# Credentials object

```json metadata
{
  "schema_version": 2,
  "title": "Credentials object",
  "description": "Documents the credentials object used with Redis Software REST API calls.",
  "categories": ["docs","operate","rs"],
  "tableOfContents": {"sections":[]}

,
  "codeExamples": []
}
```


| Name | Type/Value | Description |
|------|------------|-------------|
| client_cert | string      | Client certificate as a PEM string. Use certificate credentials instead of a username and password to join a node to a cluster. Required with `client_key`. See [Certificate-based authentication for cluster management](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rs/security/certificates/certificate-based-authentication#certificate-based-authentication-for-cluster-management). |
| client_key | string       | The client certificate's private key as a PEM string. Required with `client_cert`. |
| password   | string       | Admin password. Required unless you use certificate credentials. |
| trusted_ca | string       | CA that validates the API certificate the cluster presents, as a PEM string. If you omit it, the cluster uses the certificates in its `mtls_trusted_ca.pem` file. |
| username   | string       | Admin username (pattern does not allow special characters &,\<,>,"). Required unless you use certificate credentials. |