Configuration¶
This server resolves two independent credentials. Only the Bing Webmaster API key is
required -- the IndexNow key is only needed for the submit_url_indexnow tool.
Bing Webmaster API Key (required)¶
Priority order (highest to lowest):
1. CLI Argument¶
2. Environment Variable¶
3. .env File (Lowest Priority -- Dev Convenience)¶
Create a .env file in the working directory:
If no API key is found in any of these sources, the server logs an error to stderr and exits -- none of the 21 classic tools can function without it.
IndexNow Key (optional)¶
Priority order (highest to lowest):
1. CLI Argument¶
2. Environment Variable¶
3. .env File¶
If no IndexNow key is configured, the server still starts normally and all 21 classic tools work
as expected -- only submit_url_indexnow returns an error explaining the key is missing.
Why Two Separate Credentials?¶
The classic Bing Webmaster API (site management, crawl diagnostics, search analytics, and classic URL submission) and IndexNow are two unrelated protocols:
| Bing Webmaster API key | IndexNow key | |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | Bing Webmaster Tools, one per account | Chosen by you (any string) |
| Proves | You control the verified Bing Webmaster account | You control the target domain (via a hosted key file) |
| Used by | 21 classic tools | submit_url_indexnow only |
See Getting Started for how to obtain each one.