# Authentication

API tokens can be used to authenticate calls to the SQL API over Basic Authentication. This is useful for executing SQL queries against private databases or executing write queries.

First, create an API token in your [settings](https://www.dolthub.com/settings/tokens) on DoltHub. Copy the token right away, as you won't be able to see it again.

Now you can use this token in the header when executing a query against a private database.

```python
owner, repo, branch = "dolthub", "private-db", "main"
query = """SELECT * FROM testtable"""
res = requests.get(
    "https://www.dolthub.com/api/v1alpha1/{}/{}/{}".format(owner, repo, branch),
    params={"q": query},
    headers={ "authorization": "token [TOKEN YOU COPIED]" },
)
res.json()
```

Please note: You must include a ref name (branch, tag, commit hash, etc) when making authenticated calls to the SQL API using a token. Unauthenticated API requests do not require this. They use the default branch (`main` or `master`).


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.dolthub.com/products/dolthub/api/authentication.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.