> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.unkey.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> ## Agent Instructions
> Unkey is two separate products. Compute builds, deploys, and runs apps behind a gateway. API Management issues API keys, enforces rate limits, manages identities and permissions, and reports usage. Say which product a page belongs to; a reader can use either without the other.
> Every Unkey API endpoint is an HTTP POST to https://api.unkey.com/v2/{service}.{procedure} with a root key in the Authorization: Bearer header. Root keys are workspace scoped.
> Error codes have the form err:{system}:{category}:{specific} and each has a page at /errors/{system}/{category}/{specific}.
> The word environment means production or preview in Compute. Rate limiting has four meanings on this site; the glossary lists them.

# unkey root-keys create

> Create a root key with permissions scoped to your workspace.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Create a root key with the permissions listed on this page under **Root Keys** in the dashboard sidebar. CLI commands can instead use a session from [unkey login](https://www.unkey.com/docs/platform/cli/login.md) with the required permissions. See [Permission reference](https://www.unkey.com/docs/platform/root-keys/permissions-legacy.md) for every permission.

Create a root key for the authenticated workspace.
Requires `unkey:v1:<workspace_id>:rootKeys/*#write`.
The created root key cannot have more permissions than the caller.

Save the returned secret securely. You can't retrieve it later. The permission array may be empty, but an empty set grants no access. Use `--body` to send an empty array.

## Usage

```bash theme={"system"}
unkey root-keys create --permissions=<permissions> [flags]
```

## Flags

**--expires** `integer`

Expiration as Unix milliseconds, strictly in the future. Expiring root-key callers must provide a child expiry no later than their own. JWT admins and nonexpiring root-key callers may omit it or set null for no expiration. The flag accepts an integer. Use `--body` to send `expires: null`.

**--name** `string`

Optional name for the root key.

**--permissions** `string[]` *required*

Permissions to grant to the root key. Each permission must be within the caller's existing permissions. Pass comma-separated permission URNs. To create a key with no permissions, use `--body` with `permissions: []`.

### Shared flags

These flags control authentication, requests, and output. [CLI output and shared flags](https://www.unkey.com/docs/platform/cli/output-and-flags.md) describes them in full.

**--body** `string`

A JSON document sent as the request body instead of building it from the flags above. It is mutually exclusive with the request-building flags, and unknown fields are rejected locally. See [Send a raw body](https://www.unkey.com/docs/platform/cli/output-and-flags.md#send-a-raw-body).

**--root-key** `string`

Root key used for the request. Falls back to `UNKEY_ROOT_KEY`, then stored credentials, including a CLI session. See [CLI authentication](https://www.unkey.com/docs/platform/cli/authentication.md) for the full precedence order.

**--api-url** `string` (default: [https://api.unkey.com](https://api.unkey.com))

Base URL of the API. Falls back to `UNKEY_API_BASE_URL`. You don't normally need to set it.

**--config** `string` (default: \~/.unkey/config.toml)

Path of the TOML config file. Falls back to `UNKEY_CONFIG`. An explicit `--config` takes precedence over a stored CLI session. Browser login stores a session, not a root key in this file. See [CLI authentication](https://www.unkey.com/docs/platform/cli/authentication.md).

**--output** `enum` (default: human)

Use `human` (default) for name-first summary tables and labeled details, or `json` for the unchanged full response envelope, including all fields and pagination. Terminal tables use relative timestamps and may shorten display names and descriptions, but never identifiers, slugs, or credentials. Redirected human output keeps complete values and uses RFC3339 UTC timestamps. Falls back to `UNKEY_OUTPUT`; other values are rejected. `--json` also selects JSON output. Add `--debug` to print the request ID to stderr. See [Output formats](https://www.unkey.com/docs/platform/cli/output-and-flags.md#output-formats).

**--debug** `boolean`

Print the successful response's request ID to stderr, separate from stdout.

**--json** `boolean`

Print the full response as JSON. Takes precedence over a valid `--output` or `UNKEY_OUTPUT` value.

## Examples

```bash theme={"system"}
unkey root-keys create --name=automation --permissions='unkey:v1:ws_example:rootKeys/*#read'
```

Send the request body as JSON:

```bash theme={"system"}
unkey root-keys create --body='{"name":"automation","permissions":[]}'
```

## API endpoint

The command calls `POST /v2/rootKeys.createKey` and prints its response. See the [endpoint definition](https://github.com/unkeyed/unkey/blob/main/svc/api/openapi/spec/paths/v2/rootKeys/createKey/index.yaml) for the HTTP contract. Request fields use camelCase in `--body`.


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