> This page location: Tools & Workflows > API, CLI & SDKs > CLI > auth
> Full Neon documentation index: https://neon.com/docs/llms.txt

# Neon CLI commands — auth

Use the Neon CLI to manage Neon directly from the terminal

## Before you begin

Before running the `auth` command, ensure that you have [installed the Neon CLI](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-install).

## The `auth` command

Authenticates the user or caller to Neon.

### Usage

```bash
neon auth
```

The command launches a browser window where you can authorize the Neon CLI to access your Neon account. After granting permissions to the Neon CLI, your credentials are saved locally to a configuration file named `credentials.json`, enabling you manage your account's projects from the command line.

```text
/home/<home>/.config/neonctl/credentials.json
```

**Note:** If you use Neon through the [Vercel-Managed Integration](https://neon.com/docs/guides/vercel-managed-integration), you must authenticate connections from the CLI client using a Neon API key (see below). The `neon auth` command requires an account registered through Neon rather than Vercel.

An alternative to authenticating using `neon auth` is to provide an API key when running a CLI command. You can do this using the global `--api-key` option or by setting the `NEON_API_KEY` variable. See [Global options](https://neon.com/docs/reference/neon-cli#global-options) for instructions.

**Info:**

The authentication flow for the Neon CLI follows this order:

- If the `--api-key` option is provided, it takes precedence and is used for authentication.
- If the `--api-key` option is not provided, the `NEON_API_KEY` environment variable is used if it is set.
- If both `--api-key` option and `NEON_API_KEY` environment variable are not provided or set, the CLI falls back to the
  `credentials.json` file created by the `neon auth` command.
- If the credentials file is not found, the Neon CLI initiates the `neon auth` web authentication process.

#### Options

Only [global options](https://neon.com/docs/reference/neon-cli#global-options) apply.

---

## Related docs (CLI)

- [Overview](https://neon.com/docs/reference/neon-cli)
- [Quickstart](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-quickstart)
- [Install and connect](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-install)
- [me](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-me)
- [orgs](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-orgs)
- [projects](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-projects)
- [ip-allow](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-ip-allow)
- [vpc](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-vpc)
- [branches](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-branches)
- [databases](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-databases)
- [roles](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-roles)
- [operations](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-operations)
- [connection-string](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-connection-string)
- [set-context](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-set-context)
- [init](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-init)
- [completion](https://neon.com/docs/reference/cli-completion)