--- name: openrouter-install-auth-413bdeb90fe9 description: 'Set up OpenRouter API authentication and configure API keys. Use when starting a new OpenRouter integration, rotating keys, or troubleshooting auth issues. Triggers: ''openrouter setup'', ''openrouter api key'', ''configure openrouter auth'', ''sk-or key''. ' allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit, Grep, Bash(python3:*), Bash(node:*), Bash(pip:*), Bash(npm:*) version: 1.20.0 license: MIT author: Jeremy Longshore tags: - saas - openrouter - api - authentication - setup compatibility: Designed for Claude Code --- # OpenRouter Install & Auth ## Overview Set up OpenRouter API credentials, configure the OpenAI-compatible client, verify authentication, and check credit balance. OpenRouter keys start with `sk-or-v1-` and authenticate against `https://openrouter.ai/api/v1`. ## Prerequisites - OpenRouter account (free at [openrouter.ai](https://openrouter.ai)) - Python 3.8+ or Node.js 18+ - OpenAI SDK (`pip install openai` or `npm install openai`) ## Instructions ### 1. Generate an API Key 1. Go to [openrouter.ai/keys](https://openrouter.ai/keys) 2. Click **Create Key**, name it (e.g., `my-app-dev`) 3. Copy the `sk-or-v1-...` value immediately (shown only once) 4. Optionally set a credit limit on the key for spend control ### 2. Configure Environment ```bash # .env file (add .env to .gitignore!) OPENROUTER_API_KEY=sk-or-v1-your-key-here # Or export directly export OPENROUTER_API_KEY="sk-or-v1-your-key-here" ``` ### 3. Initialize the Client **Python:** ```python from openai import OpenAI client = OpenAI( base_url="https://openrouter.ai/api/v1", api_key=os.environ["OPENROUTER_API_KEY"], default_headers={ "HTTP-Referer": "https://your-app.com", # For analytics attribution "X-Title": "Your App Name", # Shows in dashboard }, ) ``` **TypeScript:** ```typescript import OpenAI from "openai"; const client = new OpenAI({ baseURL: "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1", apiKey: process.env.OPENROUTER_API_KEY, defaultHeaders: { "HTTP-Referer": "https://your-app.com", "X-Title": "Your App Name", }, }); ``` ### 4. Verify Authentication ```python # Quick auth + credit check import requests resp = requests.get( "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/auth/key", headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['OPENROUTER_API_KEY']}"}, ) data = resp.json()["data"] print(f"Key: {data['label']}") print(f"Credits used: ${data['usage']:.4f}") print(f"Credit limit: ${data.get('limit', 'unlimited')}") print(f"Free tier: {data['is_free_tier']}") print(f"Rate limit: {data['rate_limit']['requests']} req / {data['rate_limit']['interval']}") ``` ### 5. Send a Test Request ```python response = client.chat.completions.create( model="google/gemma-2-9b-it:free", # Free model for testing messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Say hello"}], max_tokens=50, ) print(response.choices[0].message.content) print(f"Tokens: {response.usage.prompt_tokens} in / {response.usage.completion_tokens} out") ``` ## Required Headers | Header | Purpose | Required | |--------|---------|----------| | `Authorization` | `Bearer sk-or-v1-...` | Yes | | `HTTP-Referer` | Your app URL for dashboard attribution | Recommended | | `X-Title` | App name shown in OpenRouter dashboard | Recommended | | `Content-Type` | `application/json` | Yes (POST) | ## Key Formats | Type | Pattern | Purpose | |------|---------|---------| | Standard key | `sk-or-v1-...` | API access (chat completions, models) | | Management key | `sk-or-v1-...` | Key provisioning only (cannot call completions) | | BYOK provider key | Varies by provider | Bring-your-own-key for direct provider access | ## Output A completed setup leaves you with: - `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` set in your environment (or a gitignored `.env` file), holding the `sk-or-v1-...` key from [openrouter.ai/keys](https://openrouter.ai/keys) - A configured OpenAI-SDK client pointed at `https://openrouter.ai/api/v1` with `HTTP-Referer` and `X-Title` headers for dashboard attribution - An auth-verification printout from `/api/v1/auth/key`: key label, credits used, credit limit, free-tier flag, and rate limit - A test completion from the free model (`google/gemma-2-9b-it:free`) with its reply text and prompt/completion token counts ## Examples Running the step-4 verification against a fresh key prints something like: ```text Key: my-app-dev Credits used: $0.0000 Credit limit: unlimited Free tier: True Rate limit: 10 req / 10s ``` Then the step-5 test request returns a greeting plus `Tokens: 9 in / 12 out`, confirming the key can call completions end-to-end. More worked examples: `references/examples.md`. ## Error Handling | HTTP | Error Code | Cause | Fix | |------|-----------|-------|-----| | 401 | `invalid_api_key` | Key malformed, revoked, or wrong | Regenerate at [openrouter.ai/keys](https://openrouter.ai/keys) | | 401 | `missing_api_key` | No `Authorization` header | Add `Authorization: Bearer sk-or-v1-...` | | 403 | `insufficient_credits` | Zero balance on paid model | Add credits at [openrouter.ai/credits](https://openrouter.ai/credits) or use `:free` model | | 403 | `key_disabled` | Key was disabled by admin | Re-enable in dashboard or create new key | ## Key Rotation ```python # Programmatic key management via Management API import requests MGMT_KEY = os.environ["OPENROUTER_MGMT_KEY"] # Management key, not API key # Create a new key resp = requests.post( "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/keys", headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {MGMT_KEY}"}, json={"name": "my-app-prod-v2", "limit": 100.0}, ) new_key = resp.json()["data"]["key"] # sk-or-v1-... # List existing keys keys = requests.get( "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/keys", headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {MGMT_KEY}"}, ).json() ``` ## Enterprise Considerations - Store keys in a secrets manager (AWS Secrets Manager, GCP Secret Manager, Vault) - Use management keys to provision per-service API keys programmatically - Set credit limits per key to isolate blast radius - Rotate keys on a schedule (90 days recommended) - Add secret scanning to CI pipelines (e.g., `gitleaks`, `trufflehog`) - Use BYOK for direct provider billing when volume justifies it ## References - Examples | Errors - [OpenRouter Quickstart](https://openrouter.ai/docs/quickstart) | [Auth Docs](https://openrouter.ai/docs/api/reference/authentication) | [Key Provisioning](https://openrouter.ai/docs/guides/overview/auth/provisioning-api-keys) --- Source attribution: jeremylongshore Original project: https://github.com/jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins-plus-skills/blob/ab85a061f7bcc039dac13ee193de7a4cd4388571/plugins/saas-packs/openrouter-pack/skills/openrouter-install-auth/SKILL.md License: MIT License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub. ## Upstream license notice MIT License Copyright (c) 2026 Jeremy Longshore Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software. THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE. # Mega AI Hub resource metadata Creator / publisher: jeremylongshore Original project: https://github.com/jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins-plus-skills/blob/ab85a061f7bcc039dac13ee193de7a4cd4388571/plugins/saas-packs/openrouter-pack/skills/openrouter-install-auth/SKILL.md Attribution basis: Source repository record Fields of work: Development & Engineering Roles: Backend Developer, DevOps / SRE, ML / AI Engineer Specialties: API, Backend, Design, Frontend, Git, Testing Tools: OpenAI API, Openrouter Country applicability: Country not specified Classification basis: Source catalog labels Instruction SHA-256: 451e31be6b110b96e8791a04b1c78047023b39f87263f2ba04dd33246f9de466