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Which Method Should I Use?

ScenarioMethodWhy
React/Next.js appJWT SessionsUser is logged in, token comes from auth flow
Mobile appJWT SessionsSame as web—user session based
Backend serviceM2M OAuth 2.0No user session, server-to-server calls
CLI toolM2M OAuth 2.0Automated scripts, no browser
Cron jobM2M OAuth 2.0Background tasks, no user context

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JWT Session Tokens

For frontend apps where users authenticate via Stytch B2B (magic link, SSO, or password).

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Usage

curl -X POST https://api.cuadra.ai/v1/chats \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SESSION_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "modelId": "model_123",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}]
  }'

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With React UI Kit

import { CuadraChat } from '@cuadra-ai/uikit';

function App() {
  const sessionToken = useSessionToken();

  return (
    <CuadraChat
      connection={{ baseUrl: "https://api.cuadra.ai", sessionToken }}
      chat={{ modelId: "model_123" }}
    />
  );
}

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M2M OAuth 2.0

For backend services using OAuth 2.0 Client Credentials flow.

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Step 1: Get Credentials

Create M2M client credentials in Dashboard → Settings → API Access. Assign scopes based on what the service needs.

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Step 2: Exchange for Token

Exchange your client credentials for an access token: Token Endpoint: 
https://auth.cuadra.ai/v1/oauth2/token

curl -X POST "https://auth.cuadra.ai/v1/oauth2/token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "client_id": "m2m-client-xxx",
    "client_secret": "secret-xxx",
    "grant_type": "client_credentials"
  }'
Response: 
{
  "access_token": "eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIs...",
  "token_type": "bearer",
  "expires_in": 3600
}

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Step 3: Use the Token

curl -X POST https://api.cuadra.ai/v1/chats \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"modelId": "model_123", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}]}'

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Token Caching

M2M tokens expire after 1 hour. Cache and refresh before expiry: 
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
import httpx

class TokenManager:
    TOKEN_URL = "https://auth.cuadra.ai/v1/oauth2/token"
    
    def __init__(self, client_id, client_secret):
        self.client_id = client_id
        self.client_secret = client_secret
        self._token = None
        self._expires_at = None

    async def get_token(self):
        if self._token and self._expires_at > datetime.utcnow():
            return self._token
        
        async with httpx.AsyncClient() as client:
            response = await client.post(
                self.TOKEN_URL,
                json={
                    "client_id": self.client_id,
                    "client_secret": self.client_secret,
                    "grant_type": "client_credentials"
                }
            )
            data = response.json()
            self._token = data["access_token"]
            # Refresh 5 minutes before expiry
            self._expires_at = datetime.utcnow() + timedelta(seconds=data["expires_in"] - 300)
            return self._token

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Scopes

ScopePermission
chat:invokeCreate chat completions (billable)
chat:readRead chat history
chat:writeCreate, update, delete chats
models:readList and view models
models:writeCreate, update, delete models
datasets:readView datasets
datasets:writeCreate, update, delete datasets
files:readView and download files
files:writeUpload, update, delete files
particles:readView particles
particles:writeCreate, update, delete particles
system-prompts:readView system prompts
system-prompts:writeCreate, update, delete system prompts
usage:readView usage and credit balance
org:adminOrganization admin access
Request minimum necessary scopes for each service.

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Security Best Practices

  1. Never expose tokens in client-side code — Use a backend proxy for production
  2. Store secrets in environment variables — Not in code or version control
  3. Rotate M2M credentials every 90 days — Dashboard → Settings → API Access
  4. Use HTTPS only — The API rejects HTTP requests
  5. Scope credentials minimally — Only request permissions you need

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Troubleshooting

ErrorCauseSolution
401 UnauthorizedInvalid or expired tokenRefresh M2M token; verify JWT session
403 ForbiddenMissing scopeRequest credentials with required scopes
Token ExpiredM2M token past 1 hourRequest new token

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FAQ

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Can I use API keys instead of OAuth?

No. Cuadra AI uses OAuth 2.0 for server-side authentication. M2M credentials function similarly to API keys but require a token exchange step for security.

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How do I revoke a compromised token?

For M2M: Rotate the client secret in Dashboard → Settings → API Access. For JWT: Revoke the user session in your Stytch dashboard.

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What’s the token lifetime?

M2M access tokens expire after 1 hour. JWT session tokens follow your Stytch session configuration (typically 24 hours to 30 days).

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Do I need separate credentials for staging vs production?

Recommended. Create separate M2M clients per environment to isolate access and simplify rotation.

API Overview

Base URL, rate limits

Errors

Error handling