This article explains the differences between protected and unprotected Meilisearch projects and instances.

​
Protected projects

In protected projects, all Meilisearch API routes and endpoints can only be accessed by requests bearing an API key. The only exception to this rule is the /health endpoint, which may still be queried with unauthorized requests. Meilisearch Cloud projects are protected by default. Self-hosted instances are only protected if you launch them with a master key. Consult the basic security tutorial for instructions on how to communicate with protected projects.

​
Unprotected projects

In unprotected projects and self-hosted instances, any user may access any API endpoint. Never leave a publicly accessible instance unprotected. Only use unprotected instances in safe development environments. Meilisearch Cloud projects are always protected. Meilisearch self-hosted instances are unprotected by default.