# Authentication

> Keep management credentials separate from credentials and headers expected by the mock runtime.

- Canonical URL: https://dotmock.com/docs/features/authentication
- Capability status: Available
- Last verified: 2026-07-24

## Prerequisites
- A DotMock workspace you can access
- The API ID in $API_ID and its published runtime URL in $MOCK_URL when the example calls the mock

## In this guide
- Know which system is authenticating
- Require a team API key on the mock
- Model the authentication contract your client expects
- Keep credentials out of mock content

## Verified boundaries
- A management credential authorizes DotMock actions; it must not be treated as a simulated provider credential.

Read the canonical guide for its complete examples and expected results: https://dotmock.com/docs/features/authentication