I need to get my RapidAPI key through code instead of using the web interface. When I visit their website normally, I can log in with Google OAuth and the API key gets filled in automatically. But I want to do this same process from my application.
I’m thinking there must be some REST endpoint I can call that handles the OAuth flow and returns the authentication token. Has anyone figured out how to authenticate with RapidAPI programmatically? I’ve searched their documentation but couldn’t find the specific API endpoints for this.
My goal is to automate the token retrieval process so my app can access their flight search services without manual browser login steps.
I ran into this exact problem on a recent project that needed constant API access without manual steps. RapidAPI forces you to authenticate through a browser, which makes automated retrieval a pain. There’s no public endpoint for automatic auth, so here’s what worked for me: authenticate once through the web interface, then store that API key securely in your app. The token stays valid for months, so you won’t need to update it often. For production, I’d set up alerts for when the key’s about to expire - keeps everything running smoothly. This approach has been solid for my flight data project.
rapidapi doesn’t allow programmatic token generation lol. I tried their oauth but man, it’s really restricted. so I resorted to using selenium to log in auto every month and scrape the key. not ideal, but hey, it does the job for my needs.
After hitting this wall on several projects, I can confirm RapidAPI blocks programmatic auth to prevent abuse. But there’s a workaround buried in their support docs that most people don’t know about. You can request enterprise API access - it includes programmatic token management, but you need approval and it costs more. For smaller projects, I’ve had luck with their webhook system. Set up notifications when your key expires and handle renewal semi-automatically. Keys don’t rotate that often, so manual intervention every few months isn’t a big deal. This keeps my flight booking integration running smoothly without breaking their ToS.