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

# Authentication

> The FrankieOne API uses API key-based authentication with required customer identifiers in the request headers.

When you register for the FrankieOne API, you'll receive the following credentials:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="CustomerID" icon="id-card">
    Your primary account identifier. Required for all API calls.
  </Card>

  <Card title="ChildID" icon="code-branch">
    Optional identifier for organizational divisions or service agents. Only
    required if your account uses child entities.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Key" icon="key">
    Your secret authentication token. Keep this secure and never share it
    publicly.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Making Authenticated Requests

To authenticate your API requests, include the following headers with every call:

<CodeGroup>
  ```http Required Headers theme={null}
  X-Frankie-CustomerID: 12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012
  X-Frankie-CustomerChildID: 87654321-4321-4321-4321-210987654321 # Optional - only if using ChildID
  api_key: 245c765b124a098d09ef8765....
  ```

  ```python Example Request theme={null}
  import requests

  headers = {
      'X-Frankie-CustomerID': '12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012',
      'X-Frankie-CustomerChildID': '87654321-4321-4321-4321-210987654321',  # Optional
      'api_key': '245c765b124a098d09ef8765....'
  }

  response = requests.get('https://api.frankie.one/endpoint', headers=headers)
  ```
</CodeGroup>

<Callout icon="bell" color="#FFCA16" iconType="regular">
  Never expose your API key in client-side code or public repositories. Always
  keep it secure on your server.
</Callout>

## When to Use ChildID

The ChildID is required in two specific scenarios:

1. **Organizational Divisions**: When your company operates across multiple regions or countries
2. **Service Agents**: When you're acting as an agent for another service that uses FrankieOne for KYC/AML

If you're unsure whether you need a ChildID, contact your FrankieOne representative.