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# Static token authentication

> How to configure static token authentication in an adapter, including standard setup and common variations.

Static token authentication — also known as API key authentication or personal access token (PAT) authentication — uses a fixed token that is sent with each request rather than exchanging credentials for a session token. It is less common than basic authentication or two-step token, but it is fully supported by the adapter.

Characteristics of static token authentication:

* A static token (personal access token, API key, or similar) is used for every request.
* The token does not expire, or it expires infrequently (for example, every three months). When the token changes, update it in theItential Platform service instance configuration for the adapter inItential Platform Admin Essentials.
* The token can be placed in different parts of the request, either alone or as part of a formatted string.

## Configure static token authentication

Static token authentication is configured entirely in the `authentication` section of theItential Platform service instance configuration for the adapter, accessible throughItential Platform Admin Essentials. For a full description of all authentication properties, see [Service instance configuration](/adapters/configure/service-instance-configuration/properties/overview).

Set the following properties:

* Set `auth_method` to `"static_token"`.
* Set `token` to the static token value.
* Set `auth_field` to the location in the request where the token should be placed. Headers are the most common placement, referenced as `header.headers.<field-name>`. For the standard `Authorization` header, use `header.headers.Authorization`.
* Set `auth_field_format` to the format of the token string. The adapter library substitutes the following variable at runtime:
  * `{token}`

### Example

```json
"authentication": {
  "auth_method": "static_token",
  "token": "adsfhjdhsaflhljafhasdjlfh",
  "auth_field": "header.headers.Authorization",
  "auth_field_format": "Token {token}"
}
```

## Variations

Some systems use variations of static token authentication. The following table describes common options and how to configure them.

| Variation                              | Configuration                                                       |
| -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Token in a different header field      | Set `auth_field` to `"header.headers.MyAuthField"`.                 |
| Token in the URL path (before the `?`) | Set `auth_field` to `"urlpath"`.                                    |
| Token in the URL query (after the `?`) | Set `auth_field` to `"url"`.                                        |
| Token in the request body              | Set `auth_field` to `"body.field"`.                                 |
| Send token without a prefix            | Set `auth_field_format` to `"{token}"`.                             |
| Send base64-encoded token              | Set `auth_field_format` to `"My encoded token {b64}{token}{/b64}"`. |

### Example: token in a custom header, base64-encoded

```json
"authentication": {
  "auth_method": "static_token",
  "token": "adsfhjdhsaflhljafhasdjlfh",
  "auth_field": "header.headers.MyAuthField",
  "auth_field_format": "My encoded token {b64}{token}{/b64}"
}
```

> How to configure static token authentication in an adapter, including standard setup and common variations.