Skip to content

API Authentication

The API package provides secure authentication with bcrypt-hashed API keys, scope-based permissions, and automatic key rotation.

API Key Management

Creating Keys

use Mod\Api\Models\ApiKey;

$apiKey = ApiKey::create([
    'name' => 'Mobile App Production',
    'workspace_id' => $workspace->id,
    'scopes' => ['posts:read', 'posts:write', 'categories:read'],
    'rate_limit_tier' => 'pro',
    'expires_at' => now()->addYear(),
]);

// Get plaintext key (only available once!)
$plaintext = $apiKey->plaintext_key;
// Returns: sk_live_abc123def456...

Key Format: {prefix}_{environment}_{random} - Prefix: sk (secret key) - Environment: live or test - Random: 32-character string

Secure Storage

Keys are hashed with bcrypt before storage:

// Never stored in plaintext
$hash = bcrypt($plaintext);

// Stored in database
$apiKey->key_hash = $hash;

// Verification
if (Hash::check($providedKey, $apiKey->key_hash)) {
    // Valid key
}

Key Rotation

Rotate keys with a grace period:

$newKey = $apiKey->rotate([
    'grace_period_hours' => 24,
]);

// Returns new ApiKey with:
// - New plaintext key
// - Same scopes and settings
// - Old key marked for deletion after grace period

During the grace period, both keys work. After 24 hours, the old key is automatically deleted.

Using API Keys

Authorization Header

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_abc123..." \
     https://api.example.com/v1/posts

Basic Auth

curl -u sk_live_abc123: \
     https://api.example.com/v1/posts

PHP Example

use GuzzleHttp\Client;

$client = new Client([
    'base_uri' => 'https://api.example.com',
    'headers' => [
        'Authorization' => "Bearer {$apiKey}",
        'Accept' => 'application/json',
    ],
]);

$response = $client->get('/v1/posts');

JavaScript Example

const response = await fetch('https://api.example.com/v1/posts', {
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    'Accept': 'application/json'
  }
});

Scopes & Permissions

Defining Scopes

$apiKey = ApiKey::create([
    'scopes' => [
        'posts:read',      // Read posts
        'posts:write',     // Create/update posts
        'posts:delete',    // Delete posts
        'categories:read', // Read categories
    ],
]);

Common Scopes

Scope Description
{resource}:read Read access
{resource}:write Create and update
{resource}:delete Delete access
{resource}:* All permissions for resource
* Full access (use sparingly!)

Wildcard Scopes

// All post permissions
'scopes' => ['posts:*']

// Read access to all resources
'scopes' => ['*:read']

// Full access (admin only!)
'scopes' => ['*']

Scope Enforcement

Protect routes with scope middleware:

Route::middleware('scope:posts:write')
    ->post('/posts', [PostController::class, 'store']);

Route::middleware('scope:posts:delete')
    ->delete('/posts/{id}', [PostController::class, 'destroy']);

Check Scopes in Controllers

public function store(Request $request)
{
    if (!$request->user()->tokenCan('posts:write')) {
        return response()->json([
            'error' => 'Insufficient permissions',
            'required_scope' => 'posts:write',
        ], 403);
    }

    return Post::create($request->validated());
}

Rate Limiting

Keys are rate-limited based on tier:

// config/api.php
'rate_limits' => [
    'free' => ['requests' => 1000, 'per' => 'hour'],
    'pro' => ['requests' => 10000, 'per' => 'hour'],
    'business' => ['requests' => 50000, 'per' => 'hour'],
    'enterprise' => ['requests' => null], // Unlimited
],

Rate limit headers included in responses:

X-RateLimit-Limit: 10000
X-RateLimit-Remaining: 9847
X-RateLimit-Reset: 1640995200

Learn more about Rate Limiting →

Key Expiration

Set Expiration

$apiKey = ApiKey::create([
    'expires_at' => now()->addMonths(6),
]);

Check Expiration

if ($apiKey->isExpired()) {
    return response()->json(['error' => 'API key expired'], 401);
}

Auto-Cleanup

Expired keys are automatically cleaned up:

php artisan api:prune-expired-keys

Environment-Specific Keys

Test Keys

$testKey = ApiKey::create([
    'name' => 'Development Key',
    'environment' => 'test',
]);

// Key prefix: sk_test_...

Test keys: - Don't affect production data - Higher rate limits - Clearly marked in UI - Easy to identify and delete

Live Keys

$liveKey = ApiKey::create([
    'environment' => 'live',
]);

// Key prefix: sk_live_...

Middleware

API Authentication

Route::middleware('auth:api')->group(function () {
    // Protected routes
});

Scope Enforcement

use Mod\Api\Middleware\EnforceApiScope;

Route::middleware([EnforceApiScope::class.':posts:write'])
    ->post('/posts', [PostController::class, 'store']);

Rate Limiting

use Mod\Api\Middleware\RateLimitApi;

Route::middleware(RateLimitApi::class)->group(function () {
    // Rate-limited routes
});

Security Best Practices

1. Minimum Required Scopes

// ✅ Good - specific scopes
'scopes' => ['posts:read', 'categories:read']

// ❌ Bad - excessive permissions
'scopes' => ['*']

2. Rotate Regularly

// Rotate every 90 days
if ($apiKey->created_at->diffInDays() > 90) {
    $newKey = $apiKey->rotate();
    // Notify user of new key
}

3. Use Separate Keys Per Client

// ✅ Good - separate keys
ApiKey::create(['name' => 'iOS App']);
ApiKey::create(['name' => 'Android App']);
ApiKey::create(['name' => 'Web App']);

// ❌ Bad - shared key
ApiKey::create(['name' => 'All Mobile Apps']);

4. Set Expiration

// ✅ Good - temporary access
'expires_at' => now()->addMonths(6)

// ❌ Bad - never expires
'expires_at' => null

5. Monitor Usage

$usage = ApiKey::find($id)->usage()
    ->whereBetween('created_at', [now()->subDays(7), now()])
    ->count();

if ($usage > $threshold) {
    // Alert admin
}

Testing

<?php

namespace Tests\Feature\Api;

use Tests\TestCase;
use Mod\Api\Models\ApiKey;

class ApiKeyAuthTest extends TestCase
{
    public function test_authenticates_with_valid_key(): void
    {
        $apiKey = ApiKey::factory()->create([
            'scopes' => ['posts:read'],
        ]);

        $response = $this->withHeaders([
            'Authorization' => "Bearer {$apiKey->plaintext_key}",
        ])->getJson('/api/v1/posts');

        $response->assertOk();
    }

    public function test_rejects_invalid_key(): void
    {
        $response = $this->withHeaders([
            'Authorization' => 'Bearer invalid_key',
        ])->getJson('/api/v1/posts');

        $response->assertUnauthorized();
    }

    public function test_enforces_scopes(): void
    {
        $apiKey = ApiKey::factory()->create([
            'scopes' => ['posts:read'], // No write permission
        ]);

        $response = $this->withHeaders([
            'Authorization' => "Bearer {$apiKey->plaintext_key}",
        ])->postJson('/api/v1/posts', ['title' => 'Test']);

        $response->assertForbidden();
    }
}

Learn More