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Overview

All Pulse API endpoints require authentication using an API key. This key identifies your organization and tracks usage for billing purposes.

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Getting Your API Key

1

Sign Up

Create an account at runpulse.com/pricing-studio-pulse
2

Generate API Key

Navigate to the API Keys section in your dashboard
3

Copy Your Key

Click “Create New Key” and copy the generated key immediately
API keys are shown only once when created. Store them securely - you cannot retrieve them later.

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Using Your API Key

Include your API key in the x-api-key header with every request: 
curl -X POST https://dev.api.runpulse.com/extract \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -F "file=@document.pdf"

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API Key Security

  • Never expose API keys in client-side code - Use server-side proxies
  • Use environment variables - Don’t hardcode keys in your source code
  • Rotate keys regularly - Generate new keys periodically
  • Use separate keys - Different keys for development, staging, and production
Store your API key in environment variables:
.env
PULSE_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
Python
import os

API_KEY = os.getenv("PULSE_API_KEY")
Node.js
const API_KEY = process.env.PULSE_API_KEY;
To rotate your API key:
  1. Generate a new key in the Console
  2. Update your application to use the new key
  3. Verify the new key is working
  4. Delete the old key from the Console

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Managing API Keys

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View Active Keys

Access your API keys at runpulse.com/pricing-studio-pulse:
  • See all active keys
  • View creation dates
  • Monitor usage per key
  • Delete compromised keys

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Key Permissions

All API keys have full access to:
  • Document extraction endpoints
  • File upload endpoints
  • Job management endpoints
  • Webhook configuration
Fine-grained permissions are coming soon. Contact support if you need restricted access patterns.

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Troubleshooting

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Common Authentication Errors

Solution: Ensure you’re including the x-api-key header in your request
# Incorrect - missing header
curl -X POST https://dev.api.runpulse.com/extract

# Correct - includes header
curl -X POST https://dev.api.runpulse.com/extract \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"
Possible causes:
  • Key was typed incorrectly
  • Key has been deleted
  • Using a key from a different environment
Solution: Verify your key in the Console and ensure you’re copying it correctly
Solution:
  • Check your usage in the Console
  • Upgrade your plan for higher limits
  • Contact support for temporary limit increases

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Next Steps

Quickstart Guide

Start making your first API calls

API Reference

Explore available endpoints