Dashboard login vs API keys — what's the difference?
Your dashboard login is how you sign in to manage your store. An API key is how your own code talks to BTAB. Two separate systems.
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TL;DR: Your dashboard login is how you sign in to manage your store. An API key is how your own code/website talks to BTAB. Two separate systems — don't mix them up.
| Dashboard login | API key | |
|---|---|---|
| Who uses it | You, in the browser | Your website / backend code |
| What it's for | Managing products, orders, storefront settings | Pulling your catalog/orders into your own site or integration |
| Looks like | Email + password (a session) | A secret key string (like an Anthropic or Stripe key) |
| Keep it… | Private to you | Server-side only — never in front-end code |
If you're just running your storefront through BTAB, you only need the login. You only need an API key if you're building your own integration — see the developer Vendor Integration Guide for setup, security, and code examples.
What this means for you: treat an API key like a password for your software. It's not your login, and it should never appear in a browser, a public repo, or client-side JavaScript.