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Authentication

Every request to the DOS AI API must include a valid API key. This page covers how to create, use, and secure your keys.

API key format

DOS AI keys follow the format:

dos_sk_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

All keys begin with the dos_sk_ prefix. Keys are hashed (SHA-256) before storage -- we never store your raw key. If you lose a key, you'll need to generate a new one.

Creating an API key

  1. Log in to the DOS AI dashboard.
  2. Go to API Keys in the sidebar.
  3. Click Create new key.
  4. Give your key a descriptive name (e.g., "Production backend", "Local development").
  5. Copy the key immediately. It will only be displayed once.

You can create multiple keys to separate concerns -- for example, one key per environment or per team member.

Using your API key

Include your key in the Authorization header of every request:

Authorization: Bearer dos_sk_...

With the OpenAI SDK (Python)

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="https://api.dos.ai/v1",
    api_key="dos_sk_...",
)

With the OpenAI SDK (JavaScript)

import OpenAI from "openai";

const client = new OpenAI({
  baseURL: "https://api.dos.ai/v1",
  apiKey: "dos_sk_...",
});

With cURL

curl https://api.dos.ai/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer dos_sk_..." \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"model": "dos-ai", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}]}'

With environment variables (recommended)

Rather than hardcoding your key, set it as an environment variable:

export DOS_AI_API_KEY="dos_sk_..."

Then read it in your code:

Python:

import os
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="https://api.dos.ai/v1",
    api_key=os.environ["DOS_AI_API_KEY"],
)

JavaScript:

import OpenAI from "openai";

const client = new OpenAI({
  baseURL: "https://api.dos.ai/v1",
  apiKey: process.env.DOS_AI_API_KEY,
});

Managing keys

From the dashboard you can:

  • View all keys -- See key names, creation dates, and last-used timestamps.
  • Delete a key -- Immediately revokes access. Any request using that key will return 401 Unauthorized.
  • Create new keys -- No limit on the number of active keys per account.

Rate limits

Rate limits are applied per API key using a sliding window (60-second window).

Plan Requests per minute Tokens per minute
Free 60 100,000
Plus 120 500,000
Pro 300 2,000,000

When you exceed a rate limit, the API returns HTTP 429 Too Many Requests with a Retry-After header indicating how long to wait.

Error responses

Status code Meaning
401 Unauthorized Missing or invalid API key
402 Payment Required Insufficient credit balance
429 Too Many Requests Rate limit exceeded

Example error response:

{
  "error": {
    "message": "Invalid API key",
    "type": "authentication_error",
    "code": "invalid_api_key"
  }
}

Security best practices

  1. Never commit keys to version control. Use environment variables or a secrets manager (e.g., Doppler, AWS Secrets Manager, Vercel Environment Variables).

  2. Use separate keys for each environment. Create distinct keys for development, staging, and production. If a dev key leaks, revoke it without affecting production.

  3. Rotate keys periodically. Generate a new key, update your deployment, then delete the old key.

  4. Restrict access. Only share keys with team members who need them. Use your organization's secrets management tooling.

  5. Monitor usage. Check the dashboard regularly for unexpected spikes that could indicate a leaked key.

If you believe a key has been compromised, delete it immediately from the dashboard and create a new one.