# get_api_key

> **Function** in `langchain_parallel`

📖 [View in docs](https://reference.langchain.com/python/langchain-parallel/_client/get_api_key)

Retrieve the Parallel API key from argument or environment variables.

## Signature

```python
get_api_key(
    api_key: Optional[str] = None,
) -> str
```

## Parameters

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| `api_key` | `Optional[str]` | No | Optional API key string. (default: `None`) |

## Returns

`str`

API key string.

---

[View source on GitHub](https://github.com/parallel-web/langchain-parallel/blob/7946e2f5339c689b452621744a27f1a019215639/langchain_parallel/_client.py#L12)