---
title: API Authentication
description: Authentication configurations for API.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/platform-security/authentication/api-authentication.html
release: australia
product: Authentication
classification: authentication
topic_type: concept
last_updated: "2026-03-12"
reading_time_minutes: 1
breadcrumb: [Authentication, Access Management]
---

# API Authentication

Authentication configurations for API.

API based Authentication in ServiceNow®'s validates the identity of a user who accesses an instance, and then authorizes the user to features that match the user's role or job function while making an API call to the ServiceNow® instance.

Following are the types of API Authentication in ServiceNow®:

-   [Certificate based authentication](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/platform-security/authentication/certificate-api-auth.md)
-   [OAuth](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/platform-security/authentication/oauth-inbound-and-outbound.md)
-   [Token-based authentication](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/platform-security/authentication/token-based-auth-api.md)