Authentication & Setup
This guide covers how to install the CLI, configure a profile with your API key, and verify that your Lakehousecat instance is reachable.
Prerequisites
- Access to a running Lakehousecat instance
- An admin or builder account with permission to generate API keys
Generate an API Key
API keys are generated in the Lakehousecat UI:
- Log in to Lakehousecat
- Open Account Settings → Security → API Keys
- Click Generate API Key
- Copy the key — it starts with
lhc-
The key does not expire with your browser session. Regenerating it immediately invalidates the previous key.
Configure a Profile
Run the interactive setup command:
lhc configure
You will be prompted for:
Configuring profile [default]
Endpoint (e.g. https://my.lakehousecat.com): https://acme.lakehousecat.com
API Key: lhc-...
Profile [default] configured.
Multiple Profiles
Use --profile to set up additional named profiles:
lhc configure --profile staging
lhc configure --profile prod
To use a named profile with any command, pass --profile:
lhc --profile staging instance info
Or set the environment variable for the current shell session:
export LHC_PROFILE=staging
lhc instance info
Self-Signed Certificates
For development deployments with self-signed TLS certificates, add --insecure to skip certificate verification:
lhc --profile dev --insecure instance info
View Configured Profiles
lhc configure list
Example output:
PROFILE ENDPOINT
default https://acme.lakehousecat.com
staging https://staging.lakehousecat.com
Profile Storage
The CLI stores configuration in two files in your home directory:
| File | Contents | Permissions |
|---|---|---|
~/.lhc/config | Endpoint per profile | 0644 |
~/.lhc/credentials | API key per profile | 0600 |
Both files use INI format. Do not share ~/.lhc/credentials — it contains your API key.
Verify Connectivity
Confirm the profile is working by fetching instance information:
lhc instance info
Expected output:
INSTANCE_ID EXPIRES_AT SUBSCRIPTION_STATE USER_SEAT_COUNT
eb0e938e-ff73-4e53-b20e-e74d1e021541 2027-01-01 active 10
A 401 Unauthorized response indicates an invalid or missing API key. A connection error indicates the endpoint is not reachable.
Next Steps
- Manage Datasources — connect a data source to your instance
- Manage Models — create and configure custom models