# Configure an API key
<a name="identity-api-key"></a>

API keys provide key-based authentication for services that require direct key access with secure storage capabilities. An API key is a unique identifier used to authenticate and authorize access to a resource, enabling your agent to access external services without embedding sensitive credentials directly in your application code.

**Topics**
+ [Add API key](identity-add-api-key.md)
+ [Update API key](identity-update-api-key.md)
+ [Delete API key](identity-delete-api-key.md)