# Introduction to Service Accounts

## Overview

All programmatic interaction with the Disruptive Technologies API is done via a logged-in Service Account. Once a client has been authenticated, the program interacting with the API will be able to perform operations that are within the role access level granted to the Service Account.

## Service and User Accounts

There are two types of accounts available when interacting with DT Cloud, user and Service Account. A user account represents a person and is used for logging in to DT Studio. On the other hand, a Service Account represents a program and is used for machine-to-machine interaction. 

![](https://3704330445-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MR5PbKbz-q3w3qIO6MH%2F-MTegkMXOo6ygyxKuFLz%2F-MTehPLyB4lfniqHgYfd%2FUserTypes.svg?alt=media\&token=435a33c1-290c-4a74-a538-1d530fcf0366)

Both types of accounts can be a member of one or more project and organization with a specific role. The role they have determines which actions they have permission to perform within the project or organization.

While a user account use an email and password to log in to the browser, a Service Account authenticates itself using a key-secret pair that can be rotated when necessary.