CLI Authentication: API Keys and Profiles

Log in to the AhaSend CLI with your API key and account ID, manage separate profiles for production and staging, and pass credentials safely in CI/CD.

The AhaSend CLI uses profile-based authentication to manage your API credentials and support multiple environments.

Before running the examples, log in with a full API key, use your verified sender domain, and replace YOUR_RESOURCE_ID with a resource UUID from your test account. Create any named template, recipient, attachment, or JSON files first. Shell examples use Bash; examples that read JSON with jq need jq installed. Sends use sandbox mode.

Getting Started

Create a full API key under Account Settings → API Keys, with the scopes needed by your commands, and copy the account ID from account settings. See API authentication.

Interactive Login

ahasend auth login

You’ll be prompted for your API Key, Account ID, and an optional profile name.

Direct Login

ahasend auth login \
  --api-key YOUR_API_KEY \
  --account-id YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID \
  --profile production

CI Credentials

The CLI reads no environment variables for credentials. It authenticates through ahasend auth login profiles, --profile, or --api-key with --account-id. In CI, store secrets as environment variables and pass them explicitly through flags:

ahasend --api-key "$AHASEND_API_KEY" --account-id "$AHASEND_ACCOUNT_ID" ping

Profiles

Profiles let you manage multiple environments easily.

Creating Profiles

ahasend auth login --profile production
ahasend auth login --profile staging

Switching Profiles

# Change default profile
ahasend auth switch production

# Use profile for single command
ahasend messages send --sandbox --profile staging \
  --from [e-mail] \
  --to [e-mail] \
  --subject "Test" --text "Docs test"

Check Status

ahasend auth status

Remove Profile

ahasend auth login --profile docs-logout-test
ahasend auth logout docs-logout-test

Configuration

Credentials are stored as plaintext in ~/.ahasend/config.yaml. Protect this file and keep it out of source control.

Keep your API keys secure. Never commit credentials to version control.

Testing Authentication

Verify your setup:

ahasend ping
ahasend auth status

Next Steps

• Send your first email
• Manage domains
• Configure webhooks

Related Guides

• Install the CLI, REST sending guide, SMTP settings.
• Node.js SDK, Go SDK, CLI configuration and output.
• API authentication, Permission scopes, Domain setup.
• Sandbox behavior.