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

# Authentication

> Two ways to authenticate with CORE's MCP endpoint

CORE supports two authentication methods for MCP access.

## Methods

### 1. OAuth Flow (Recommended)

Follows the [MCP specification](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-06-18/basic/authorization) for standard OAuth authentication.

* Web-based authentication flow
* Tokens auto-refresh and can be revoked
* Best for production environments

### 2. API Key

Direct authentication using API keys from CORE dashboard.

* Generate from [CORE Dashboard](https://app.getcore.me) → Settings → API Keys
* Simple setup for development and testing
* Include in Authorization header: `Bearer your-api-key-here`

## Setup

See provider-specific guides for configuration:

* [Claude AI](/providers/claude)
* [Cursor](/providers/cursor)
* [VS Code](/providers/vscode)
* [Zed](/providers/zed)

## Dashboard

Monitor authentication at [app.getcore.me](https://app.getcore.me) → Settings → MCP