Get an API key and log in

Create an Octoparse API key and authenticate Octoparse CLI.

Authentication requirements

Most Octoparse CLI commands require an API key.

An API key identifies your account and authorizes CLI access to your Octoparse tasks and data.

All functional commands require a valid API key, including local --task-file and .otd runs. Run octoparse auth login before listing, running, or exporting tasks.

Only setup and diagnostic commands can run before login:

octoparse --help
octoparse --version
octoparse capabilities
octoparse doctor
octoparse browser doctor
octoparse auth

Create an API key

Create API keys in the Octoparse console:

Open API keys page

Create, copy, and manage Octoparse API keys from your account center.

Log in interactively

Run:

octoparse auth login

This opens the API key page when possible, verifies the pasted key, and stores it locally.

Log in with a copied key

If you already copied the key, pass it directly:

octoparse auth login <apiKey>

Replace <apiKey> with your actual Octoparse API key.

Read the key from stdin

Use --stdin when another tool, secret manager, or CI system passes the key into the command.

<your-api-key> | octoparse auth login --stdin

For example, a secret manager could provide the key and pipe it into the CLI:

op read "op://vault/octoparse/credential" | octoparse auth login --stdin

Avoid opening the browser

Use --no-open if you want to copy the API key page URL manually:

octoparse auth login --no-open

Use an environment variable

For CI or temporary sessions, provide the key with an environment variable:

OCTO_ENGINE_API_KEY=xxx octoparse task list --json

You can also override the API base URL if needed:

OCTO_ENGINE_API_BASE_URL=https://example.com OCTO_ENGINE_API_KEY=xxx octoparse task list

Credential precedence

Octoparse CLI checks credentials in this order:

1. OCTO_ENGINE_API_KEY
2. ~/.octoparse/credentials.json

The credentials file is created automatically by octoparse auth login and read when the CLI starts.

On macOS and Linux, the default path is:

~/.octoparse/credentials.json

On Windows, the equivalent path is usually:

%USERPROFILE%\.octoparse\credentials.json

Check auth status

After login, confirm that the CLI can read an active session:

octoparse auth status

To remove saved credentials:

octoparse auth logout

Do not commit API keys to Git, scripts, docs, screenshots, shared logs, or CI output.

What’s next

After authentication succeeds, continue with your first task workflow:

Run your first task

List tasks, inspect a task, run it locally, and export data.

Browse all commands

Review authentication, task, local run, cloud run, and export commands.