---
title: Token Management
framework: GSS
role: collectionGroup
role_heading: API Collection
path: gss/token-management
---

# Token Management

Establish secure communication with tokens.

## Overview

Overview The basic unit of currency in the GSS-API is the token. Applications using the GSS-API communicate with each other by using tokens, both for exchanging data and for making security arrangements. Tokens are declared as gss_buffer_t data types and are opaque to applications.

## Topics

### Buffer Flags

- [GSS_IOV_BUFFER_FLAG_ALLOCATE](gss/gss_iov_buffer_flag_allocate.md)
- [GSS_IOV_BUFFER_FLAG_ALLOCATED](gss/gss_iov_buffer_flag_allocated.md)
- [GSS_IOV_BUFFER_TYPE_DATA](gss/gss_iov_buffer_type_data.md)
- [GSS_IOV_BUFFER_TYPE_EMPTY](gss/gss_iov_buffer_type_empty.md)
- [GSS_IOV_BUFFER_TYPE_FLAG_ALLOCATE](gss/gss_iov_buffer_type_flag_allocate.md)
- [GSS_IOV_BUFFER_TYPE_FLAG_ALLOCATED](gss/gss_iov_buffer_type_flag_allocated.md)
- [GSS_IOV_BUFFER_TYPE_FLAG_MASK](gss/gss_iov_buffer_type_flag_mask.md)
- [GSS_IOV_BUFFER_TYPE_HEADER](gss/gss_iov_buffer_type_header.md)
- [GSS_IOV_BUFFER_TYPE_MECH_PARAMS](gss/gss_iov_buffer_type_mech_params.md)
- [GSS_IOV_BUFFER_TYPE_PADDING](gss/gss_iov_buffer_type_padding.md)
- [GSS_IOV_BUFFER_TYPE_SIGN_ONLY](gss/gss_iov_buffer_type_sign_only.md)
- [GSS_IOV_BUFFER_TYPE_STREAM](gss/gss_iov_buffer_type_stream.md)
- [GSS_IOV_BUFFER_TYPE_TRAILER](gss/gss_iov_buffer_type_trailer.md)

### Encapsulation and Decapsulation

- [gss_encapsulate_token(_:_:_:)](gss/gss_encapsulate_token(_:_:_:).md)
- [gss_decapsulate_token(_:_:_:)](gss/gss_decapsulate_token(_:_:_:).md)

## See Also

### Messages

- [Message Protection](gss/message-protection.md)
- [Kerberos Implementation](gss/kerberos-implementation.md)