DEVELOPER INFORMATION

API Keys

API Keys are the unique strings that you can use to manage the public API tokens you use to make data requests.

Why do I have a key?

For many users, who are using their data access for in-house or projects that are not publicly shared, you may never need to use your key. There is no automatic benefit to using multiple tokens when making requests. Your API key is a tool to create and manage the public tokens affiliated with your account.

You can also manage your account’s tokens with the credentials control panel.

An example key use case is an application that directly requests our API data, and has its own users. This application might like to set a unique token for each user so when they close their account their access can be permenantly disabled. This developer would use their API key to manage creating and disabling tokens.

How do I use my key?

There is only one API service where you can use your key. Your key is given as the value to the apikey parameter on requests to the auth web service of Mesonet API. Three different actions can be taken depending on what parameters you give when you make the request:

Create a new token

  https://api.synopticdata.com/v2/auth?apikey={your Private API key}

List all your active tokens

  https://api.synopticdata.com/v2/auth?apikey={your Private API key}&list=1

Disable a particular token

  https://api.synopticdata.com/v2/auth?apikey={your Private API key}&disableToken={a token to disable}

Learn more about how to use the auth service in our documentation

Why is it private?

API keys are a part of your account management, and as a result you should keep them a secret from others so they cannot create or disable your API tokens.

Someone acquiring your API key will not grant them any access to your Synpotic user account, and from the developer credentials control panel you can disable your API key and create a new one if you have lost control of your existing key.

Appearance

Keys are designed to look different from API tokens in order to help you not mix them up. Here is an example API key:

KyzLo3fUzcy40xrQWVHxOK15e18xgbWzkP9r1TSzu4

API keys usually begin with Ky, Kz, or Ku and are longer than API tokens. API keys include any number, upper, or lowercase ASCII letter. Tokens created through our API services will only contain the numbers 0-9 and letters a-f. Our API services will attempt to highlight when a request is attempted with an API key presented as a token.

Key and auth service details

The auth web service is the only service where you may use your API key
All auth requests must be made with your API key.
Auth requests are not counted towards any request or data limits.