You need to generate an API Key before using the Public API.

How to Generate

1. Sign in to InspireMe with your Google account.
2. Click "My Quotes" from the profile menu in the header.
3. Click "Settings" in the left sidebar.
4. In the "API Key Management" section, click the [Generate API Key] button.
5. Enter a name for your key and create it.

⚠️ Warning: The generated API Key is shown only once at creation time. Make sure to copy it to a safe place. If lost, you will need to delete it and create a new one.

Limitations

• Each user can create up to 1 API Key.
• API Keys can be deactivated or deleted from the settings page.

API Key Format

Generated API Keys follow this format:

im_live_<random string>

Example: im_live_abc12345def67890...

• Keys start with the im_live_ prefix to identify them as InspireMe API Keys.
• The total length is approximately 40 characters.

Security Best Practices

• Manage your API Key as an environment variable. Never include it directly in source code.
• Do not expose your API Key in frontend (browser) code. Always call the API from the server side.
• If your key is compromised, immediately delete and regenerate it from the settings page.
• Deactivate unused keys to prevent unnecessary access.

Expiration Policy

You can choose an expiration period when creating an API Key.

Option	Description
No expiration	Valid until manually deleted (default)
30 days	Expires 30 days after creation
90 days	Expires 90 days after creation
180 days	Expires 180 days after creation
1 year	Expires 365 days after creation

When using an expired API Key, the following error is returned:

{
  "error": {
    "code": "API_KEY_EXPIRED",
    "message": "API key has expired. Please generate a new key."
  }
}