Documentation/

Credentials

Credentials

8Vast stores credentials in your operating system's secure storage — macOS Keychain on Mac, Secret Service on Linux. Not in config files. Not in plaintext.

Store a credential

8v credentials set anthropic --value sk-ant-...
8v credentials set openai --value sk-...
8v credentials set github-token --value ghp_...

The name is up to you. Use something descriptive — you'll reference it later.

Retrieve a credential

8v credentials get anthropic

Prints the stored value. Useful for scripts or verifying what's stored.

List credentials

8v credentials list

Shows all stored credential names. Values are not displayed.

Remove a credential

8v credentials remove anthropic

Deletes the credential from your OS keychain.

How credentials are used

When 8Vast needs an API key — for search embeddings, AI providers, or external services — it looks in credential storage automatically. You set a key once, and it's available everywhere: CLI, desktop app, and daemon.

For example, if you store an Anthropic API key with 8v credentials set anthropic, the daemon uses it when generating search embeddings or connecting to AI providers. No environment variables, no dotfiles.

Security

  • Stored in macOS Keychain or Linux Secret Service
  • Never written to disk as plaintext
  • Never transmitted to 8Network servers
  • Available to the daemon process and any connected client (CLI, desktop app, MCP)

Referenced by