diff --git a/api/context.go b/api/context.go
index d8e390e..f265f2a 100644
--- a/api/context.go
+++ b/api/context.go
@@ -1,17 +1,42 @@
 package api
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"net/http"
 )
 
-// Ctx contains additional information for handlers
-//
-// usually input/output arguments built by aicra are sufficient
-// but the Ctx lets you manage your request from scratch if required
-//
-// If required, set api.Ctx as the first argument of your handler; if you
-// don't need it, only use standard input arguments and it will be ignored
-type Ctx struct {
-	Res http.ResponseWriter
-	Req *http.Request
+// custom context key type
+type ctxKey int
+
+const (
+	ctxRequest ctxKey = iota
+	ctxAuth
+)
+
+// Context is a simple wrapper around context.Context that adds helper methods
+// to access additional information
+type Context struct{ context.Context }
+
+// Request current request
+func (c Context) Request() *http.Request {
+	var (
+		raw      = c.Value(ctxRequest)
+		cast, ok = raw.(*http.Request)
+	)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return cast
+}
+
+// Auth associated with this request
+func (c Context) Auth() *Auth {
+	var (
+		raw      = c.Value(ctxAuth)
+		cast, ok = raw.(*Auth)
+	)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return cast
 }
diff --git a/handler.go b/handler.go
index 87ce076..7bda72e 100644
--- a/handler.go
+++ b/handler.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func (s Handler) resolve(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 func (s *Handler) handle(input *reqdata.T, handler *apiHandler, service *config.Service, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	// 5. pass execution to the handler
-	ctx := api.Ctx{Res: w, Req: r}
+	ctx := api.Context{Res: w, Req: r}
 	var outData, outErr = handler.dyn.Handle(ctx, input.Data)
 
 	// 6. build res from returned data
diff --git a/handler_test.go b/handler_test.go
index 6d0cfd8..7c951b7 100644
--- a/handler_test.go
+++ b/handler_test.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func TestWith(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("setup: unexpected error <%v>", err)
 	}
 
-	pathHandler := func(ctx api.Ctx) (*struct{}, api.Err) {
+	pathHandler := func(ctx api.Context) (*struct{}, api.Err) {
 		// write value from middlewares into response
 		value := ctx.Req.Context().Value(key)
 		if value == nil {
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ func TestWithAuth(t *testing.T) {
 				t.Fatalf("setup: unexpected error <%v>", err)
 			}
 
-			pathHandler := func(ctx api.Ctx) (*struct{}, api.Err) {
+			pathHandler := func(ctx api.Context) (*struct{}, api.Err) {
 				return nil, api.ErrNotImplemented
 			}
 
diff --git a/internal/ctx/ctx.go b/internal/ctx/ctx.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dd59756
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/ctx/ctx.go
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+package ctx
+
+// Key defines a custom context key type
+type Key int
+
+const (
+	// Request is the key for the current *http.Request
+	Request Key = iota
+	// Response is the key for the associated http.ResponseWriter
+	Response
+	// Auth is the key for the request's authentication information
+	Auth
+)
diff --git a/internal/dynfunc/handler.go b/internal/dynfunc/handler.go
index 634cfc6..b4a371a 100644
--- a/internal/dynfunc/handler.go
+++ b/internal/dynfunc/handler.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ func Build(fn interface{}, service config.Service) (*Handler, error) {
 		return nil, errHandlerNotFunc
 	}
 
-	h.hasContext = impl.NumIn() >= 1 && reflect.TypeOf(api.Ctx{}).AssignableTo(impl.In(0))
+	h.hasContext = impl.NumIn() >= 1 && reflect.TypeOf(api.Context{}).AssignableTo(impl.In(0))
 	if h.hasContext {
 		h.dataIndex = 1
 	}
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func Build(fn interface{}, service config.Service) (*Handler, error) {
 }
 
