Find the owner of a key

Look up a public key, the card holding it and its validity period.

GET/v1/keys/{key}

Access: Public; API key optional
Client: Browser fetch supported

Parameters#

Name	Location	Meaning
`key`Required	Path	The 64 hexadecimal characters of an Ed25519 public key, including the Ed25519 half of a composite key.

Request examples#

cURL

curl -fsS 'https://veil.rip/v1/keys/73ad6159583a43f8ad230a215b758db680efcd3ce32ab8e83c622eeca883e68a'

javascript

const response = await fetch("https://veil.rip/v1/keys/73ad6159583a43f8ad230a215b758db680efcd3ce32ab8e83c622eeca883e68a");
const result = await response.json();

Try the request#

Response#

HTTP 200application/json

identity, device, role, state, addedIn, revokedIn, validFrom and validUntil. A composite key includes its full key and Ed25519 half.

Field	Type	Meaning
`key`	`string`	Full public key.
`alg`	`string`	Signature algorithm identifier.
`ed25519`	`string`	Ed25519 key or composite half, in hex.
`identity`	`IdentityRef`	Card that owns the key.
`device`	`string`	Device label.
`role`	`string`	Signing role.
`state`	`string`	Current key state.
`addedIn`	`integer`	Version that added the key.
`revokedIn`	`integer \| null`	Version that revoked it.
`validFrom`	`string`	Publication time of addition.
`validUntil`	`string \| null`	Publication time of revocation.

Expand a nested object for its fields. Types ending in null allow a null value; optional fields may be absent. Other fields are present in that object.

Identity reference IdentityRef

Field	Type	Meaning
`n`	`integer`	Permanent card number.
`url`	`string`	Permanent card URL.
`name`	`string`	Current display name.
`nameHidden`	`boolean`	Whether staff hide the name.

Response headers#

Header	Value	Meaning
`Content-Type`	`application/json`	Use the declared media type before choosing a parser.
`Date`	`HTTP date`	Server time. Compare it with your clock when signing requests.
`Retry-After`	`integer seconds, on rate_limited or busy`	Wait at least this long before retrying. Other 429/503 codes do not necessarily include it.

What to verify#

Fetch the card and check the key’s addition and revocation in the signed version chain.

Errors#

API errors return an error object. Use error.code for program logic; error.message is English text for people and can change. Response and error guide

HTTP Code Meaning and next step

400

HTTP	Code	Meaning and next step
400	`invalid_parameter`	A path, query or body field is missing, malformed or outside its accepted range. Correct the field named in `error.message` before sending again.
404	`not_found`	The requested card, key, alias, code or resource was not found. Check the identifier. Temporary codes and previews may already have expired or been used.
410	`erased`	The card existed and was erased or removed. The response also carries its public erasure receipt. Stop using this card as current authority. Retain only the public receipt if needed.

invalid_parameter

A path, query or body field is missing, malformed or outside its accepted range.

Correct the field named in error.message before sending again.

404

not_found

The requested card, key, alias, code or resource was not found.

Check the identifier. Temporary codes and previews may already have expired or been used.

410

erased

The card existed and was erased or removed. The response also carries its public erasure receipt.

Stop using this card as current authority. Retain only the public receipt if needed.

When using an optional API key

HTTP	Code	Meaning and next step
401	`invalid_api_key`	The bearer credential is malformed, unknown, expired or revoked. Use an active key. To use anonymous public access, remove `Authorization` entirely. Invalid credentials never fall back automatically.
403	`api_key_scope`	The API key lacks read or verify scope, or the endpoint does not accept bearer keys. Use the correct scope. Identity writes and key management still require a device signature.
403	`api_key_suspended`	This API key is suspended. Ask staff to restore it; another key cannot lift an account suspension.
403	`developer_suspended`	The owner’s API account is suspended or the owner card is unavailable. Check the owner account and any staff restriction. Creating another key does not bypass suspension.

Shared request errors

HTTP Code Meaning and next step

429

HTTP	Code	Meaning and next step
429	`rate_limited`	An anonymous, signed-request or API-key allowance was exceeded. Wait at least `Retry-After` seconds. Share a queue and retry budget across your workers.
500	`internal_error`	An unexpected server error occurred. Internal details are not returned. Retry reads with bounded backoff. Check write results before sending a new signed operation.
503	`busy`	The application has reached a temporary concurrency or database limit. Wait `Retry-After` seconds and retry with bounded backoff.

rate_limited

An anonymous, signed-request or API-key allowance was exceeded.

Wait at least Retry-After seconds. Share a queue and retry budget across your workers.

500

internal_error

An unexpected server error occurred. Internal details are not returned.

Retry reads with bounded backoff. Check write results before sending a new signed operation.

503

busy

The application has reached a temporary concurrency or database limit.

Wait Retry-After seconds and retry with bounded backoff.

Read this entry as JSON