I need to obtain an API key from RapidAPI for one of their services without going through the browser login process. When I visit their website normally, it redirects me to OAuth authentication (like Google) and then automatically fills in the API key. But I want to do this programmatically from my application.
I’m thinking there might be a way to make API calls that simulate this OAuth flow and retrieve the key directly. Has anyone figured out how to authenticate with RapidAPI programmatically to get the required API key for their services?
I’ve searched their documentation but couldn’t find clear instructions for this specific use case. I’m not asking about OAuth implementation in general, just specifically how to get RapidAPI keys without manual browser interaction.
RapidAPI forces manual auth to stop abuse and keep accounts secure. You’re basically trying to bypass their intended flow. I’ve used Puppeteer for headless browser automation to get around this, but it’s fragile and probably breaks their terms. Better approach: treat the API key like any other config parameter - set it once during deployment. That’s how most production systems handle sensitive credentials anyway. If you really need programmatic access, contact RapidAPI’s business team. They sometimes offer different auth methods for enterprise customers with legit automation needs.
I ran into this same issue when building an automated system. RapidAPI’s OAuth flow requires human interaction for security - there’s no clean way to grab an API key programmatically. I ended up manually generating the key through the browser once, then storing it securely in my app’s config file. Since RapidAPI keys don’t change often, this works reliably in production. You could try automating the browser with Selenium, but it’s unstable and probably breaks their terms of service. The manual approach is your safest bet.
honestly, there’s no proper way to do this without breaking their tos. rapidapi doesn’t want automated key generation for obvious security reasons. check if they have enterprise apis or contact support directly. some platforms offer special endpoints for automated workflows, but you’d need to ask them specifically about your use case.