Getting Started
Authentication
Arc authentication is intentionally separate from the provider key that actually reaches OpenAI, Anthropic, or another upstream.
Request Authentication
Every call to Arc uses Authorization: Bearer arc_live_.... Arc validates the Arc key, resolves the workspace and project context, then loads the correct provider key internally.
Key Model
Arc key
Presented by your app on every request. Used for workspace authentication, attribution, rate limiting, and logging.
Provider key
Stored in Arc and decrypted server-side before the upstream request is made. Your app does not send it directly.
Implication
Error Cases
401 Unauthorized
Missing, malformed, empty, or invalid Arc key.
400 Bad Request
Bad request shape such as unsupported provider inference or invalid routing config.
502 Bad Gateway
The upstream provider returned an error or the Arc proxy could not connect cleanly.
504 Gateway Timeout
The upstream provider timed out while Arc was waiting for a response.