Issue a Mecha Key
Generate the runtime credential that lets an external process authenticate as the Mecha.
This step bridges control-plane setup and real runtime operation by issuing the credential the external process will actually use.
Before you continue
Read these first if you want the current page to make more sense in the wider handbook.
Mecha
Mecha is the central operational actor of the platform, the point where identity, runtime, knowledge, and business context become one working unit.
Create the Operational Structure
Create the Crew and Mecha layer so the business has named operational actors inside the structured world.
Issue the Mecha key that the external runtime will use as its credential when connecting to the platform.
What this step is for
The Mecha key is the runtime credential.
Without it, an external process cannot authenticate as that Mecha.
This is the bridge between:
- the human-configured control plane
- the machine-operated runtime plane
What to do
- Open the Mecha you created in the control plane.
- Go to its key management surface.
- Issue a new key.
- Copy the plaintext key at creation time.
- Store it in a secure runtime secret location.
Important practical rule
Treat the plaintext key as a one-time reveal credential.
That means:
- copy it when it is created
- store it outside the frontend
- do not expect to retrieve the plaintext later
Where to store it
Good locations include:
- environment variables
- secret managers
- CI/CD secret storage
- secure operator runbooks
Bad locations include:
- source code
- screenshots
- public notes
- shared plaintext documents
Why this matters
The frontend issues the key, but the frontend is not the runtime host.
The correct mental model is:
- frontend issues and governs
- runtime stores and uses
What success looks like
You are ready to continue when:
- the Mecha has a valid runtime key
- the key is stored securely outside the frontend
- the operator understands that the next step happens in an external runtime
Next step
- Continue with Connect a Mecha Runtime.
Related pages
Open these pages when you want adjacent concepts, neighboring entities, or connected implementation context.
Connect a Mecha Runtime
This is the first live runtime step, the point where the configured Mecha becomes an operating actor connected over real transport.
Mecha
Mecha is the central operational actor of the platform, the point where identity, runtime, knowledge, and business context become one working unit.