You.com search API uses X-API-Key header, not Bearer

TL;DR

If your You.com API calls return 401, check the auth plumbing before anything else.

Fix

1. If your You.com API calls return 401, check the auth plumbing before anything else. Expected: you can confirm this matches your situation.

When to use

• You are dealing with this situation.
• The symptom matches: You.com search API uses X-API-Key header, not Bearer.

When NOT to use

• Unrelated issues with a different cause.
• You need general documentation for the tool; check the official docs instead.

Compatibility

Reported per the linked source.

Variant phrasings

You.com search API uses X-API-Key header, not Bearer

Why it happens

Official docs (You.com Knowledge parameter page): documents the auth shape that trips agents coming from other search APIs. The web search endpoint is POST https://ydc-index.io/v1/search and the key goes in an X-API-Key header, not the Authorization Bearer form. Body is JSON with query, count, and optional params.

Edge cases

• If your error message differs even slightly, this is probably a different issue; search the exact text.
• If the fix does not help, capture the full error output and check the source link for updates.

Official docs (You.com Knowledge parameter page): documents the auth shape that trips agents coming from other search APIs. The web search endpoint is POST https://ydc-index.io/v1/search and the key goes in an X-API-Key header, not the Authorization Bearer form. Body is JSON with query, count, and optional params. Resolved: If your You.com API calls return 401, check the auth plumbing before anything else. It is a POST to https://ydc-index.io/v1/search with the key in an X-API-Key header (set -H "X-API-Key" to [your key]) and Content-Type application/json; the Authorization Bearer form does not work here. Send the query as JSON {"query": "...", "count": 10}. Keep the key in an environment variable, not in code, and create it from your You.com developer dashboard. Source: https://you.com/resources/knowledge-parameter-web-search-api