# Data API Authentication

SingleStore's Data API uses Basic and Bearer Authentication standards. You can also use JWTs for password-less access to the database with Bearer Authentication. To authenticate via JWTs, specify the JWT in the Bearer Authorization header. For successful authentication, the JWT must be signed using a key listed in the JWKS that is fetched from the `jwks_endpoint` in the engine. See [Authenticate via JWT](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/security/authentication/authenticate-via-jwt.md) for more information.

To enable JWT-based authentication on SingleStore,

* [Configure the JWKS](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/security/authentication/authenticate-via-jwt/#section-idm4592226252089633070902698635.md) endpoint. Set the `jwks_endpoint` variable on the database server.
* Make a HTTP request to the `/api/v2/jwks_setup` endpoint using the `POST` method.

A user agent can authenticate with the server by sending its credentials in an Authorization request header. The Authorization header contains the authentication method (Basic or Bearer) followed by a space and then the authentication information constructed from a Base-64 encoded string `username:password|JWT`.

```HTTP Header
Authorization: [Basic | Bearer] <Base-64 encoded username:password|JWT>
```

For example, the Basic Authorization header for the username `demo` and password `Afu4XjzB1ns` appears as follows, where `ZGVtbzpBZnU0WGp6QjFucw==` is the Base-64 encoding of the `demo:Afu4XjzB1ns` string.

```HTTP&#x20;Header
Authorization: Basic ZGVtbzpBZnU0WGp6QjFucw==
```

If the server requires the user agent to authenticate itself after receiving an unauthenticated request, it will respond with a *401 Unauthorized* status and the *WWW-Authenticate* header.

> **⚠️ Warning**: As the Basic and Bearer Authentication methods transfer the username and password (or JWTs) over the network in clear text, it must be used in conjunction with HTTPS/SSL for added security. The production usage of SingleStore's Data API should only take place with SSL (HTTPS) enabled to ensure that the authentication information is secure.

***

Modified at: September 16, 2025

Source: [/db/v9.1/reference/data-api/data-api-authentication/](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/reference/data-api/data-api-authentication/)

(An index of the documentation is available at /llms.txt)