> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getunblocked.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Authenticate the CLI

> Sign the CLI in to your Unblocked workspace, interactively or with an API token

Most `unblocked` commands — including the [MCP server](/unblocked-mcp/mcp-overview) and every [`context-*` command](/unblocked-cli/cli-query) — need to call the Unblocked API on your behalf. Authentication is how you grant that access.

## Interactive auth

```bash theme={null}
unblocked auth
```

Runs the browser-based authentication flow:

1. The CLI opens your default browser to sign in to Unblocked.
2. After you authorize the session, the browser hands a token back to the CLI.
3. The CLI caches that token locally. Subsequent commands reuse it until it expires or you sign out with [`unblocked uninstall`](/unblocked-cli/cli-install#uninstall).

The `install-mcp.sh` quick install script triggers this flow automatically at the end of its run. If you installed with `install.sh` (CLI only), run `unblocked auth` manually before using any other command.

## Headless auth with an API token

In environments without a browser — CI runners, containers, remote shells — use an Unblocked API token instead of interactive auth. Set the token in the environment before running other `unblocked` commands:

```bash theme={null}
export UNBLOCKED_API_TOKEN=...   # personal or team token from Unblocked settings
unblocked context-research --query "..."
```

The same tokens that power [Unblocked MCP in CI](/unblocked-for-ci) also work for the CLI. See the per-agent guides for how to generate personal or team API tokens — for example the [headless automation section of the Claude Code install guide](/unblocked-mcp/install-claude-code#headless-automation).

## Signing out

To clear the cached credentials along with all other local Unblocked state, run [`unblocked uninstall`](/unblocked-cli/cli-install#uninstall).