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Authentication

PureRouter is a completely independent product from PureCPP. You can use PureRouter without needing PureCPP and vice versa.
PureRouter uses API keys to authenticate requests. This guide explains how to obtain, manage, and use your API keys securely.

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Getting Your API Key

To use PureRouter, you need a valid API key:
  1. Sign up for the PureAI platform: Visit pureai.com and create your account
  2. Get your PureRouter API key: In the API Keys section, generate a specific key for PureRouter
Your API keys grant access to platform resources. Treat them like passwords and never share them publicly or include them in code repositories.

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Configuring the SDK

There are several ways to configure the PureRouter Python SDK with your API key:

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1. Direct Initialization

from purerouter import PureRouter

# Simplest method: pass the key directly
client = PureRouter(router_key="your-api-key-here")

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2. Environment Variables

A safer practice is to use environment variables: 
import os
from purerouter import PureRouter

# Set the PUREROUTER_API_KEY environment variable
# In terminal: export PUREROUTER_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"

# The SDK will automatically fetch the key from the environment variable
client = PureRouter()

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3. Configuration File

You can also use a configuration file: 
from purerouter import PureRouter

# Create a .env or config.json file with your credentials
# The SDK can be configured to load from this file
client = PureRouter.from_config("path/to/config.json")

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Key Rotation

For enhanced security, it’s recommended to rotate your keys periodically:
  1. Generate a new key on the PureAI platform
  2. Gradually update your applications to use the new key
  3. After confirming all systems are working with the new key, revoke the old one

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Security Best Practices

Never include API keys directly in source code, especially in public repositories. Use environment variables or secret management systems.
When possible, create keys with limited permissions for each specific application or service.
Regularly check API usage logs to detect suspicious activities or unauthorized usage.
Configure rate limits in your application to prevent accidental or malicious excessive API usage.

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Authentication Error Handling

When authentication problems occur, the SDK returns specific errors: 
from purerouter import PureRouter
from purerouter.exceptions import AuthenticationError

try:
    client = PureRouter(router_key="invalid-key")
    response = client.router.infer(...)
except AuthenticationError as e:
    print(f"Authentication error: {e}")
    # Implement retry logic or notification

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Complete Example with Secure Authentication

import os
from dotenv import load_dotenv
from purerouter import PureRouter
from purerouter.types import InferRequest
from purerouter.exceptions import AuthenticationError, RateLimitError

# Load environment variables from a .env file
load_dotenv()

def get_purerouter_client():
    # Try to get the key from environment variable
    api_key = os.getenv("PUREROUTER_API_KEY")

    if not api_key:
        raise ValueError("PUREROUTER_API_KEY not found in environment variables")

    return PureRouter(router_key=api_key)

def process_query_safely(query, max_retries=3):
    retry_count = 0

    while retry_count < max_retries:
        try:
            client = get_purerouter_client()
            response = client.router.infer(InferRequest(
                prompt=query,
                profile="balanced"
            ))
            return response

        except AuthenticationError as e:
            print(f"Authentication error: {e}")
            # Here you could implement logic to renew the key
            # or notify administrators
            raise

        except RateLimitError as e:
            retry_count += 1
            wait_time = 2 ** retry_count  # Exponential backoff
            print(f"Rate limit reached. Retrying in {wait_time} seconds...")
            time.sleep(wait_time)

        except Exception as e:
            print(f"Unexpected error: {e}")
            raise

    raise Exception(f"Failed after {max_retries} attempts")

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Next Steps

Python SDK

Learn to use the PureRouter Python SDK

Deployments

Learn how to access specific models via API

API Reference

Check the complete API documentation