# Deploy a middleware server (/en/realtime-media/video/build/authenticate-users/middleware-token-server)

> For AI agents: see the complete documentation index at [llms.txt](/llms.txt).

To streamline token authentication and REST API workflows in your infrastructure, Agora's developer community offers the open-source [Agora Go Backend Middleware](https://github.com/AgoraIO-Community/agora-go-backend-middleware). The backend provides RESTful APIs for tasks such as token generation, cloud recording management, and real-time transcription. This guide shows you how to implement a token server using the community middleware for Video Calling.

## Understand the tech [#understand-the-tech]

The following figure illustrates the architecture of the middleware token generation microservice.

![Middleware token generation architecture](https://assets-docs.agora.io/images/common/middleware-token-generation.svg)

## Set up and run the Go backend middleware [#set-up-and-run-the-go-backend-middleware]

Take the following steps to set up and run the middleware project:

1. **Clone the repository**

   ```bash
   git clone https://github.com/AgoraIO-Community/agora-go-backend-middleware.git
   ```

2. **Install dependencies**

Ensure you have [Go](https://go.dev/doc/install) installed on your system. Navigate to the project directory and install the project dependencies:

```bash
cd agora-go-backend-middleware
go mod download
```

3. **Configure environment variables**

   Copy the example `.env` file.

   ```bash
   cp .env.example .env
   ```

   Update the following variables in the `.env` file:

   * `APP_ID`: Your Agora App ID.
   * `APP_CERTIFICATE`: Your Agora App Certificate.

4. **Run the middleware**

Start the middleware server using the following command:

```bash
go run cmd/main.go
```

The middleware runs on the default port, for example `localhost:8080`.

## Generate tokens [#generate-tokens]

Refer to the following `curl` example to test the middleware's token generation API endpoint.

<CalloutContainer type="info">
  <CalloutDescription>
    The command-line examples in this guide are for demonstration purposes only. Do not use them directly in a production environment. Implement RESTful API requests through your application server.
  </CalloutDescription>
</CalloutContainer>

**POST:** `/token/getNew`

```bash
curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/token/getNew \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
 "tokenType": "rtc",
 "channel": "testChannel",
 "role": "publisher",
 "uid": "12345",
 "expire": 3600
}'
```

<CalloutContainer type="info">
  <CalloutDescription>
    Replace `localhost:8080` with your server's address.
  </CalloutDescription>
</CalloutContainer>

## Reference [#reference]

This section contains content that completes the information on this page, or points you to documentation that explains other aspects to this product.

### Middleware token generation API [#middleware-token-generation-api]

This section provides details about the middleware token generation API endpoints.

#### Generate Token [#generate-token]

Generates a Video SDK, Signaling, or Chat token based on the provided parameters.

#### Endpoint [#endpoint]

`POST /token/getNew`

#### Request body [#request-body]

```json
{
 "tokenType": "rtc|rtm|chat",
 "channel": "string",
 "uid": "string",
 "role": "publisher|subscriber",
 "expire": 0
}
```

#### Response [#response]

```json
{
 "token": "string"
}
```