 // Handle binds input @data into the dynamic function and returns map output
-func (h *Handler) Handle(ctx api.Ctx, data map[string]interface{}) (map[string]interface{}, api.Err) {
+func (h *Handler) Handle(ctx api.Context, data map[string]interface{}) (map[string]interface{}, api.Err) {
 	var ert = reflect.TypeOf(api.Err{})
 	var fnv = reflect.ValueOf(h.fn)
 
diff --git a/internal/dynfunc/handler_test.go b/internal/dynfunc/handler_test.go
index a457f1e..d9167c4 100644
--- a/internal/dynfunc/handler_test.go
+++ b/internal/dynfunc/handler_test.go
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ func TestInput(t *testing.T) {
 				input[key] = val
 			}
 
-			var output, err = handler.Handle(api.Ctx{}, input)
+			var output, err = handler.Handle(api.Context{}, input)
 			if err != tcase.ExpectedErr {
 				t.Fatalf("expected api error <%v> got <%v>", tcase.ExpectedErr, err)
 			}
diff --git a/internal/dynfunc/signature_test.go b/internal/dynfunc/signature_test.go
index 8860a92..205f58e 100644
--- a/internal/dynfunc/signature_test.go
+++ b/internal/dynfunc/signature_test.go
@@ -21,21 +21,21 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 			Name:  "no input 0 given",
 			Input: map[string]reflect.Type{},
 			Fn:    func() {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context) {},
 			Err:   nil,
 		},
 		{
 			Name:  "no input 1 given",
 			Input: map[string]reflect.Type{},
 			Fn:    func(int) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, int) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, int) {},
 			Err:   errUnexpectedInput,
 		},
 		{
 			Name:  "no input 2 given",
 			Input: map[string]reflect.Type{},
 			Fn:    func(int, string) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, int, string) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, int, string) {},
 			Err:   errUnexpectedInput,
 		},
 		{
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(int(0)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func() {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context) {},
 			Err:   errMissingHandlerArgumentParam,
 		},
 		{
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(int(0)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(int) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, int) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, int) {},
 			Err:   errMissingParamArgument,
 		},
 		{
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"test1": reflect.TypeOf(int(0)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{}) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{}) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{}) {},
 			Err:   errUnexportedName,
 		},
 		{
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(int(0)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{}) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{}) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{}) {},
 			Err:   errMissingParamFromConfig,
 		},
 		{
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(int(0)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 string }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 string }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 string }) {},
 			Err:   errWrongParamTypeFromConfig,
 		},
 		{
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(int(0)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 int }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 int }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 int }) {},
 			Err:   nil,
 		},
 		{
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(new(int)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{}) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{}) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{}) {},
 			Err:   errMissingParamFromConfig,
 		},
 		{
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(new(int)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 string }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 string }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 string }) {},
 			Err:   errWrongParamTypeFromConfig,
 		},
 		{
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(new(int)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 *string }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 *string }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 *string }) {},
 			Err:   errWrongParamTypeFromConfig,
 		},
 		{
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(new(int)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 *int }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 *int }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 *int }) {},
 			Err:   nil,
 		},
 		{
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(string("")),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 string }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 string }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 string }) {},
 			Err:   nil,
 		},
 		{
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(uint(0)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 uint }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 uint }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 uint }) {},
 			Err:   nil,
 		},
 		{
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(float64(0)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 float64 }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 float64 }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 float64 }) {},
 			Err:   nil,
 		},
 		{
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf([]byte("")),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 []byte }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 []byte }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 []byte }) {},
 			Err:   nil,
 		},
 		{
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf([]rune("")),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 []rune }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 []rune }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 []rune }) {},
 			Err:   nil,
 		},
 		{
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(new(string)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 *string }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 *string }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 *string }) {},
 			Err:   nil,
 		},
 		{
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(new(uint)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 *uint }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 *uint }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 *uint }) {},
 			Err:   nil,
 		},
 		{
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(new(float64)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 *float64 }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 *float64 }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 *float64 }) {},
 			Err:   nil,
 		},
 		{
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(new([]byte)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 *[]byte }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 *[]byte }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 *[]byte }) {},
 			Err:   nil,
 		},
 		{
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ func TestInputCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				"Test1": reflect.TypeOf(new([]rune)),
 			},
 			Fn:    func(struct{ Test1 *[]rune }) {},
-			FnCtx: func(api.Ctx, struct{ Test1 *[]rune }) {},
+			FnCtx: func(api.Context, struct{ Test1 *[]rune }) {},
 			Err:   nil,
 		},
 	}