Authentication

The RunRL client uses API key authentication to securely access the RunRL API. This page explains how to obtain and use your API key.

Obtaining an API Key

To obtain an API key:

1. Sign up for an account at RunRL
2. Navigate to your account settings
3. Generate a new API key
4. Copy the API key (it starts with rl-)

Using Your API Key

When initializing the RunRL client, you need to provide your API key:

from runrl import RunRL

# Initialize with your API key
client = RunRL(api_key="rl-your-api-key")

API Key Validation

The RunRL client automatically validates your API key when you initialize it:

try:
    client = RunRL(api_key="rl-your-api-key")
    print("API key is valid!")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"API key validation failed: {e}")

Environment Variables

For security best practices, it's recommended to store your API key as an environment variable rather than hardcoding it in your scripts:

import os
from runrl import RunRL

# Get API key from environment variable
api_key = os.environ.get("RUNRL_API_KEY")
if not api_key:
    raise ValueError("RUNRL_API_KEY environment variable not set")

client = RunRL(api_key=api_key)

You can set the environment variable in your shell:

# Linux/macOS
export RUNRL_API_KEY="rl-your-api-key"

# Windows (Command Prompt)
set RUNRL_API_KEY=rl-your-api-key

# Windows (PowerShell)
$env:RUNRL_API_KEY="rl-your-api-key"

Custom API Endpoints

By default, the RunRL client connects to the standard RunRL API endpoint. If you need to use a different endpoint (e.g., for testing or private deployments), you can specify it when initializing the client:

client = RunRL(
    api_key="rl-your-api-key",
    base_url="https://custom-api.example.com"
)

API Key Security

Keep your API key secure:

• Never commit your API key to version control
• Don't share your API key in public forums or documentation
• Rotate your API key periodically
• Use environment variables or secure secret management tools

Error Handling

If authentication fails, the RunRL client will raise an AuthenticationError:

from runrl import RunRL, AuthenticationError

try:
    client = RunRL(api_key="invalid-api-key")
except AuthenticationError as e:
    print(f"Authentication failed: {e}")

Next Steps

Once you've successfully authenticated, you can start using the RunRL client to manage your runs and other resources.