Frequently Asked Questions#

This page collects the operational questions that come up most often when configuring authentication and troubleshooting local API access.

How Do I Choose Which Browser default_authenticate() Opens?#

When you use default_authenticate(), labapi tries to open a compatible local browser automatically. Set the LA_AUTH_BROWSER environment variable if you want to override that choice.

export LA_AUTH_BROWSER=chrome
export LA_AUTH_BROWSER=firefox
export LA_AUTH_BROWSER=edge
export LA_AUTH_BROWSER=terminal

Supported values:

  • chrome for Google Chrome.

  • firefox for Mozilla Firefox.

  • edge for Microsoft Edge.

  • terminal to print the URL for manual copy/paste.

If LA_AUTH_BROWSER is not set, labapi falls back to automatic browser detection.

Example:

import os

from labapi import Client

os.environ["LA_AUTH_BROWSER"] = "firefox"

with Client() as client:
    user = client.default_authenticate()

How Do I Handle SSL/TLS Certificate Issues?#

By default, Client verifies TLS certificates on every HTTPS request. Keep that default whenever possible.

Can I Disable Strict Certificate Verification?#

In some environments, such as corporate networks with custom CA certificates or local test systems, you may need to disable strict verification temporarily:

from labapi import Client

client = Client(
    base_url="https://api.labarchives.com",
    akid="your_access_key_id",
    akpass="your_password",
    strict_cert=False,
)

Warning

Disabling certificate verification (strict_cert=False) can expose you to man-in-the-middle attacks. Only use it in trusted environments where you understand the security tradeoff.

How Do I Trust a Custom CA Bundle Instead?#

If your environment uses a private Certificate Authority, prefer adding that CA to a trusted bundle instead of turning verification off entirely.

Find the active certifi bundle with:

python -c "import certifi; print(certifi.where())"

Then either append your CA certificate to that bundle or point REQUESTS_CA_BUNDLE at a custom bundle:

export REQUESTS_CA_BUNDLE=/path/to/your/ca-bundle.crt

from labapi import Client

client = Client()

What Should I Check When Authentication Fails?#

When the authentication flow fails or stalls, check these common causes:

  1. Verify that ACCESS_KEYID and ACCESS_PWD are set correctly.

  2. If the browser does not open, confirm LA_AUTH_BROWSER or install the builtin-auth extra.

  3. If you see certificate errors, use the guidance above to trust your CA bundle.

  4. If you use generate_auth_url(), make sure the redirect URL exactly matches the callback URL your app handles.

pip install "labapi[builtin-auth]"