*TiDB Cloud API is in beta.*

# Overview

The TiDB Cloud API is a [REST interface](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representational_state_transfer) that provides you with programmatic access to manage administrative objects within TiDB Cloud.

The API has the following features:

- **JSON entities.** All entities are expressed in JSON.
- **HTTPS-only.** You can only access the API via HTTPS, ensuring all the data sent over the network is encrypted with TLS.
- **Key-based access and digest authentication.** Before you access TiDB Cloud API, you must generate an API key. All requests are authenticated through [HTTP Digest Authentication](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digest_access_authentication), ensuring the API key is never sent over the network.