Connect your Namecheap account

Namecheap’s legacy API requires an API user, username, API key, and one whitelisted public IPv4. Sandbox and production are separate accounts with separate keys and IP allowlists.

Configure sandbox

Enable API access in the Namecheap sandbox and whitelist the public IPv4 from which Cheep will run. Then save the non-secret profile fields:

cheep --environment sandbox auth configure sandbox \
  --api-user YOUR_SANDBOX_USER \
  --client-ip YOUR_PUBLIC_IPV4 \
  --default

The username defaults to the API user. Supply --username only for a reseller setup that acts as a different Namecheap username.

Store the API key through the hidden terminal prompt:

cheep --profile sandbox auth set-key

For CI or another headless environment, use CHEEP_API_KEY. To store a piped key in the local keychain, use auth set-key --stdin. Never place an API key directly in command arguments.

Verify access

cheep --profile sandbox auth status
cheep --profile sandbox doctor

auth status checks local resolution and never prints the key. doctor performs one authenticated, read-only domain-list request. A 1011150 result means the request IPv4 is not in the selected Namecheap environment’s allowlist.

Environment variables

Cheep supports these variables for headless use:

CHEEP_PROFILE
CHEEP_ENVIRONMENT
CHEEP_API_USER
CHEEP_USERNAME
CHEEP_API_KEY
CHEEP_CLIENT_IP
CHEEP_CONFIG

Compatible NAMECHEAP_* variables are also recognized. CHEEP_* takes precedence.

Headless environments

Set the following values in your CI system’s environment or secret store:

Variable	Value
CHEEP_API_USER	API-enabled Namecheap username
CHEEP_API_KEY	Secret API key from the same environment
CHEEP_CLIENT_IP	Whitelisted public IPv4 of the runner
CHEEP_ENVIRONMENT	sandbox or production

Use a runner with a stable outbound IPv4. Sandbox credentials do not work against production, and production credentials do not work against the sandbox. Avoid printing the environment in logs or enabling shell tracing around secrets.

cheep --json --no-input --readonly doctor
cheep --json --no-input --readonly domains check example.com

Config location

Use CHEEP_CONFIG to select a specific config file. Otherwise Cheep uses the operating system’s user configuration directory:

Platform	Default location
macOS	~/Library/Application Support/cheep/config.toml
Linux	$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/cheep/config.toml, or ~/.config/cheep/config.toml
Windows	%AppData%\cheep\config.toml

Run cheep auth status to see the resolved path and non-secret profile.

Sources

• Namecheap API introduction
• Namecheap API error codes
• Namecheap API FAQ