feat: explicitly mention auth requirements of preference APIs

[andy-knock]

Summary

Clarifies which preference and channel-data APIs can be called from client applications with a public API key and signed user token, rather than requiring a secret key. Updates SDK quick-start and React preference docs to show the correct authenticate() pattern and deprecated user.getPreferences() / user.setPreferences() methods. Removes stale typedoc pages for the deprecated preferences client API.

Changes

Preference center auth and client examples

• in-app-ui/react/preferences.mdx — Adds signed user token to requirements; updates authenticate() to two-argument form; notes dev-mode behavior when enhanced security is off.
• in-app-ui/react/headless/preferences.mdx — Same auth requirements and KnockProvider updates (userToken prop, dev-mode note); removes duplicate Preferences overview link in Related links (first link remains in the intro callout).
• in-app-ui/javascript/sdk/quick-start.mdx — Two-argument authenticate() with linked enhanced security note; public-key auth note on the preferences section; switches to knockClient.user.getPreferences() / .setPreferences().

Adjacent public-key clarifications

• multi-tenancy/per-tenant-preferences.mdx — Notes that examples below use the server-side Node SDK; links to the preference center docs for frontend per-tenant preference management.
• preferences/preference-conditions.mdx — Rewrites intro to focus on how conditions fit into a PreferenceSet (no public-key auth note; that stays in broader preference center docs).
• managing-recipients/setting-channel-data.mdx — Adds post-code-block cross-reference to iOS, Android, and Flutter push registration docs.
• in-app-ui/flutter/sdk/quick-start.mdx — Renames KNOCK_API_KEY to KNOCK_PUBLIC_API_KEY.

Typedoc cleanup

• typedocs/client/knock.mdx — Removes deprecated preferences section.
• typedocs/client/preferences.mdx — Deletes unused file (replacement methods documented under user-client.mdx).

Deferred to other PRs

• preferences/overview.mdx — Auth section and client examples deferred to #1528.

Context

https://knocklabs.slack.com/archives/C0AP38JP4LW/p1783547426112369?thread_ts=1783543879.292789&cid=C0AP38JP4LW

Test plan

• Verify updated pages render on the Vercel preview
• Confirm links resolve: enhanced security anchor, preference center anchor, iOS/Android/Flutter push docs
• Confirm deleted typedocs/client/preferences.mdx is not linked from anywhere in the site

[vercel]

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Project	Deployment	Actions	Updated (UTC)
docs	Ready	Preview, Comment	Jul 10, 2026 6:36pm

[andy-knock]

• feat: explicitly mention auth requirements of preference APIs #1526 : 2 dependent PRs (#1527 , #1528 ) 👈 (View in Graphite)
• main

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[rachael-t]

Left a few comments!

Re the typedocs (specifically deleting typedocs/client/preferences.mdx- I think Chris added those in and has some more context if there's hesitiation about fully removing it.

[andy-knock]

@rachael-t fixed

[cursor]

Risk MEDIUM: Clarifies auth requirements for preference APIs across multiple documentation sections and removes deprecated typedoc pages.

Reasons

• Changes span 4+ distinct documentation sections (in-app-ui, managing-recipients, multi-tenancy, preferences, and typedocs), triggering the cross-section rule
• 9 files modified total (7 content MDX files and 2 typedoc files), giving this PR a broad surface area
• One typedoc file is deleted (typedocs/client/preferences.mdx) and another has a section removed, which could break existing links or references if any remain
• All changes are limited to .mdx content files with no component, layout, or build config modifications, keeping this out of HIGH risk
• Individual file diffs are small (largest is the 54-line deletion), and no single file has both 30+ additions and 30+ deletions

Notes

• Verify that no remaining pages link to typedocs/client/preferences.mdx or to the removed knock.preferences section in typedocs/client/knock.mdx (the PR description mentions this was checked but it is worth confirming on the preview deploy)
• Confirm the internal anchor links resolve correctly on the Vercel preview: #authentication-with-enhanced-security, #build-your-preference-center, and the iOS/Android/Flutter push doc cross-references added in setting-channel-data.mdx
• The Related links section in headless/preferences.mdx now has a plain-text "Preferences overview" entry with no link — confirm this is intentional and not a broken link

  

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