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Authentication

API Reference: Authentication

To access the AnswerPal API, you need to authenticate every request. AnswerPal uses HTTP Basic Authentication, allowing you to securely access API endpoints using the same credentials you use to log in to the AnswerPal dashboard.

Authentication Overview

HTTP Basic Authentication is a simple authentication scheme built into the HTTP protocol. To authenticate, you send your AnswerPal dashboard username and password in the HTTP Authorization header of your API requests.

How to Authenticate with the AnswerPal API

Basic Authentication

Obtain your AnswerPal dashboard username and password.
Encode your username and password as a base64 string in the format: username:password
Add an Authorization header to your API request with the value: Basic <base64-encoded string>

Authenticating an API Request

Example using Basic Authentication:

GET /api/Customers/me HTTP/1.1
Host: api.answerpal.com
Authorization: Basic ZGVtbzpwYXNzd29yZA==
Replace ZGVtbzpwYXNzd29yZA== with your own base64-encoded username:password string.

Authentication Error Handling

401 Unauthorized

The API call was made without valid credentials or with an expired/invalid token. Solution: Check your Authorization header and ensure your token or credentials are correct and not expired.

403 Forbidden

The credentials are valid but lack permission to access the requested resource. Solution: Contact your admin or support to verify your access rights.

Token Expiry

JWT tokens are time-limited. If you receive a token expiry error, re-authenticate to obtain a new token.

Security Best Practices

Always use HTTPS for all API requests.
Store API credentials and tokens securely (never in source code).
Rotate passwords and tokens regularly.
Limit permissions for each token to only what is necessary.
Use organization-level credentials for general access, and override only when required for specific actions or integrations.
Audit API access logs periodically to detect unauthorized access.
Never share your credentials outside your organization.

Troubleshooting Authentication

Invalid Credentials

Ensure you are using the correct username and password for your AnswerPal dashboard. If you have recently changed your password, update it in your API client as well.

Missing Authorization Header

Check that your API requests include the Authorization header in the correct format.

Not Using HTTPS

Requests over HTTP (instead of HTTPS) will be rejected for security reasons.