# Authentication

### Endpoint

GET /api/v1/ws-token

#### Description

This endpoint is designed to provide you with a secure method to authenticate WebSocket connections within your application. By following a simple two-step process, you can obtain a temporary token and use it to establish an authenticated WebSocket connection. Below are the steps you need to follow:

**Step 1: Obtain a WebSocket Authentication Token**

To initiate a WebSocket connection, you first need to obtain an authentication token by making a GET request to the `/api/v1/ws-token` endpoint. You must include your API key in the request header as `x-api-key`. Here's a sample `curl` command to obtain the token:

```bash
curl --location 'https://data.lynxcrypto.app/api/v1/ws-token' \
--header 'x-api-key: YourApiKeyHere'
```

Upon a successful request, the server will respond with a JSON object containing the `token` field. This token is valid for a limited time period (10 minutes) to ensure security.

**Step 2: Establish a WebSocket Connection**

Once you have obtained the authentication token, you can use it to establish a WebSocket connection. Append the token as a query parameter named `token` to your WebSocket URL. This process authenticates the WebSocket session, enabling secure communication.

Here is how you can modify your WebSocket URL:

```javascript
let websocketUrl = "wss://data.lynxcrypto.app/ws"; // Your WebSocket endpoint
let token = "ObtainedToken"; // Replace with your obtained token
let websocketUrlWithToken = `${websocketUrl}?token=${token}`;
let websocket = new WebSocket(websocketUrlWithToken);
```

After establishing the connection, you can use the WebSocket as usual to subscribe to channels.

**Reconnecting**

In case the WebSocket connection closes and you need to reconnect, ensure to obtain a new authentication token following the same steps above. This practice ensures that each connection is securely authenticated.

### Headers

* x-api-key (required): A valid API key.

### Example

```rust
curl -X GET 'https://data.lynxcrypto.app/api/v1/ws-token'
-H 'x-api-key: <YOUR_API_KEY>'
```

### Response

```
{
    "token": "eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJhcGlfa2V5IjoiR1A5cUpSazRpODJPVkZSYXppak5QNW4wT1dVaEhuNmcyR1dKTEF1cyIsImV4cCI6MTcxMDUyNTY4Nn0.yES9q2lQ9C4r9STEabOVD3TvM4TIIBYX5eVVdb-USdM"
}
```

### Response Codes

* `200`: Success. Returns the USD price for the given token.
* 401: Forbidden. The x-api-key header is not provided or is invalid.