BusyBot

Reference · Credentials

HTTP Basic Auth credentials

Used by 2 BusyBot nodes.

Type httpBasicAuth 2 fields

HTTP Basic Auth holds a username and password that the HTTP Request and GraphQL nodes send as an `Authorization: Basic` header. It is the simplest form of API authentication — and because the credentials are only encoded, not encrypted, it must only be used over HTTPS.

Fields

FieldTypeRequiredNotes
Username
username		 string Yes Username for authentication
Password
password		 password Yes Password for authentication

Getting your credentials

There is nothing to create in a third-party console: the values come from whatever service you are calling.

  1. Obtain the username and password the target API expects. For many APIs this is an API key used as the username with a blank or fixed password — check that service’s documentation.
  2. Enter them into the credential’s Username and Password fields.
  3. Select the credential on the HTTP Request or GraphQL node and choose basic authentication.

Permissions and scopes

Whatever the account behind those credentials can do, the workflow can do. Where the service supports issuing a limited API user, prefer that over a full administrator login.

Troubleshooting

  • 401 Unauthorized — wrong username or password, or the API expects a different authentication scheme entirely.
  • Works in a browser but not here — the browser may be sending a session cookie rather than basic auth. Confirm the API genuinely accepts basic authentication.
  • Credentials sent to an http:// URL — basic auth is only encoded, not encrypted. Always use HTTPS.

Frequently asked questions

Is Basic Auth secure?

Only over HTTPS. The credentials are base64-encoded, not encrypted, so they are effectively plaintext on an unencrypted connection.

My API wants an API key — can I use this?

Often yes: many services accept the API key as the username with a blank or fixed password. Check their documentation, or use Header Auth if they expect a custom header.

Which nodes use it?

The HTTP Request and GraphQL nodes, both of which let you select an authentication method.

Nodes that use HTTP Basic Auth

One credential works across every node below — create it once and reuse it.

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