Authentication

Cloud Slicer uses JWT (JSON Web Token) Bearer authentication to secure all API endpoints. This ensures that only authorized users can access and interact with your account and 3D printing resources.

How Authentication Works

1. Register and log in to your Cloud Slicer account.

2. Generate an API token (JWT) from your dashboard under the "Tokens" tab.

3. Include the token in the Authorization header of every API request:

   Code
    
   Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN_HERE

4. The server verifies your token and grants access if it is valid and unexpired.

What is a JWT?

A JWT (JSON Web Token) is a secure, compact way to represent claims between two parties. It is commonly used for authentication and authorization in modern APIs.

A JWT consists of three parts:

1. Header: Specifies the signing algorithm and token type.
2. Payload: Contains user data and claims (like user ID, email, and expiration time).
3. Signature: Verifies that the token has not been tampered with.

A JWT looks like this:

Code
 
<base64url-encoded header>.<base64url-encoded payload>.<base64url-encoded signature>

When you authenticate, Cloud Slicer checks the signature and the claims (like expiration) to ensure your token is valid.

Example: Using Your Token

Here is how you might use your token with curl:

Code
 
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN_HERE" https://api.cloudslicer3d.com/v1/user

Or in the API playground, paste your token into the authorization modal (lock icon) to authenticate your session. See how you can get started with our API Playground in the Quickstart Guide.