[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":187},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-launch/api-public-launch":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"category":167,"date":168,"dateModified":168,"description":169,"draft":170,"extension":171,"faq":172,"featured":170,"headerVariant":173,"image":172,"keywords":172,"meta":174,"navigation":175,"ogDescription":176,"ogTitle":177,"path":178,"readTime":172,"schemaOrg":179,"schemaType":180,"seo":181,"sitemap":182,"stem":183,"tags":184,"twitterCard":185,"__hash__":186},"blog/blog/launch/api-public-launch.md","API Public Launch Security Checklist: 16 Items Before Opening Your API",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":161},"minimark",[9,19,22,48,71,99,121,126,129,132],[10,11,12,16],"tldr",{},[13,14,15],"p",{},"TL;DR",[13,17,18],{},"Public APIs face constant automated attacks. Before launch, ensure robust authentication (API keys or OAuth), aggressive rate limiting, comprehensive input validation, clear versioning, and security documentation. Every endpoint is an attack surface when your API is public.",[20,21],"print-button",{},[23,24,27,32,36,40,44],"checklist-section",{"count":25,"title":26},"5","Authentication and Authorization",[28,29],"checklist-item",{"description":30,"label":31},"Users can create, rotate, and revoke keys.","API key management works",[28,33],{"description":34,"label":35},"If using OAuth, follow RFC specs precisely.","OAuth 2.0 implemented correctly",[28,37],{"description":38,"label":39},"Least privilege for each API key or token.","Scopes limit access appropriately",[28,41],{"description":42,"label":43},"Store API keys like passwords (hashed).","Key hashing, not plaintext storage",[28,45],{"description":46,"label":47},"Same response for invalid vs. revoked keys.","Auth errors don't leak info",[23,49,51,55,59,63,67],{"count":25,"title":50},"Rate Limiting and Abuse Prevention",[28,52],{"description":53,"label":54},"Configurable limits that prevent abuse.","Rate limits per API key",[28,56],{"description":57,"label":58},"X-RateLimit-* headers in responses.","Rate limit headers included",[28,60],{"description":61,"label":62},"Expensive operations have stricter limits.","Endpoint-specific limits",[28,64],{"description":65,"label":66},"Detect and block suspicious patterns.","Abuse detection in place",[28,68],{"description":69,"label":70},"429 responses with retry-after guidance.","Graceful limit handling",[23,72,75,79,83,87,91,95],{"count":73,"title":74},"6","API Security Hardening",[28,76],{"description":77,"label":78},"Validate types, lengths, formats strictly.","Input validation on all endpoints",[28,80],{"description":81,"label":82},"Proper JSON encoding, no injection risks.","Output encoding consistent",[28,84],{"description":85,"label":86},"/v1/ in URLs or headers, documented deprecation.","Versioning strategy clear",[28,88],{"description":89,"label":90},"No stack traces or internal details in errors.","Error responses are safe",[28,92],{"description":93,"label":94},"Only allow necessary origins.","CORS configured correctly",[28,96],{"description":97,"label":98},"Auth guide, rate limits, security contact.","Security documentation published",[100,101,102,109,115],"faq-section",{},[103,104,106],"faq-item",{"question":105},"Should I use API keys or OAuth?",[13,107,108],{},"For server-to-server, API keys are fine. For user-facing apps where you need delegated access, use OAuth 2.0. Many APIs offer both for different use cases.",[103,110,112],{"question":111},"How aggressive should rate limiting be?",[13,113,114],{},"Start conservative (lower limits) and increase based on legitimate use patterns. It's easier to raise limits than to deal with abuse. Provide clear upgrade paths for high-volume users.",[103,116,118],{"question":117},"What's the most common API security mistake?",[13,119,120],{},"Broken object-level authorization (BOLA). APIs often let users access resources by ID without checking ownership. Always verify the requesting user has access to the specific resource.",[122,123,125],"h3",{"id":124},"api-security-ready","API Security Ready",[13,127,128],{},"Scan your API before external developers do.",[13,130,131],{},"Start Free Scan",[133,134,135,141,146,151,156],"related-articles",{},[136,137],"related-card",{"description":138,"href":139,"title":140},"Pre-launch security checklist for Cursor-built apps. 18 essential items to verify before deploying your AI-generated app","/blog/launch/cursor-app","Cursor App Launch Security Checklist: 18 Items Before Going Live",[136,142],{"description":143,"href":144,"title":145},"Security checklist for enterprise demos. 14 essential items to verify before presenting to enterprise customers, coverin","/blog/launch/enterprise-demo","Enterprise Demo Security Checklist: 14 Items Before Customer Demos",[136,147],{"description":148,"href":149,"title":150},"Pre-launch security checklist for Firebase backends. 16 essential items covering security rules, authentication, API key","/blog/launch/firebase-backend","Firebase Backend Launch Security Checklist: 16 Items Before Going Live",[136,152],{"description":153,"href":154,"title":155},"Security checklist for beta launches. 14 essential items to verify before inviting your first beta users, including data","/blog/launch/beta-launch","Beta Launch Security Checklist: 14 Items Before Inviting Beta Users",[136,157],{"description":158,"href":159,"title":160},"Pre-launch security checklist for Bolt.new apps. 16 critical items to check before deploying your Bolt-generated applica","/blog/launch/bolt-app","Bolt.new App Launch Security Checklist: 16 Items Before Going Live",{"title":162,"searchDepth":163,"depth":163,"links":164},"",2,[165],{"id":124,"depth":166,"text":125},3,"launch","2026-02-05","Security checklist for public API launches. 16 essential items to verify before opening your API to external developers, covering auth, rate limiting, and documentation.",false,"md",null,"orange",{},true,"Security checklist for public API launches. 16 items before opening your API.","API Public Launch Security Checklist","/blog/launch/api-public-launch","[object Object]","Article",{"title":5,"description":169},{"loc":178},"blog/launch/api-public-launch",[],"summary_large_image","fk7uFr5u2Nf9EoAhH86U683axb4mbVt5NizgPI-q4w0",1775843936004]