Authentication

Overview

Every call to /api/mcp/leadline/mcp needs an Authorization: Bearer credential. Without one, the server responds 401 and a WWW-Authenticate header pointing at the protected-resource metadata.

The client does not see the Leadline access token. An MCP key is exchanged inside Rover for a Leadline access token. That token stays on the server. OAuth access tokens are verified for the MCP resource and are not a license to call other Leadline APIs from the client.

MCP key

Send a Leadline MCP key as the bearer token. Keys use the prefix llmcp_ or lldev_.

Authorization: Bearer llmcp_...

Rover exchanges the key for the caller's Leadline session and runs tools as that user. An unknown or expired key returns 401.

OAuth

Clients that implement MCP OAuth can discover the resource instead of pasting a key.

1. The server answers an unauthenticated request with 401 and WWW-Authenticate: Bearer realm="leadline", resource_metadata="...".
2. The client reads the protected-resource metadata:

https://YOUR_ROVER_HOST/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource/api/mcp/leadline/mcp

3. That document lists the authorization server and the scope mcp. The resource value is the Rover MCP resource URL configured for that deployment.
4. After authorization, the client sends the access token as Authorization: Bearer.

The access token must be issued for that resource. A token for a different audience is rejected.

What a successful call is bound to

The authenticated user is the tenant context for every tool on that connection. Domain tools read and change that organization's data. Knowledge tools still only search documentation.