Credentials

Credentials holds the accounts and API clients your sandbox connections use. Add an account once and select it in each connection that needs it.

This is separate from your Intellij SFCC sign-in or JetBrains plugin license. If you have not installed the plugin, start with VS Code installation or JetBrains installation.

Choose your starting point

Your situation	What to do
Setting up credentials for the first time	Create a new encrypted `.creds` file, keep its secret key, then add your sandbox account.
Joining a team with a credentials file	Link or import the existing `.creds` file and enter its matching secret key. You do not need to recreate the accounts.
Accounts are already visible in the IDE	Check that the account you need is present, then continue to Connections.

The credentials-file secret key unlocks the encrypted file. It is not your sandbox password, an API client secret, or a plugin license key.

Set up the file in VS Code

Open Credentials

Select Intellij SFCC in the Activity Bar, then Credentials.

For a new setup, run Intellij SFCC: Create B2C Credentials File from the Command Palette and choose where to save it. The extension creates the file and its 24-character secret key. Use the confirmation to copy the key and save it in your password manager; you will need it to link the file on another machine.

For an existing setup, run Intellij SFCC: Set Credentials File, select the .creds file, then use Intellij SFCC: Set Credentials File Secret Key to enter the key supplied with that file.

Check the linked state

Return to Credentials and confirm that the file is linked. If you linked a team file, its accounts should become available. Use Intellij SFCC: Sync Credentials after changes made outside this IDE.

The encrypted file contains the shared credential data. VS Code keeps the linked path in intellij-sfcc.credentialsFilePath and the secret key in its SecretStorage.

Set up the file in JetBrains

Open B2C Credentials

Open View → Tool Windows → B2C Credentials, or select its tool window button.

Create or import your file

Use the credentials file controls to create a new encrypted .creds file, or import an existing file with its matching secret key.

Confirm the accounts

Check that the account list contains the expected entries. Use sync-to-file after local edits and sync-from-file when the shared file changes externally.

Add only the credentials you need

Credential	When you need it	What to enter
Business Manager account	Sandbox access such as WebDAV and debugging	The account username and the authentication details provided for your sandbox.
Host access key	Your sandbox requires an access key for WebDAV, OCAPI, or Storefront access	The key for the correct hostname and access type.
OCAPI or SCAPI client	You use an API-backed feature	The client ID and secret authorized for that feature. Permissions must also be configured on the platform.

Add the Business Manager account in the account area. If your team already supplies it through a credentials file, select that account instead of adding a duplicate. Add host access keys and API clients only where your setup requires them.

Ready to create a connection

Your account should now be visible in Credentials. Continue to Connections, where you select it for a hostname and code version. Saving an account does not prove that the sandbox accepts it; verify remote access after creating the connection.

Share the .creds file only with people who should access its accounts, and send its secret key through a separate approved secure channel. Keep both out of source control. Review the accounts in the file before sharing it with another team.

A connection export is separate: it contains connection metadata and credential references. Hostnames, usernames, and client IDs can still identify your organization, so review exports before sharing them too.

Troubleshooting

What you see	What to check
The file cannot be opened	Confirm you selected the correct file and supplied its matching secret key.
The connection account picker is empty	Link or sync the credentials file, add the account if needed, then reopen the connection editor.
The password or access key changed	Update the credential, sync as needed, and retry remote access.
Sandbox access works but an API action fails	Check that the connection references the intended API client and that the client has the required permissions.