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The Chariow API uses API keys to authenticate requests.

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Creating an API Key

1

Log in to Dashboard

Go to app.chariow.com and log in to your account.
2

Navigate to Settings

Click on Settings in the sidebar.
3

Open API Keys

Select API Keys from the settings menu.
4

Create New Key

Click Create API Key, give it a descriptive name, and copy the generated key.
Copy your API key immediately after creation. For security reasons, the full key is only shown once.

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Making Authenticated Requests

Include your API key in the Authorization header of every request: 
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

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Example Request

curl -X GET "https://api.chariow.com/v1/store" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

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Key Security Best Practices

Store API keys in environment variables, not in your codebase:
# .env file
CHARIOW_API_KEY=your_api_key

# Access in your code
process.env.CHARIOW_API_KEY
Create separate API keys for development, staging, and production environments. This limits the impact if a key is compromised.
Periodically create new keys and deprecate old ones. This limits the window of opportunity for compromised keys.
Regularly review your API key usage in the dashboard. Look for unusual patterns that might indicate unauthorised access.
Never expose your API key in client-side code (JavaScript running in browsers). All API calls should be made from your server.

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Authentication Errors

If authentication fails, you’ll receive a 401 Unauthorised response: 
{
  "message": "API key is missing. Please provide a valid API key.",
  "data": [],
  "errors": []
}
Common causes of authentication failures:
ErrorCauseSolution
Missing headerNo Authorization headerAdd the header to your request
Invalid keyKey doesn’t exist or was deletedGenerate a new key in your dashboard
Wrong storeKey belongs to a different storeUse the correct key for your store

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Rate Limiting

API keys are subject to rate limiting to ensure fair usage:
  • 10 requests per minute per API key
When rate limited, you’ll receive a 429 Too Many Requests response.
Need higher rate limits? Contact our support team at [email protected].

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Next Steps

API Reference

Explore the complete API documentation

Rate Limits

Learn more about rate limiting