NoteDiscovery/documentation/AUTHENTICATION.md

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# 🔒 NoteDiscovery Authentication Guide
## ⚠️ Default Password Warning
> **Default password is `admin`** — CHANGE THIS before exposing to any network!
---
## Overview
NoteDiscovery includes simple password protection for single-user deployments. When enabled, users must log in before accessing notes.
- ✅ Single user / self-hosted use
- ✅ Passwords hashed with bcrypt
- ✅ Session-based (7 days default, configurable)
---
## Quick Test (Local Only)
For local testing, authentication is **disabled by default**. To test with auth:
1. Set `authentication.enabled: true` in `config.yaml`
2. Restart the app
3. Log in with password: `admin`
⚠️ **Don't use the default password on any network!**
---
## Production Setup
For any deployment exposed to a network, follow these steps:
### Step 1: Generate a Secret Key
The secret key encrypts session cookies. Generate a random one:
```bash
# Docker
docker exec -it notediscovery python -c "import secrets; print(secrets.token_hex(32))"
# Local
python -c "import secrets; print(secrets.token_hex(32))"
```
**Save this key** — you'll need it in Step 2.
---
### Step 2: Configure Authentication
Your password is automatically hashed at startup using bcrypt.
**Via Environment Variables (Docker):**
```bash
docker run -d \
-e AUTHENTICATION_ENABLED=true \
-e AUTHENTICATION_PASSWORD=your_secure_password \
-e AUTHENTICATION_SECRET_KEY=your_generated_secret_key \
...
```
**Via config.yaml:**
```yaml
authentication:
enabled: true
password: "your_secure_password"
secret_key: "your_generated_secret_key"
```
---
### Step 3: Restart & Test
```bash
# Docker Compose
docker-compose restart
# Docker run
docker restart notediscovery
# Local
python run.py
```
Navigate to `http://localhost:8000` — you'll be redirected to the login page.
---
## Configuration Priority
Environment variables override config.yaml:
| Priority | Source |
|----------|--------|
| 1st | `AUTHENTICATION_PASSWORD` env var |
| 2nd | `password` in config.yaml |
**Example:** If you set `AUTHENTICATION_PASSWORD` as an env var, it overrides config.yaml.
---
## Security Considerations
### ✅ What This Protects
- Unauthorized access to your notes
- All API endpoints
- Viewing, creating, editing, deleting notes
### ⚠️ What This Doesn't Protect
This is a **simple single-user** system. NOT suitable for:
- ❌ Multi-user environments
- ❌ Public internet without HTTPS
- ❌ Compliance requirements (HIPAA, GDPR, etc.)
### 🛡️ Best Practices
1. **Use HTTPS** — Run behind a reverse proxy (Traefik, nginx, Caddy)
2. **Strong password** — At least 12 characters, mixed case, numbers, symbols
3. **Unique secret key** — Never reuse across applications
4. **Keep config secure** — Don't commit credentials to version control
---
## API Key Authentication
For external integrations (MCP servers, scripts, automation), use an API key instead of session cookies.
### Setup
```bash
# Generate a secure key
python -c "import secrets; print(secrets.token_hex(32))"
```
**Via Environment Variable:**
```bash
docker run -e AUTHENTICATION_API_KEY=your_api_key ...
```
**Via config.yaml:**
```yaml
authentication:
api_key: "your_64_character_hex_key"
```
### Usage
```bash
# Option 1: Bearer token
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" http://localhost:8000/api/notes
# Option 2: X-API-Key header
curl -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" http://localhost:8000/api/notes
```
Both session auth (web UI) and API key auth work simultaneously when enabled.
---
## Disabling Authentication
```yaml
authentication:
enabled: false
```
Restart the app to apply.