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Use this page when you need a TinyCloud profile, a session, or a headless auth path for automation.

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Pick a method

OpenKey

Browser-based sign-in. Best for interactive use.

Local key

Private-key sign-in. Best for CI, agents, and other headless workflows.

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Start with a profile

tc init creates a profile directory, generates a keypair, and can optionally sign in immediately.
Useful flags:

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Sign in

OpenKey sign-in opens a browser flow. Local-key sign-in uses the profile’s private key without a browser.

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Check state

tc auth status shows whether the profile is signed in, which DID is active, and whether the session is still valid.

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OpenKey host overrides

OpenKey auth uses this resolution order:
  1. TC_OPENKEY_HOST
  2. profile.json openkeyHost
  3. https://openkey.so
That lets you point a profile at a self-hosted OpenKey instance without changing the CLI command itself.

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Automation

Use TC_PRIVATE_KEY or --private-key for commands that need a signer in headless environments.
The CLI source accepts both interactive OpenKey flows and local-key flows. tc init and tc auth login share the same browser callback and paste-mode behavior.