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@carbon-js/connect authenticates each app with a space-scoped Carbon API key. Generate one in the dashboard under Settings → API Keys (oncarbon.site/app/settings/api-keys).

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Resolution order

When you connect an app, the key is resolved in this order — the first one present wins:
1

--key flag

npx @carbon-js/connect@latest connect codex --key crb_…
2

CARBON_API_KEY environment variable

Keeps the secret out of your shell history — the right choice for CI:
export CARBON_API_KEY=crb_…
npx @carbon-js/connect@latest connect claude-code
3

Interactive prompt

If neither is set, @carbon-js/connect prompts for the key (and links to the page where you generate one).

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Per-app keys

Each app’s key is written into its own config, so different apps can report to different Carbon spaces: 
@carbon-js/connect connect codex --key <key-for-space-A>
@carbon-js/connect connect claude-code --key <key-for-space-B>
The interactive flow offers the same choice — connect multiple apps in one run, with a key per app.
The key is stored in the app’s local config on your machine (see How it works), never uploaded anywhere except as the bearer token on each app’s OTLP export to Carbon.