Firecrawl: how to set the api key when running locally?. The verified fix is Fix: Collaborator rafaelsideguide: set USE_DB_AUTHENTICATION=false in .env and use any string as the API key; follow the self-host guide. Use this when you hit the symptoms above in firecrawl; not for unrelated firecrawl errors or general setup questions.
TL;DR
Fix: Collaborator rafaelsideguide: set USEDBAUTHENTICATION=false in .env and use any string as the API key; follow the self-host guide.
The error
[Self-Host] Question: how to set the API key when running Firecrawl locally / what value to use in client SDKs and integrations like Dify.
Fix
Collaborator rafaelsideguide: set USEDBAUTHENTICATION=false in .env and use any string as the API key; follow the self-host guide.
Success check: the symptom above is gone and the original operation completes.
When to use
You hit this exact symptom in firecrawl.
You want the verified fix without digging through the thread.
When not to use
A different error in firecrawl, even a similar-looking one.
General firecrawl setup or credential questions.
Compatibility
Firecrawl (firecrawl/firecrawl)
Variant phrasings
How to fix "how to set the api key when running locally?" in firecrawl
firecrawl: how to set the api key when running locally?
Source
https://github.com/firecrawl/firecrawl/issues/557
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Published recentlyPublished Oct 3, 2026. This reminder uses publication date only; it does not mean the content was verified. Review again after Apr 1, 2027.
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Published recentlyPublished Oct 3, 2026. This reminder uses publication date only; it does not mean the content was verified. Review again after Apr 1, 2027.