# General Translation Platform: API Keys
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-US/docs/platform/api-keys.mdx
---
title: API Keys
description: Manage authentication keys with granular permissions
---

API keys authenticate applications, CI jobs, and automation with General Translation services. Create keys at the project level for one project, or at the organization level for automation that needs broader access.

Copy the full key immediately after creation. The dashboard only shows it once.

## Key scopes

| Scope | Best for |
|-------|----------|
| **Project** | A single project, deployed app, local development, previews, and project-scoped tooling |
| **Organization** | Organization-level automation, CI that works across projects, and tools that need custom permissions |

Project keys and organization keys have different creation flows. Project keys are created as production or development keys. Organization keys use a permission selector.

## Project keys

Create project keys from **Project -> API Keys**.

| Type | Prefix | Use case |
|------|--------|----------|
| **Production** | `gtx-api-` | Deployed applications and production automation |
| **Development** | `gtx-dev-` | Local development, preview environments, and test automation |

Project keys are bound to the selected project. In most project SDK and CLI workflows, use the key with your project ID:

```bash
GT_API_KEY=gtx-api-...
GT_PROJECT_ID=...
```

## Organization keys

Create organization keys from **Organization -> API Keys**.

Organization keys use the `gtx-org-` prefix and can be configured with a custom permission set. Use them for org-level automation or workflows that need to operate across projects in the organization.

## Organization key permissions

Permissions are configured per resource. `Write` includes `Read`.

| Resource | Read | Write or enabled |
|----------|------|------------------|
| **Files** | Read project files and translations | Upload source content and write translated files |
| **Context** | Read project and organization context | Manage context groups, glossary, and directives |
| **Runtime translation** | Not applicable | Translate content on demand |
| **Translation queue** | Not applicable | Queue file translation jobs for background processing |
| **Project settings** | Not applicable | Update project settings such as the default locale |

Grant each key only the permissions it needs.

## Rotate or revoke keys

Open the key list for the project or organization to review existing keys. Revoke keys that are no longer used, and create replacements when rotating credentials.

## Security practices

- Never commit keys to source control
- Store keys in environment variables or a secrets manager
- Use separate keys for development, staging, and production
- Rotate keys periodically and revoke unused ones
- Prefer the narrowest scope that works for the integration