Account Security

Vessl provides built-in tools to secure your user account and authorize external CLI and API access.

Two-Factor Authentication (TOTP)

Protect your Vessl account from unauthorized access by enabling Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) using a Time-based One-Time Password (TOTP) application like Authy, Google Authenticator, or 1Password.

Enabling TOTP

1. Click on your profile avatar in the bottom-left corner of the dashboard.
2. Select Account Settings.
3. Under the Security tab, click Enable 2FA.
4. Scan the provided QR code with your authenticator app.
5. Enter the 6-digit code generated by the app to verify and activate.

Once enabled, you will be prompted to enter a TOTP code during every login.

Personal Access Tokens (PATs)

Personal Access Tokens allow you to authenticate with the Vessl CLI or directly against the Vessl REST API without using your email and password.

Creating a Token

1. Go to Account Settings.
2. Navigate to the API Tokens tab.
3. Click Generate New Token.
4. Provide a recognizable name (e.g., “MacBook CLI”, “GitHub Actions”).
5. The token will be displayed once. Copy it and store it securely.

Note: Tokens generated here are tied to your personal user account and inherit all of your permissions. If you need tightly scoped tokens for a specific project, use Project Tokens instead.

Using a Token with the CLI

To authenticate your local Vessl CLI using a Personal Access Token:

vessl login --token vpt_xxx...

You can also use PATs to authenticate manual API requests by passing them in the Authorization header:

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer vpt_xxx..." http://your-vessl-instance:8080/api/projects