Reliant supports multiple AI model providers, allowing you to choose the best models for your workflow. You can configure API keys through environment variables, configuration files, or the Settings UI.

Quick Start

Using an Existing Claude Code Subscription

If you already have a Claude Code subscription, you can use it with Reliant:

  1. Get your API key by running this command in your terminal:

      claude setup-token

  2. Follow the authentication flow that opens in your browser

  3. Copy the API key shown after authentication

  4. Configure Reliant using one of these methods:

    Option A: Settings UI

    • Open Reliant Settings
    • Navigate to AI Providers
    • Select “Anthropic” provider
    • Paste your API key
    • Click “Save” or “Test Connection”

    Option B: Environment Variable

      export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"

    Option C: Configuration File (.reliant.json)

      {
  "providers": {
    "anthropic": {
      "apiKey": "your-api-key-here"
    }
  }
}

Supported Providers

Reliant supports the following AI model providers:

Anthropic (Claude)

Available Models: Claude 4.5 Sonnet, Claude 4 Opus, Claude 3.7 Sonnet, Claude 3 Haiku

Configuration:

  export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-..."

Or in .reliant.json:

  {
  "providers": {
    "anthropic": {
      "apiKey": "sk-ant-...",
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

Getting an API Key:

OpenAI

Available Models: GPT-5, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1-mini, GPT-4.1-nano

Configuration:

  export OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-..."

Or in .reliant.json:

  {
  "providers": {
    "openai": {
      "apiKey": "sk-...",
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

Getting an API Key:

Google Gemini

Available Models: Gemini 2.5 Pro, Gemini 2.5 Flash

Configuration:

  export GEMINI_API_KEY="..."

Or in .reliant.json:

  {
  "providers": {
    "gemini": {
      "apiKey": "...",
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

Getting an API Key:

  • Visit ai.google.dev
  • Sign in with Google account
  • Create API key in API Keys section

GitHub Copilot

Configuration:

  export GITHUB_TOKEN="ghp_..."

Or in .reliant.json:

  {
  "providers": {
    "copilot": {
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

Getting Access:

OpenRouter

Configuration:

  export OPENROUTER_API_KEY="sk-or-..."

Or in .reliant.json:

  {
  "providers": {
    "openrouter": {
      "apiKey": "sk-or-...",
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

Getting an API Key:

  • Sign up at openrouter.ai
  • Navigate to Keys section
  • Create new API key

Azure OpenAI

Configuration:

  export AZURE_OPENAI_ENDPOINT="https://your-resource.openai.azure.com"
export AZURE_OPENAI_API_KEY="..."  # Optional if using Entra ID
export AZURE_OPENAI_API_VERSION="2024-02-15-preview"

Or in .reliant.json:

  {
  "providers": {
    "azure": {
      "endpoint": "https://your-resource.openai.azure.com",
      "apiKey": "...",
      "apiVersion": "2024-02-15-preview",
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

Setup:

  • Requires Azure subscription with OpenAI resource
  • Find endpoint in Azure Portal under your OpenAI resource
  • API key available in Keys and Endpoint section

AWS Bedrock (Claude)

Configuration:

  export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID="..."
export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="..."
export AWS_REGION="us-east-1"

Or in .reliant.json:

  {
  "providers": {
    "bedrock": {
      "accessKeyId": "...",
      "secretAccessKey": "...",
      "region": "us-east-1",
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

Setup:

  • Requires AWS account with Bedrock access
  • Enable Claude models in AWS Bedrock console
  • Create IAM user with Bedrock permissions
  • Generate access keys in IAM console

Groq

Configuration:

  export GROQ_API_KEY="gsk_..."

Or in .reliant.json:

  {
  "providers": {
    "groq": {
      "apiKey": "gsk_...",
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

Getting an API Key:

Vertex AI (Google Cloud)

Configuration:

  export VERTEXAI_PROJECT="your-gcp-project-id"
export VERTEXAI_LOCATION="us-central1"

Or in .reliant.json:

  {
  "providers": {
    "vertexai": {
      "project": "your-gcp-project-id",
      "location": "us-central1",
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

Setup:

  • Requires Google Cloud Platform account
  • Enable Vertex AI API in GCP console
  • Authenticate using gcloud auth application-default login

xAI (Grok)

Configuration:

  export XAI_API_KEY="xai-..."

Or in .reliant.json:

  {
  "providers": {
    "xai": {
      "apiKey": "xai-...",
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

Getting an API Key:

  • Sign up at console.x.ai
  • Navigate to API Keys section
  • Generate new key

Local Models

Configuration:

  export LOCAL_ENDPOINT="http://localhost:1234/v1"

Or in .reliant.json:

  {
  "providers": {
    "local": {
      "endpoint": "http://localhost:1234/v1",
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

Compatible Servers:

Configuration Priority

Reliant checks for configuration in this order:

  1. Environment Variables (highest priority)
  2. Configuration File (.reliant.json)
  3. Settings UI (stored in config file)

Environment variables override configuration file settings, allowing temporary changes without modifying files.

Testing API Keys

After configuring a provider:

  1. Open Reliant Settings
  2. Navigate to the AI Providers section
  3. Find your configured provider
  4. Click “Test Connection” or “Validate”
  5. Verify you see a success message

Common Issues

“Invalid API Key” Error

Solutions:

  • Verify key is copied correctly with no extra spaces
  • Check key hasn’t expired (regenerate if needed)
  • Ensure you’re using the correct provider (e.g., Anthropic key for Claude models)
  • For Claude Code keys, verify they’re still active

“Rate Limit Exceeded”

Solutions:

  • Wait before sending more requests
  • Check your provider’s rate limits for your tier
  • Consider upgrading your plan
  • Use a different API key or provider temporarily

Provider Not Showing in UI

Solutions:

  • Restart Reliant after configuration changes
  • Check configuration file syntax (JSON must be valid)
  • Ensure provider isn’t marked as "disabled": true

Connection Timeout

Solutions:

  • Verify internet connection
  • Check firewall settings
  • For local models, ensure server is running
  • Disable VPN temporarily to test

Security Best Practices

Never Commit API Keys

Add to .gitignore:

  .reliant.json
.env

Use Environment Variables for CI/CD

In CI/CD pipelines, set API keys as secret environment variables:

  env:
  ANTHROPIC_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}

Rotate Keys Regularly

  • Rotate API keys every 90 days
  • Immediately rotate if a key may have been exposed
  • Use different keys for development and production

Limit Key Permissions

Where possible:

  • Use read-only or limited-scope keys
  • Create separate keys for different projects
  • Monitor key usage in provider dashboards

Rate Limits and Billing

Different provider tiers have different limits:

Free Tiers

  • Usually have strict rate limits (e.g., 5 requests/minute)
  • Lower token allowances
  • May have daily caps
  • Higher rate limits (e.g., 50-100 requests/minute)
  • Pay-per-token pricing
  • No daily caps (but cost limits)

Enterprise Tiers

  • Custom rate limits
  • Volume discounts
  • Dedicated support

Check your provider’s documentation for specific limits and pricing.