# CellCog API Keys Guide Generate and manage the API keys that authenticate the CellCog Python SDK, plugins, and other agents that delegate work to your CellCog account. --- ## What Are API Keys? API keys let agents and scripts use CellCog programmatically, without the web interface. They authenticate: - **OpenClaw agents** via the CellCog Python SDK - **Cursor** and **Claude Code** via the CellCog plugin - **Other agents** via the plugin or the Python SDK directly An API key acts as you: chats it creates appear in your account and bill your credits. ### API Keys vs the Keys Page These are two different things: - **API keys** (this guide) are CellCog credentials. They let external agents call CellCog. You manage them in your profile. - The **Keys page** under Connectors stores third-party credentials (for example, a Stripe or Apollo key) that your CellCog agents read from their environment while working for you. See the [Connectors Guide](./CellCog_Connectors_Guide.md). --- ## Finding Your API Keys 1. Open your profile menu in the sidebar 2. Choose **API Keys** 3. Or go directly to [cellcog.ai/profile?tab=api-keys](https://cellcog.ai/profile?tab=api-keys) --- ## Generating an API Key 1. Click **Generate new key** 2. Name the key (for example, the agent or editor that will use it) 3. Click **Generate key** 4. The key is shown **once**. Copy it and store it somewhere safe 5. Confirm that you saved it ⚠️ **Important:** the full key is only shown at generation time. CellCog stores a hash, never the plaintext, so it cannot be recovered later. If you lose a key, revoke it and generate a new one. You can hold up to 10 active keys at a time, each with its own name. Give each agent or editor its own key so you can revoke one without disturbing the others. --- ## Using Your API Key ### With the CellCog Python SDK Set `CELLCOG_API_KEY` as an environment variable: ```bash export CELLCOG_API_KEY="sk_..." ``` Then use the SDK: ```python from cellcog import CellCogClient client = CellCogClient(agent_provider="openclaw") # reads CELLCOG_API_KEY from the environment result = client.create_chat( prompt="Research quantum computing advances, with citations", chat_mode="agent", # "agent" | "creative" | "team" chat_tier="core", # "flash" | "core" | "max"; omit for the SDK default delivery="send_only", # return immediately; default blocks until the chat is done task_label="research", ) ``` `create_chat()` also accepts `project_id` and `agent_role_id` (run inside a CellCog project), `enable_cowork` with `cowork_working_directory` (work on the user's machine), `enable_browse` with `browser_profile_id` (drive the user's Chrome), and `enable_tools` with `tools_selection` (use the account's connected tools). Full details are in the [OpenClaw Integration Guide](./CellCog_OpenClaw_Guide.md). ### With Plugins The CellCog plugin for Cursor, Claude Code, and other Open Plugins hosts uses the same variable. See the [Plugin Guide](./CellCog_Plugin_Guide.md). ### Direct API Calls The Python SDK is the supported client. Custom agents that cannot run Python can integrate directly; the **Other Agents** page under **Connectors**, then **Delegations**, describes that path. --- ## Managing Your API Keys Each key on the API Keys page shows its name, its masked prefix, when it was created, and when it was last used. ### Renaming Click the rename icon next to a key's name, edit, and confirm. Only the name changes; the key itself stays the same. ### Revoking Click **Revoke** next to the key and confirm inline. Revocation is immediate: any script or integration using that key stops working on its next request. ### Regenerating Revoked keys cannot be restored. Generate a new key and update the environment variable where the old one was used. --- ## Security Best Practices 1. **Never share an API key** in public repositories, chat messages, or emails 2. **Use environment variables** to store keys in scripts: ```bash export CELLCOG_API_KEY="sk_your_key_here" ``` 3. **One key per agent or editor**, so you can revoke a single integration 4. **Rotate keys periodically**: generate a new one, switch the integration over, revoke the old one 5. **Watch "Last used"** to spot a key that is active when it should not be --- ## Credit Usage API key usage consumes credits from your account, exactly like web usage: - Each chat creation, message, and AI operation uses credits - Credits come from your subscription, top-ups, or Auto-Recharge - Any positive credit balance starts a chat in every mode and tier; there is no per-mode minimum Parallel chats are limited by your balance (each 500 credits of effective balance adds one slot, up to 8). The SDK raises a distinct error for this case; see the [OpenClaw Integration Guide](./CellCog_OpenClaw_Guide.md). See the [Billing Guide](./CellCog_Billing_Guide.md) for credit details. --- ## Docs for Agents If an agent needs to read about CellCog itself, point it at [cellcog.ai/llms.txt](https://cellcog.ai/llms.txt) (the index of the site's agent-readable pages) or [cellcog.ai/for-agents](https://cellcog.ai/for-agents). Every support guide also has a markdown version at its URL plus `.md`, for example `https://cellcog.ai/support/api-keys-guide.md`. An agent or connector builder that integrates against the API directly (rather than through the Python SDK) reads the public OpenAPI description at [cellcog.ai/openapi.json](https://cellcog.ai/openapi.json): the API-key surface only (create a chat, send a follow-up, poll, read the result, list chats, credits, the files hand-off), with the `X-API-Key` header and the credit-recovery step for a `402`. --- ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Where do I find my API keys? Open your profile menu and choose **API Keys**, or go to `cellcog.ai/profile?tab=api-keys`. ### Can I have multiple API keys? Yes, up to 10 active keys, each named. Revoke one to make room for another. ### I lost my API key. How do I get it back? You cannot. Revoke it and generate a new one. ### Does an API key expire? No. Keys stay active until you revoke them. ### What permissions does an API key have? Full access to your account, the same as being logged in. It can create chats, send messages, and use the features your account has. ### Is there a rate limit? Usage is governed by credits and by the parallel-chat limit tied to your balance. Both are described above. ### Can two companies share one account's API keys? No. One CellCog account is one organization, one company, and every key bills that account. A second company needs its own account, with an email on that company's domain, and its own keys. --- ## Related Guides - [Getting Started](./CellCog_Getting_Started.md) - [Billing Guide](./CellCog_Billing_Guide.md) - [OpenClaw Integration Guide](./CellCog_OpenClaw_Guide.md) - [Plugin Guide](./CellCog_Plugin_Guide.md) - [Connectors Guide](./CellCog_Connectors_Guide.md) --- Markdown alternate of https://cellcog.ai/support/api-keys-guide (CellCog support guide, category: Integrations). All guides for agents: https://cellcog.ai/support/llms.txt. Site index: https://cellcog.ai/llms.txt. 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