# Overview

API Integration involves using [**RESTful APIs**](https://apidocs.openloyalty.io/) to establish direct communication between your systems and Open Loyalty.\
[**Our API**](https://apidocs.openloyalty.io/) use standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) and JSON data format for request and response payloads. 

To ensure secure communication, you need to authenticate requests using mechanisms such as API keys or OAuth 2.0 tokens.

* [**API Keys**](https://help.openloyalty.io/settings#permanent-user-token)**:** Unique identifiers that authenticate requests on behalf of a specific user or application. They should be kept secure and never exposed in a client-side code.
* [**OAuth 2.0**](https://apidocs.openloyalty.io/#section/Authentication)**:** An industry-standard protocol for authorization, enabling third-party applications to obtain limited access to a user's resources without exposing their credentials.\
  OAuth 2.0 uses access tokens and refresh tokens for secure and controlled access to resources.

#### Learn more about:

{% content-ref url="/pages/Y8J4CNW7mlrRCe2qv04F" %}
[Admin Token](/technical-guide/authentication/admin-token.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/SUKudcdLi1dqeYkqI9LD" %}
[Access Token (API Key)](/technical-guide/authentication/access-token-api-key.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/DFlgjquvIq6d14Xi4ojl" %}
[Enabling SSO Login via Auth0](/technical-guide/authentication/enabling-sso-login-via-auth0.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}


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