Authentication

Maniac uses API keys for authentication. This guide covers how to obtain, configure, and manage your API keys securely.

Getting Your API Key

1. Sign Up for Maniac

Visit maniac.ai and create an account:

1. Click "Sign Up"

2. Currently, we support sign ins with GitHub and Google.

2. Create an API Key

In the Maniac dashboard:

1. Create a new organization and project.

2. Navigate to Project → Settings → API Keys

3. Click "Create a Key"

4. Give your key a descriptive name (e.g., "Production API", "Development")

5. Click "Submit," and copy your key.

⚠️ Important: API keys are scoped per user and project.

Configuring Authentication

Method 1: Environment Variables (Recommended)

Set your API key as an environment variable:

Linux/macOS:

export MANIAC_API_KEY="mk-1234567890abcdef"

Windows:

set MANIAC_API_KEY=mk-1234567890abcdef

Python Code:

import os
from maniac import Maniac

# Client automatically uses MANIAC_API_KEY environment variable
client = Maniac(api_key=os.getenv("MANIAC_API_KEY"))

Method 2: Configuration File

Create a configuration file at ~/.maniac/config.yaml:

api_key: mk-1234567890abcdef
environment: production
region: us-west-2

Python Code:

from maniac import Maniac

# Client automatically loads from config file
client = Maniac(api_key=os.getenv("MANIAC_API_KEY"))

Method 3: Direct in Code

from maniac import Maniac

client = Maniac(api_key="MANIAC_API_KEY")

⚠️ Security Warning: Never hardcode API keys in production code or commit them to version control.

Security Best Practices

1. Environment-Specific Keys

Use different API keys for different environments:

import os
from maniac import Maniac

# Automatically switch based on environment
api_key = os.getenv("MANIAC_API_KEY")
environment = os.getenv("ENVIRONMENT", "development")

client = Maniac(
    api_key=api_key,
    environment=environment
)

2. Key Rotation

Regularly rotate your API keys:

1. Generate a new API key

2. Update your environment variables/config

3. Test the new key

4. Delete the old key

3. Least Privilege Access

Create keys with minimal required permissions:

# Example: Read-only key for monitoring
permissions:
  - containers:read
  - metrics:read

# Example: Full access key for deployment
permissions:
  - containers:*
  - models:*
  - data:*

4. Monitoring Usage

Monitor your API key usage in the dashboard:

• Track request volumes

• Monitor error rates

• Set up usage alerts

• Review access patterns

Managing Multiple Keys

Team Environments

For team development, consider:

import os
from maniac import Maniac

# Each team member has their own key
api_key = os.getenv(f"MANIAC_API_KEY_{os.getenv('USER', 'default').upper()}")

client = Maniac(api_key=api_key)

Troubleshooting Authentication

Common Error Messages

Invalid API Key

{
  "error": "invalid_api_key",
  "message": "The provided API key is invalid or has been revoked"
}

Solution: Check that your API key is correct and hasn't been revoked.

Permission Denied

{
  "error": "permission_denied",
  "message": "This API key doesn't have permission for this action"
}

Solution: Check your key's permissions in the dashboard.

Rate Limit Exceeded

{
  "error": "rate_limit_exceeded",
  "message": "Rate limit exceeded. Try again in 60 seconds"
}

Solution: Implement rate limiting in your code or upgrade your plan.

Debugging Authentication Issues

Enable debug logging:

import logging
from maniac import Maniac

# Enable debug logging
logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)

client = Maniac(api_key=os.getenv("MANIAC_API_KEY"))

# Test authentication
try:
    info = client.get_account_info()
    print(f"Authenticated as: {info['email']}")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"Authentication failed: {e}")

Environment Variables Reference

Variable	Description	Required
MANIAC_API_KEY	Your API key	Yes
MANIAC_ENVIRONMENT	Environment (production/sandbox)	No
MANIAC_REGION	Preferred region	No
MANIAC_TIMEOUT	Request timeout (seconds)	No
MANIAC_MAX_RETRIES	Max retry attempts	No

Next Steps

• Create your first container

• Explore the Python SDK

• Set up monitoring