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API Key (Agent)

Reviewed 19 July 2026 Canonical definition Part of: MCP & Agent Protocol Terms →

An API key is a static secret an agent can present to an API. It is simple to use but weaker than short-lived, scoped tokens because it is harder to rotate and easy to over-share.

§01 / QUESTIONSterm: API Key (Agent)
Questions

Common questions.

What is API Key (Agent)?

An API key is a static secret an agent can present to an API.

How is API Key (Agent) used in production?

It is simple to use but weaker than short-lived, scoped tokens because it is harder to rotate and easy to over-share.

Which terms are related to API Key (Agent)?

Closely related concepts include Agent Capability, Exfiltration via Agent, AI Agent, MCP Server Discovery. Each is defined in the Prefactor glossary.

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Where this fits.

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