# tokens.create

Issue a short-lived bearer token for one participant in a room.

## Import and client

```ts
import { RelayServer } from '@relayrtc/node'

const relay = new RelayServer({
  apiUrl: process.env.RELAYRTC_API_URL!,
  apiKey: process.env.RELAYRTC_SECRET_KEY!,
})
```

## Requirements

A secret key with `tokens:create`. The requested resource must belong to that key's project environment.

## Parameters

| Option | Type | Default / requirement | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| roomId | string | Required | ID of a room in the key's environment. |
| participantName | string | Required | Trimmed name, 1–120 characters. |
| permissions | string[] | ['room:join'] | Unique permissions. Must include room:join. |
| metadata | JSON object | `{}` | Initial participant metadata. |
| ttlSeconds | integer | 600 | From 60 to 3,600 seconds. |

Every method accepts [RequestOptions](/reference/sdk/server/node/request-options) as its final argument.

## Example

```ts
const roomId = 'room_example'
const result = await relay.tokens.create(roomId, { participantName: 'Alice', permissions: ['room:join', 'audio:publish', 'video:publish'], ttlSeconds: 3600 })
```

## Returns

`Promise<ParticipantToken>`. Returns `token`, `participantId`, `tokenId` and `expiresAt`. The example token is a placeholder.

## Behavior

Permissions are `room:join`, `audio:publish`, `video:publish`, `screen:publish`, `messages:send` and `metadata:update`.

Every call creates a new participant identity. This is not an identity-preserving renewal endpoint. Authenticate your own user and check room access before issuing a token.

## REST equivalent

[`POST /v1/rooms/{roomId}/tokens`](/reference/api/v1/tokens/create). Failures throw [RelayApiError](/reference/sdk/server/node/RelayApiError).