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API Authentication

Learn how to authenticate with the Pulsar API.

Authentication Methods​

Session Cookies (Web)​

When using Pulsar through the web interface, authentication is handled automatically via session cookies set by auth.byte8.io.

All API requests from the Pulsar dashboard use this method automatically.

Current Limitations​

Coming Soon

Personal Access Tokens (PATs) for programmatic API access are planned for a future release. Currently, API access is limited to authenticated web sessions.

Session-Based API Access​

For now, API access is available through the web interface:

  1. Log in to pulsar.byte8.io
  2. Use the browser's developer tools to inspect GraphQL requests
  3. The session cookie is automatically included

How Sessions Work​

  1. You authenticate via auth.byte8.io
  2. A secure session cookie is set for *.byte8.io
  3. All requests to pulsar.byte8.io include this cookie
  4. The Pulsar API validates the session on each request

Security​

Session Security​

  • Sessions are HTTP-only and secure
  • Sessions expire after inactivity
  • Logging out invalidates the session immediately

Best Practices​

  1. Don't share sessions - Each user should have their own account
  2. Log out when done - Especially on shared computers
  3. Use strong passwords - Protect your Byte8 account
  4. Enable 2FA - When available, enable two-factor authentication

Future: API Tokens​

When API tokens are available, you'll be able to:

  • Create tokens with specific scopes
  • Use tokens for CI/CD integration
  • Build custom integrations
  • Access the API programmatically

Stay tuned for updates on this feature.

Troubleshooting​

401 Unauthorized​

  • Your session may have expired - log in again
  • Cookies may be blocked - check browser settings
  • Try clearing cookies and logging in fresh

403 Forbidden​

  • You may not have access to the requested resource
  • Check that you own the site you're trying to access