key identifies the caller the provider issued it to. It is not the same object as an AI tokenAn AI token is a unit a model uses to process content. For text, a token may be a word, a word fragment, or punctuation..
Common confusion
An APIAn application programming interface, or API, is a defined way for software to request data or actions from other software. key is a secret credential. It is not an AI tokenAn AI token is a unit a model uses to process content. For text, a token may be a word, a word fragment, or punctuation., and it is not safe to paste into a promptA prompt is the instructions, question, or other input you give an AI model to guide its response..
Sources
Updated September 30, 2026.