> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.corsair.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Get Credentials

> Reddit API access, restrictions, and how that relates to the Corsair Reddit plugin.

This page explains how Reddit credentials work today and why you may not have a traditional “API key in five minutes” flow.

## Authentication in Corsair

The Reddit plugin is typed with [`api_key`](/concepts/api-key) as the default `authType`. In the current implementation, requests target Reddit’s **public JSON** endpoints (`reddit.com` / `old.reddit.com` style `.json` routes) with a **User-Agent** only — there is **no OAuth token or API key** attached to those calls in the plugin’s HTTP client.

That means **you do not need to run `pnpm corsair setup --plugin=reddit` with a secret** for basic read-style usage that relies on those public endpoints, subject to Reddit’s rules and rate limits.

## Reddit’s official API is restricted

Reddit has **closed off easy, open access** to their official API for most third-party apps:

* New **developer applications** and pricing/terms have changed substantially (commercial use, rate limits, and approval requirements).
* You typically must **apply** through Reddit’s developer program, accept their terms, and in many cases **pay** or operate within strict quotas depending on use case and time period.
* **Read Reddit’s current developer documentation** before building anything that depends on guaranteed access: [https://www.reddit.com/dev/api/](https://www.reddit.com/dev/api/) and the linked developer / business pages from Reddit.

If you need **OAuth**, **mod tools**, **posting as a user**, or **stable, supported quotas**, you must follow Reddit’s official process — there is no generic “paste a key from a dashboard” path that works for everyone anymore.

## What you should do

1. **Decide if you need the official Reddit API** (OAuth client ID/secret, approved app, compliance with Reddit’s Developer Terms). If yes, apply and register an app in Reddit’s developer settings and use credentials only as Reddit’s docs allow.
2. **If you only need public reads** that the plugin implements today, understand that access is **subject to Reddit blocking, rate limiting, or HTML/JSON changes** at any time — treat it as best-effort, not a contractually guaranteed feed.
3. **Monitor Reddit’s announcements** — policies and endpoints change; “public JSON” behavior is not a stable public API product.

## Summary

| Topic                     | Detail                                                                                                    |
| ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Corsair `api_key` / setup | Not required for the current public-JSON client behavior; check your deployment if you extend the plugin. |
| Official Reddit API       | Apply through Reddit; restrictions and pricing apply — see Reddit’s developer docs.                       |
| Public endpoints          | No OAuth in the default client; respect Reddit’s terms and rate limits.                                   |

For general information about how Corsair handles authentication, see [Authentication](/concepts/auth).