Secret vs Public Key

Understanding the difference between secret and public API keys in Helicone. Learn about access levels, usage examples, and best practices.

Key Type	Access	Path Auth	Header Auth	REST API
Public	Write-Only	Yes	Yes	No
Secret	Read + Write	Not Recommended	Yes	Yes

Usage Examples

Header Auth

import OpenAI from "openai";

// Use secret or public key
const openai = new OpenAI({
  apiKey: request.env.OPENAI_API_KEY,
  baseURL: "https://oai.helicone.ai/v1",
  defaultHeaders: {
    "Helicone-Auth": `Bearer ${HELICONE_SECRET_API_KEY}`,
  },
});

Ensure that secret keys are always kept secure and never exposed in client-side code.

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