title: Basic authentication with CouchDB
body: <p>I am trying to figure out how to use basic authentication (i.e. <code>http://test:test@localhost:5984/mydb</code>) in CouchDB 1.3.1.</p>
  
  <p>In the Futon:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>I create a database <code>mydb</code></li>
  <li>I setup two users for it. In <em>Security</em> tab: one member with read access <code>["test"]</code> and one admin <code>["admin"]</code></li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Then i just test connection.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Using curl:</strong></p>
  
  <pre><code>curl GET http://localhost:5984/mydb
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>returns <code>401</code> unauthorized, that's good.</p>
  
  <pre><code>curl GET http://test:test@localhost:5984/mydb
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>returns <code>200</code>, so everything works as expected using curl.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Using browser or $.ajax:</strong></p>
  
  <p>Both return <code>401</code> on the url <code>http://test:test@localhost:5984/mydb</code>.</p>
  
  <p><strong>So, questions:</strong></p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>What is the difference between using <code>curl GET</code> or usign <code>$.ajax GET</code> (or browser)?</li>
  <li>Am i missing some configuration in CouchDB or somewhere else that allows to perform this kind of authentication?</li>
  </ul>