Introduction
Authentication
How to authenticate with the Home Plate API using API keys.
The Home Plate API uses API keys for authentication. Each key is tied to your Home Plate account and provides access to your family's data.
Getting an API key
- Go to your profile page page
- Sign in with your Home Plate account
- Click Generate API Key
- Copy the key immediately — it is only shown once
Store your key securely. Your API key is shown only once when generated. If you lose it, you'll need to generate a new one (which revokes the old key).
Using your API key
Include your API key in the X-API-Key header with every request:
curl -H "X-API-Key: hp_your_key_here" \
https://www.homeplatemeal.com/api/meal-plans/v1/current
Key format
Home Plate API keys always start with hp_ followed by 64 hexadecimal characters:
hp_a1b2c3d4e5f6...
The hp_ prefix makes it easy to identify Home Plate keys in your code and configuration.
Key management
- One active key per account — generating a new key automatically revokes the previous one
- Revocation — you can revoke your key at any time from your profile page page
- Last used — the key management page shows when your key was last used
Security best practices
- Never commit API keys to source control
- Use environment variables to store keys in your applications
- Rotate your key periodically by generating a new one
- Revoke your key immediately if you suspect it has been compromised