open-vault/website/source/docs/auth/token.html.md

layout	page_title	sidebar_current	description
docs	Auth Backend: Token	docs-auth-token	The token store auth backend is used to authenticate using tokens.

Auth Backend: Token

The token backend is the only auth backend that is built-in and automatically available at auth/token as well as with first-class built-in CLI methods such as vault token-create. It allows users to authenticate using a token, as well to create new tokens, revoke secrets by token, and more.

When any other auth backend returns an identity, Vault core invokes the token backend to create a new unique token for that identity.

The token store can also be used to bypass any other auth backend: you can create tokens directly, as well as perform a variety of other operations on tokens such as renewal and revocation.

Please see the token concepts page dedicated to tokens.

Authentication

Via the CLI

$ vault auth <token>
...

Via the API

The token is set directly as a cookie for the HTTP API. See the HTTP API documentation for more information.

API

For API documentation on the token store, see vault help auth/token.