What is the difference between public and secret key?

Last updated: February 9, 2026

The main differences between public and secret API keys are:

Public API Keys:

  • Can be safely exposed in browser environments as they don't grant access to sensitive data

  • Should be used for client-side applications that run in browsers

  • Cannot be used to access the bridge history of your app, as that would leak the entire history to the public

Secret API Keys:

  • Work the same as public keys but can be used to access the entire bridge history of your app

  • Should only be used in code that is not run client-side (backend/server-side only)

  • Cannot be safely used in frontend integrations as they would be exposed in an unsafe browser environment

In summary, public keys are for frontend/browser use with limited permissions, while secret keys are for backend use with full access to bridge history and sensitive data.