# API

Outline includes a [fully featured API](https://www.getoutline.com/developers) structured in an RPC style. It enables you to programmatically interact with all aspects of your data – in fact, the main application is built on exactly the same API. You can use the API to build everything from small automations to complete integrations.

# Documentation

Detailed documentation and endpoint reference for the API can be found on the [developer portal](https://www.getoutline.com/developers).

# Authentication

For personal scripts API keys are the easiest way to access the API – visit **Settings → API Keys** to create and manage them. To authenticate with API, you can supply the API key as a header (`Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY`) or as part of the payload using `token` parameter. Header based authentication is *highly recommended* to help prevent accidental exposure in logs*.*

API keys can also be further restricted through an expiration date and scope limitations.

## Scopes

API keys include the ability to optionally scope their access, you can do so through a space-separated list of endpoints including wildcards. Unscoped API keys will have the same permissions and access as the user that created them.

Some examples of valid scopes:

| **Scope** | **Access** |
|-------|--------|
| documents.info | documents.info |
| \*.info | documents.info<br>collections.infoshares.info<br>*…etc* |
| documents.\* | documents.infodocuments.createdocuments.updatedocuments.delete*…etc* |

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**Documents**

- [Getting started](https://docs.getoutline.com/s/guide/doc/getting-started-CB6Ipl9Cdc)
- [Documents](https://docs.getoutline.com/s/guide/doc/documents-UiH1h0aQFQ)
- [Integrations](https://docs.getoutline.com/s/guide/doc/integrations-eUbAF2WAjF)
- [AI](https://docs.getoutline.com/s/guide/doc/ai-IFCYbrK7EU)
- [Administration](https://docs.getoutline.com/s/guide/doc/administration-GmaueCNdk1)
- [Import data](https://docs.getoutline.com/s/guide/doc/import-data-D2ZvLqz411)
- [Export data](https://docs.getoutline.com/s/guide/doc/export-data-Da6C7HqL8M)
- [Cloud hosting](https://docs.getoutline.com/s/guide/doc/cloud-hosting-CxJbubIhje)