Create an application

An application in Atlas represents one product — for example "Acme App". Each application automatically comes with two instances:

• Development — for local development and testing. Keys are prefixed pk_test_ / sk_test_. Comes with generous, relaxed limits and shared OAuth credentials so you can try social sign-in without registering your own apps.

• Production — for real users. Keys are prefixed pk_live_ / sk_live_. Enforces stricter security defaults and expects your own OAuth credentials and (optionally) a custom domain.

The two instances are fully isolated: separate users, sessions, organizations, connections and settings. Nothing crosses between them.

Create it

1. In the dashboard, choose Create application.

2. Give it a name (you can change this later).

3. Optionally pre-select the sign-in methods you expect to use — you can change all of these afterward under Sign-in methods.

4. Choose Create. Atlas provisions the Development and Production instances and shows you your keys.

What Atlas provisions for each instance

• A unique instance ID and a Frontend API (FAPI) URL your SDKs talk to.

• A publishable key and the ability to mint secret keys.

• A signing key pair and a public JWKS endpoint at /.well-known/jwks.json.

• Default sign-in methods, hosted pages and email templates you can customize.

Development vs Production at a glance

Promoting to Production

When you're ready to launch:

1. Recreate the sign-in methods and connections you configured in Development, this time with your own OAuth credentials (see Social connections).

2. Apply your branding and email templates.

3. Set up a custom domain if you want sign-in to happen on accounts.yourapp.com.

4. Swap your app's environment variables from the pk_test_/sk_test_ keys to the pk_live_/sk_live_ keys.

Next

Learn what the two keys are and where each belongs → Publishable & secret keys.