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

# Authenticate with Chits in the Standard System

> Learn what Chits are and how they authenticate and authorize clients, devices, and users connecting to a Standard System instance over a socket connection.

Chits are the authentication and authorization mechanism at the heart of Standard. A Chit is a signed and encrypted string that carries identifiers for both you and your device. Any system, person, or other client must exchange a valid Chit to connect to a Standard System instance — without one, the connection is rejected outright.

<Note>
  Standard uses socket connections exclusively — there is no REST API. All clients must exchange a valid Chit to establish a connection.
</Note>

<Tip>
  Keep Chit values private. Because a Chit encodes both identity and device information in an encrypted form, anyone who holds a valid Chit can authenticate as the associated user or device.
</Tip>