Getting Started
Getting a Web API Key
To use the Steamworks Web API, you need your own Web API key from Valve. You can read more in Valve's documentation on publisher keys.
Which calls need a key
| Kind of call | Key needed | Host |
|---|---|---|
| Public calls, such as Get Number Of Current Players, Get News For App and Get Published File Details | No | api.steampowered.com |
| Calls that read user data, such as Get Player Summaries and Get Owned Games | Yes, a publisher key or a user key | api.steampowered.com |
| Publisher calls, such as Check App Ownership, Set Leaderboard Score, Init Txn and Add Item | Yes, a publisher key | partner.steam-api.com |
The plugin picks the right host for each function, so you don't need to set it yourself.
Create a publisher key
- Sign in to Steamworks.
- Go to Users & Permissions → Manage Groups and open the group for your app.
- Create a Web API key for the group. The key is a 32 character hex string.
The key gives access to every app in the group. Keep it secret, see Publisher Key Security.
tip
A key that Steam doesn't accept gives a 401 or 403 response for every call that needs a key. Public calls still work, so test with one of them first if you're not sure whether the problem is the key.