Overview

X APIs handle enormous amounts of data. The way we ensure this data is secured for developers and users alike is through authentication. There are a few methods for authentication, each listed below.


Most developers will not need to deal with the complexities surrounding authentication since client libraries automatically handle these difficulties.

You can find a list of available client libraries on our tools and libraries pages >

 

Authentication methods

OAuth 1.0a User Context

OAuth 1.0a allows an authorized X developer App to access private account information or perform a X action on behalf of a X account.

Basic authentication

Many of X’s enterprise APIs require the use of HTTP Basic Authentication.

App only

App only Access Token allows a X developer app to access information publicly available on X.

OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code Flow with PKCE

OAuth 2.0 User Context allows you to authenticate on behalf of another account with greater control over an application’s scope, and authorization flows across multiple devices.

Please note

Your App's API Keys and App only Access Token, as well as your personal Access Token and Access Token Secret can be obtained from the X developer Apps section found in the developer portal

If you would like to make requests on behalf of another user, you will need to generate a separate set of Access Tokens for that user using the 3-legged OAuth flow, and pass that user's tokens with your OAuth 1.0a User Context or OAuth 2.0 user context requests.

 

Additional resources

Guides

Learn how to generate tokens and authenticate requests using our integration guides.

API reference

Review our reference guides for our authentication endpoints.

Protect yourself

Make sure you understand the best practices for storing your keys and tokens.

Question?

Visit our FAQs.