generated: '2026-08-12'
method: searched
source: https://metadata.io/developers/authentication.html
docs: https://metadata.io/developers/authentication.html
summary: All Metadata MCP requests are authenticated with a bearer API key scoped to a single account.
  Keys are minted in the app, stored server-side only, shown exactly once, and can be rotated or revoked.
  The MCP endpoint additionally advertises full OAuth 2.0 authorization-server and protected-resource
  metadata for clients that negotiate rather than carry a static key.
schemes:
- id: api_key_bearer
  type: http
  scheme: bearer
  in: header
  name: Authorization
  key_prefix: md1_live_
  env_var: METADATA_API_KEY
  minted_at: Settings > API Keys > Create Key
  display_policy: shown exactly once
  storage: server-side only
  scoped_to: a single Metadata account
  source: https://metadata.io/developers/authentication.html
- id: oauth2
  type: oauth2
  flow: authorization_code
  pkce:
  - S256
  issuer: https://mcp-server.metadata.io/
  authorization_endpoint: https://mcp-server.metadata.io/authorize
  token_endpoint: https://mcp-server.metadata.io/token
  registration_endpoint: https://mcp-server.metadata.io/register
  revocation_endpoint: https://mcp-server.metadata.io/revoke
  grant_types:
  - authorization_code
  - refresh_token
  token_endpoint_auth_methods:
  - client_secret_post
  - client_secret_basic
  - private_key_jwt
  - none
  scopes_supported:
  - openid
  - offline_access
  dynamic_client_registration: true
  client_id_metadata_document_supported: true
  method: probed
  source: https://mcp-server.metadata.io/.well-known/oauth-authorization-server
  note: RFC 8414 authorization-server metadata and RFC 9728 protected-resource metadata are both served
    anonymously. The OAuth scopes_supported (openid, offline_access) are the transport-level scopes and
    are DISTINCT from the seven product permission scopes documented for API keys — see scopes/metadata-scopes.yml.
headers:
- name: Authorization
  value: Bearer <METADATA_API_KEY>
  required: true
- name: X-Account-ID
  required: conditional
  note: Required on every call for users with access to multiple Metadata accounts (agencies, holding
    companies). Call list_user_accounts first to enumerate them.
rotation:
  cadence_recommended: quarterly
  triggers:
  - employee or contractor offboarding
  - suspected key leak (logs, shared screen, repo commit)
  - scope expansion or reduction for the agent
  atomic: true
  grace_window: the old key stays valid for 15 minutes after a new one is issued; older keys are hard-revoked
    after the grace window
  self_service: true
  note: Docs state to rotate rather than contact support when a key is lost.
guidance:
- treat tokens like passwords
- never commit to git
- never log them
- never paste into chat
- name each key after the agent that will use it (claude-code-gil, hermes-prod, paperclip-sandbox)
- scope keys to limit blast radius — an analytics-only key should not carry launch permissions
inconsistency_note: The quickstart says to mint keys at app.metadataone.com; the authentication page says
  platform.metadata.io. Both hosts are live and both are linked from the metadata.io nav ("AI agency"
  and "Classic view" respectively). Recorded as published; not reconciled by API Evangelist.