> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.staging.alpic.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# API Key authentication

> Protect your MCP server with API Keys

Alpic also supports API key Authentication via the *x-api-key* header.
You can get the value of the api key headers in your tool callback:

<CodeGroup>
  ```ts Typescript theme={null}

  server.tool(
      "greet",
      "A simple greeting tool",
      {
        name: z.string().describe("Name to greet"),
      },
      async (
        args: { name: string },
        extra: RequestHandlerExtra<ServerRequest, ServerNotification>,
      ): Promise<CallToolResult> => {
        const apiKey = extra.requestInfo?.headers["x-api-key"];
        if (!apiKey) {
          return {
            content: [
              isError: true,
              {
                type: "text",
                text: `You need to have a valid api key to use this tool.`,
              },
            ],
          };
        }
        const yourApiClient = new yourApiClient(apiKey);
        const yourApiResponse = await yourApiClient.greet(name);
        return {
          content: [
            {
              type: "text",
              text: `${yourApiResponse}`,
            },
          ],
        };
      },
    );

  ```

  ```python Python theme={null}
  from mcp.server.fastmcp import Context, FastMCP
  from pydantic import Field

  mcp = FastMCP("Echo Server", stateless_http=True)

  @mcp.tool(
      title="Echo Tool",
      description="Echo the input text",
  )
  async def echo(ctx: Context, text: str = Field(description="The text to echo")) -> str:
      api_key = ctx.request_context.request.get("x-api-key")
      if not api_key:
          raise ValueError("API key is required")
      your_api_client = YourApiClient(api_key)
      your_api_response = await your_api_client.echo(text)
      return your_api_response

  ```
</CodeGroup>

You can then instruct your users to add this custom headers when adding your MCP server to their MCP Client.

<CodeGroup>
  ```json Cursor theme={null}
  {
    "mcpServers": {
      "yourMcpServer": {
        "url": "https://your-mcp-server.alpic.live",
        "headers": {
          "x-api-key": "<USER_API_KEY>"
        }
      }
    }
  }
  ```

  ```json Claude Desktop theme={null}
  {
    "mcpServers": {
      "yourMcpServer": {
        "command": "npx",
        "args": ["mcp-remote", "https://your-mcp-server.alpic.live", "--header", "x-api-key: <USER_API_KEY>"]
      }
    }
  }
  ```

  ```bash VSCode theme={null}
  code --add-mcp '{"type":"http","name":"yourMcpServer","version":"0.0.1","description":"your amazing server","url":"https://your-mcp-server.alpic.live","author":"You","categories":["mcp"],"headers":{"x-api-key":"<USER_API_KEY>"}}'
  ```

  ```bash Claude Code theme={null}
  claude mcp add --transport http yourMcpServer https://your-mcp-server.alpic.live \
    --header "x-api-key: <USER_API_KEY>"
  ```

  ```md Goose theme={null}
  Go to Extensions
  Click on Add custom extension
  Fill the following information:

  - Extension Name: yourMcpServer
  - Type: Streamable HTTP
  - Description: Your amazing MCP server
  - Endpoint: https://your-mcp-server.alpic.live

  Enter authentication headers:
  Scroll down to the Request Headers section
  Click the + Add button
  Enter Header name: x-api-key
  Enter Value: <USER_API_KEY>
  ```
</CodeGroup>