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

# Authentication

> Connect your worker to Zero Runtime and authenticate it: runtime address, auth token, API key and secret, and provider keys.

Your worker connects to the Zero Runtime runtime over a secure connection. Configure the
connection and credentials with environment variables.

## Connect to the runtime

Point the worker at your runtime address:

```bash theme={null}
export ZERORUNTIME_TARGET=us2.zeroruntime.ai:443
```

## Authenticate the worker

Get your auth token, or your API key and secret, from the
[Zero Runtime dashboard](https://app.zeroruntime.ai/). Then authenticate in one of two
ways: use a JWT auth token, or provide an API key and secret and let the SDK mint a JWT
for you.

```bash theme={null}
# JWT auth token
export ZERORUNTIME_AUTH_TOKEN=<token>
```

## Provider keys

Set the key for each provider your pipeline uses:

```bash theme={null}
export DEEPGRAM_API_KEY=<key>    # speech-to-text
export GOOGLE_API_KEY=<key>      # LLM
export CARTESIA_API_KEY=<key>    # text-to-speech
```

## Reference

| Variable                 | Purpose                       |
| ------------------------ | ----------------------------- |
| `ZERORUNTIME_TARGET`     | Runtime address               |
| `ZERORUNTIME_AUTH_TOKEN` | JWT auth token                |
| `<PROVIDER>_API_KEY`     | Key for each provider you use |