# Creating a REST API User for MaxScale with MaxCtrl

## Overview

MaxScale has a [REST API](/docs/maxscale/reference/maxscale-rest-api.md), which can be configured to require authentication. When first installed, it has a single default admin user (admin) and password (mariadb). However, this user can be deleted, and other users can be created.

*MaxCtrl* is a command-line utility that can perform administrative tasks using MaxScale's [REST API](/docs/maxscale/reference/maxscale-rest-api.md). It can create a user for the REST API.

## User Types

There are two types of users:

| User Type | Description                                                             |
| --------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Basic     | The user has read-only access                                           |
| Admin     | The user can change global MaxScale parameters and reconfigure modules. |

## Creating a Basic User

1. Configure the [REST API](/docs/maxscale/maxscale-management/administrative-tools-for-mariadb-maxscale-maxctrl/connecting-to-maxscale-using-tls-with-maxctrl.md) if the default configuration is not sufficient.
2. Use *MaxCtrl* to execute the create user command:

```bash
$ maxctrl --secure
   --user=admin
   --password=mariadb
   --hosts=192.0.2.100:8443
   --tls-key=/certs/client-key.pem
   --tls-cert=/certs/client-cert.pem
   --tls-ca-cert=/certs/ca.pem
   create user "maxscale_rest" "maxscale_rest_password"
```

Replace maxscale\_rest and maxscale\_rest\_password with the desired user and password.

## Creating an Admin User

1. Configure the [REST API](/docs/maxscale/maxscale-management/administrative-tools-for-mariadb-maxscale-maxctrl/connecting-to-maxscale-using-tls-with-maxctrl.md) if the default configuration is not sufficient.
2. Use *MaxCtrl* to execute the create user command with the --type=admin option:

```bash
$ maxctrl --secure
   --user=admin
   --password=mariadb
   --hosts=192.0.2.100:8443
   --tls-key=/certs/client-key.pem
   --tls-cert=/certs/client-cert.pem
   --tls-ca-cert=/certs/ca.pem
   create user "maxscale_rest_admin" "maxscale_rest_admin_password" --type=admin
```

Replace `maxscale_rest_admin` and `maxscale_rest_admin_password` with the desired user and password.

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