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The rf login command authenticates you with the RunFlow API using your API key. Supports both default authentication and multi-tenant profile management.

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Basic Usage

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Interactive Mode

# Interactive login (prompts for API key)
rf login
# → Enter your API key: sk-xxx...
# ✓ Successfully authenticated

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Non-Interactive Mode

# Direct login with API key
rf login --api-key sk-1234567890abcdef

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Profile Management

Save multiple API keys as named profiles for easy switching between accounts: 
# Save as named profile
rf login --profile production
# → Enter your API key: sk-xxx...
# ✓ Profile 'production' saved

# Save with API key directly
rf login --api-key sk-xxx... --profile staging

# Switch between profiles
rf switch production
rf switch staging
Learn more about managing multiple profiles in the Profiles documentation.

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Options

OptionDescriptionExample
--api-key <key>Your RunFlow API keyrf login --api-key sk-xxx...
--profile <name>Save as named profilerf login --profile production
--api <url>Override API URLrf login --api https://api.runflow.ai

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Examples

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Default Login

# Saves to 'default' profile
rf login --api-key sk-1234567890abcdef

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Named Profile Login

# Save multiple profiles
rf login --api-key sk-prod... --profile production
rf login --api-key sk-dev... --profile development
rf login --api-key sk-stag... --profile staging

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Custom API URL

# Connect to self-hosted or custom API
rf login --api-key sk-xxx --api https://custom-api.company.com

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Complete Multi-Tenant Setup

# Setup profiles for different clients/environments
rf login --profile client-acme
rf login --profile client-techco
rf login --profile personal

# Switch between them
rf switch client-acme
rf agents list

rf switch client-techco
rf agents list

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What Happens After Login?

After successful authentication:
  1. Credentials Stored - API key saved in ~/.runflowrc
  2. Profile Created - Default or named profile created
  3. Tenant Info Retrieved - Tenant ID and name fetched from API
  4. Ready to Use - All CLI commands now work without --api-key
Example output: 
✓ Successfully authenticated
✓ Tenant: ACME Corporation (tenant_abc123)
✓ Profile saved as: production

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Configuration File

Credentials are stored in ~/.runflowrc: 
{
  "currentProfile": "production",
  "profiles": {
    "default": {
      "apiKey": "sk-xxx...",
      "apiUrl": "https://api.runflow.ai",
      "tenantId": "tenant_123",
      "tenantName": "My Company"
    },
    "production": {
      "apiKey": "sk-prod...",
      "apiUrl": "https://api.runflow.ai",
      "tenantId": "tenant_prod",
      "tenantName": "ACME Corp"
    }
  }
}

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Security Best Practices

API keys are stored in plain text in ~/.runflowrc. Ensure proper file permissions:
chmod 600 ~/.runflowrc
Recommendations:
  • Never share your ~/.runflowrc file
  • Don’t commit .runflowrc to version control
  • Use separate API keys for dev/staging/prod
  • Rotate keys regularly
  • Revoke unused keys from the dashboard

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Getting Your API Key

  1. Go to RunFlow Dashboard
  2. Navigate to Settings → API Keys
  3. Click Create New API Key
  4. Copy the key (starts with sk-...)
  5. Use it with rf login

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Multi-Tenant Workflows

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Agency Managing Multiple Clients

# Setup client profiles
rf login --profile client-acme --api-key sk-acme...
rf login --profile client-techco --api-key sk-tech...

# Work with specific client
rf switch client-acme
rf create --name acme-support-bot --template rag-agent --yes

rf switch client-techco
rf create --name techco-assistant --template starter --yes

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Developer: Dev/Staging/Prod

# Setup environment profiles
rf login --profile dev --api-key sk-dev...
rf login --profile staging --api-key sk-staging...
rf login --profile prod --api-key sk-prod...

# Develop locally
rf switch dev
rf create --name test-agent --template starter --yes
cd test-agent/
rf test

# Test on staging
rf switch staging
rf agents deploy

# Deploy to production
rf switch prod
rf agents deploy

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Troubleshooting

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Invalid API Key

rf login --api-key sk-invalid
# Error: Invalid API key
Solution: Check your API key from the dashboard and try again.

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Network Connection Error

rf login --api-key sk-xxx
# Error: Cannot connect to API
Solution:
  • Check your internet connection
  • Verify API URL is correct
  • Check if API is accessible (firewall, VPN)

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Permission Denied (Config File)

rf login --api-key sk-xxx
# Error: Permission denied: ~/.runflowrc
Solution: 
# Fix file permissions
chmod 600 ~/.runflowrc

# Or remove and recreate
rm ~/.runflowrc
rf login --api-key sk-xxx

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Overwriting Existing Profile

rf login --profile production
# Warning: Profile 'production' already exists. Overwrite? (y/N)
Solution: Confirm to overwrite or use a different profile name.

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Command Shortcuts

# Override profile for single command
rf agents list --profile production

# Temporary API key for one command
rf agents list --api-key sk-temp...

# Use different API endpoint
rf agents list --api https://custom-api.company.com

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Next Steps

Profiles

Manage multiple profiles

Create Agent

Create your first agent

Agents

Manage your agents

Test

Test agents locally