API keys authenticate requests to the localization API and the MCP server. Each key is scoped to an organization and has access to all engines within it.
Creating a key#
Create API keys from the API Keys page in the dashboard. Each key requires a name to identify its purpose (e.g., "CI/CD pipeline", "MCP server", "Staging environment").
Key visibility
The full API key is shown only once at creation. Copy and store it securely - it cannot be retrieved after you close the dialog.
Using a key#
Pass the API key in the X-API-Key header on every request:
bash
curl -X POST https://api.lingo.dev/process/localize \
-H "X-API-Key: your_api_key" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"engineId": "eng_abc123", "sourceLocale": "en", "targetLocale": "de", "data": {"greeting": "Hello"}}'The same key works for both the localization API and the MCP server.
Security#
- Keys are stored as hashes - Lingo.dev cannot retrieve your key after creation
- Keys are scoped to a single organization
- Deleting a key immediately revokes access
- There is no limit on the number of keys per organization