> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.lenses.io/latest/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.lenses.io/latest/deployment/configuration/authentication/pwd-based-authentication.md).

# Basic Authentication

Basic authentication is set in the **config.yaml** for HQ under the [http.users](/latest/deployment/configuration/hq.md#usercredential) key, as an array of **usernames** and **passwords**.

{% hint style="success" %}
Passwords need to bcrypt hashes.
{% endhint %}

This ensures that the passwords are hashed and secure rather than stored in plaintext. For instance, instead of using "builder" directly, it should be hashed using bcrypt.

An example of a bcrypt-hashed password looks like this:

`$2a$12$XQW..XQrtZXCvbQWertqQeFi/1KoQW4eNephNXTfHqtoW9Q4qih5G`.

Always ensure that you replace plaintext passwords with their bcrypt counterparts to securely authenticate users.

You can use the Lenses CLI to create a bcrypt password:

```sh
lenses utils hash-password
```

<pre class="language-yaml" data-title="config.yaml"><code class="lang-yaml"><strong>auth:
</strong>  users:
  - username: bob
    password: $2a$12$XQW..XQrtZXCvbQWertqQeFi/1KoQW4eNephNXTfHqtoW9Q4qih5G 
  - username: brain
    password: $2a$12$XQW..XQrtZXCvbQWertqQeFi/1KoQW4eNephNXTfHqtoW9Q4qih5G  
</code></pre>


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.lenses.io/latest/deployment/configuration/authentication/pwd-based-authentication.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.