---
title: "Validate credentials"
method: POST
path: "/authenticate"
tags: ["Authentication"]
---

# Validate credentials

`POST /authenticate`

Validates credentials without creating a session.
Returns 200 if credentials are valid, 400 if missing parameters, 401 if invalid.
Useful for external authentication integration.

## Request body

- object
  - `login` string, required
  - `password` string, required

## Response `200`

Credentials are valid

- SuccessResponse
  - `error` integer
  - `description` string

## Other responses

- `400` — Invalid request
- `401` — Access denied

## Changes

- **2026-01-30** `32f48ec94aec` — 2 breaking, 5 info
  - the request property `login` became required
  - the request property `password` became required
  - added the non-success response with the status `400`
  - added the optional property `description` to the response with the `200` status
  - …3 more
- **2023-02-28** `910d3ad08e09` — 2 info
  - api operation id `externalAuthentication` was added
  - added the non-success response with the status `401`
- **2023-02-23** `9c09a2aad349` — 2 warning, 5 info
  - removed the optional property `description` from the response with the `200` status
  - removed the optional property `error` from the response with the `200` status
  - api operation id `externalAuthentication` removed and replaced with ``
  - the request property `login` became optional
  - …3 more

[Change history](https://skmtc.dev/netxms/apis/netxms-rest-api/changes/authenticate/post.md)

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/netxms/apis/netxms-rest-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/netxms/apis/netxms-rest-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-production.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/netxms/netxms-rest-api/revisions/04789afedcb3/schema)