# Neon CLI command: credentials

The `credentials` command manages scoped credentials on a branch. A credential grants an application or agent direct access to a branch's surfaces without an account API key. Each credential carries one or more scopes and, when issued, a pair of secrets: an `api_token` and an `s3_secret_access_key`.

The available scopes are:

- `storage:read` and `storage:write` for [Neon Object Storage](/guides/object-storage-index)
- `ai_gateway:invoke` for the [Neon AI Gateway](/guides/ai-gateway-index)
- `functions:invoke` for invoking [Neon Functions](/guides/neon-functions-index)

Credentials are branch-scoped. Pass `--project-id` and `--branch` to target a branch, or let the CLI resolve them from your [context file](/guides/apis-sdks-cli-link). A credential's `token_id` has the form `nak_live_<hex>` and is stable across a rotation.

:::callout{intent="note" title="Secrets are shown only once"}
The `api_token` and `s3_secret_access_key` are returned only when you create or rotate a credential, or when you explicitly run `neon credentials reveal`. Store them securely as soon as they're issued.
:::

Subcommands: [create](#neon-credentials-create), [list](#neon-credentials-list), [reveal](#neon-credentials-reveal), [revoke](#neon-credentials-revoke), [rotate](#neon-credentials-rotate)

## neon credentials list

Lists the credentials on the branch. Secrets are never included; use [`neon credentials reveal`](#neon-credentials-reveal) to see them.

```bash
neon credentials list [options]
```

| Option         | Description       | Type   | Default | Required |
| -------------- | ----------------- | ------ | ------- | -------- |
| `--branch`     | Branch ID or name | string | —       | No       |
| `--project-id` | Project ID        | string | —       | No       |

```bash
neon credentials list --project-id solitary-heart-93902637 --branch main
```

```title="Output"
Token Id                                   Name                               Principal Type  Scopes                       Created At
nak_live_aaaa1111bbbb2222cccc3333dddd4444  Default AI gateway credential      user            ai_gateway:invoke            2026-09-10T20:02:49Z
nak_live_eeee5555ffff6666aaaa7777bbbb8888  Default object storage credential  user            storage:read, storage:write  2026-09-10T20:02:50Z
```

## neon credentials create

Issues a new credential. `--scope` is required and repeatable; pass one for each capability you want to grant. `--name` is an optional label.

```bash
neon credentials create [options]
```

| Option         | Description                                                                                                                                                                                              | Type   | Default | Required |
| -------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------ | ------- | -------- |
| `--name`       | Label for the credential                                                                                                                                                                                 | string | —       | No       |
| `--scope`      | Capability to grant. Repeatable. Values: storage\:read, storage\:write, ai\_gateway\:invoke, functions\:invoke Possible values: `storage:read`, `storage:write`, `ai_gateway:invoke`, `functions:invoke` | string | —       | Yes      |
| `--branch`     | Branch ID or name                                                                                                                                                                                        | string | —       | No       |
| `--project-id` | Project ID                                                                                                                                                                                               | string | —       | No       |

```bash
neon credentials create --name uploads --scope storage:read --scope storage:write --project-id solitary-heart-93902637 --branch main
```

```title="Output"
Token Id  nak_live_0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef
Name      uploads
Scopes    storage:read, storage:write
api_token: <api_token>
s3_secret_access_key: <s3_secret_access_key>
WARNING: Store these secrets now: they are not shown again unless you run neon credentials reveal.
```

With `--output json`, the secrets stay on the object so scripts can read them:

:::accordion{title="Show output"}
```json
{
  "token_id": "nak_live_0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef",
  "token_id_short": "0123456789ab",
  "name": "uploads",
  "api_token": "<api_token>",
  "s3_secret_access_key": "<s3_secret_access_key>",
  "scopes": ["storage:read", "storage:write"],
  "branch_id": "br-morning-frost-a1b2c3d4",
  "created_at": "2026-09-10T20:02:49Z"
}
```
:::

## neon credentials reveal

Shows a credential's `api_token` and `s3_secret_access_key` again, looked up by `token_id`.

```bash
neon credentials reveal <tokenId> [options]
```

| Option         | Description       | Type   | Default | Required |
| -------------- | ----------------- | ------ | ------- | -------- |
| `--branch`     | Branch ID or name | string | —       | No       |
| `--project-id` | Project ID        | string | —       | No       |

```bash
neon credentials reveal nak_live_0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef --project-id solitary-heart-93902637 --branch main
```

```title="Output"
Token Id  nak_live_0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef
api_token: <api_token>
s3_secret_access_key: <s3_secret_access_key>
WARNING: These are live secrets. Treat them like a password.
```

## neon credentials rotate

Replaces a credential's secrets in place. The `token_id` is unchanged, so anything that references the credential by ID keeps working once you update the stored secrets.

```bash
neon credentials rotate <tokenId> [options]
```

| Option         | Description       | Type   | Default | Required |
| -------------- | ----------------- | ------ | ------- | -------- |
| `--branch`     | Branch ID or name | string | —       | No       |
| `--project-id` | Project ID        | string | —       | No       |

```bash
neon credentials rotate nak_live_0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef --project-id solitary-heart-93902637 --branch main
```

```title="Output"
Token Id  nak_live_0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef
Name      uploads
Scopes    storage:read, storage:write
api_token: <new api_token>
s3_secret_access_key: <new s3_secret_access_key>
WARNING: Store the new secrets now: a retry mints another pair and does not recover a lost response. A replica may briefly accept the previous secret.
```

## neon credentials revoke

Revokes a credential. Its secrets stop working and the `token_id` can no longer be revealed or rotated.

```bash
neon credentials revoke <tokenId> [options]
```

| Option         | Description       | Type   | Default | Required |
| -------------- | ----------------- | ------ | ------- | -------- |
| `--branch`     | Branch ID or name | string | —       | No       |
| `--project-id` | Project ID        | string | —       | No       |

```bash
neon credentials revoke nak_live_0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef --project-id solitary-heart-93902637 --branch main
```

```title="Output"
INFO: Credential nak_live_0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef revoked
```

## Related pages

- [Neon CLI command: functions](./apis-sdks-cli-functions.md)
- [Neon CLI command: triggers](./apis-sdks-cli-triggers.md)
- [Neon CLI command: buckets](./apis-sdks-cli-buckets.md)
- [Neon CLI command: data-api](./apis-sdks-cli-data-api.md)
- [Neon CLI command: neon-auth](./apis-sdks-cli-neon-auth.md)

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