Bluesky API keys

Bluesky (AT Protocol) credentials belong in configuration, not in a commit. This page covers where to create one, what it looks like, and how APIKeyConnect stores it without ever being able to read it.

The facts

Category
Social Media
API host
bsky.social
Env variable
BLUESKY
Sensitivity
High
Create a key
https://bsky.app/settings/app-passwordsClick "Add App Password". The value is shown once and pairs with your handle as the username.
Documentation
https://docs.bsky.app/docs/get-started

A leaked key here bills you and can read or write account data. Treat it like a password: server-side only, rotated on staff changes.

Kinds of Bluesky key

App password

Created in Bluesky settings; scoped alternative to your account password

How APIKeyConnect stores it

The key is encrypted in your browser with AES-256-GCM, under a key derived from your master password with PBKDF2-SHA-256 at 600,000 iterations. The password never leaves your device, and the server holds ciphertext it has no way to open.

What the server can see — and what this design does not protect against — is written out in full on the security page. That section exists because a page with no limits section is marketing.

Questions

Where do I get a Bluesky API key?

Bluesky issues keys from https://bsky.app/settings/app-passwords. Click "Add App Password". The value is shown once and pairs with your handle as the username. Once you have it, store it in APIKeyConnect rather than in a .env file you might commit — the key is encrypted on your device with a master password we never receive.

What environment variable should I use for Bluesky?

Most projects use BLUESKY. APIKeyConnect recognises these names, so importing an existing .env maps the value onto Bluesky automatically instead of leaving it as an unlabelled string, and generating a .env writes it back under the same name.

How dangerous is a leaked Bluesky key?

High sensitivity. A leaked key here bills you and can read or write account data. Treat it like a password: server-side only, rotated on staff changes.

Can APIKeyConnect see my Bluesky key?

No. The key is encrypted in your browser with AES-256-GCM under a key derived from your master password (PBKDF2-SHA-256, 600,000 iterations). The password never leaves your device and the server stores ciphertext it cannot open. What the server can see is documented in full on the security page, including what this design does not protect against.

Other Social Media services