Authentication and Providers

Authentication and Providers

PromptPilot can run with subscription-authenticated CLIs, API keys, or a hybrid of both. You only need one working path to start.

Provider paths

Path	Setup	Best for
Claude Max/Pro subscription	claude auth login --claudeai	Claude users who want minimal setup
ChatGPT/Codex subscription	codex login	Codex users who want minimal setup
Anthropic API key	ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=... in .env	Faster SDK calls and predictable per-call billing
OpenAI API key	OPENAI_API_KEY=... in .env	Fast small-model calls via SDK
Hybrid	API key for SLM + subscription CLI for agent	Higher-volume use where SLM cost matters

How to choose

Start with the path that matches the coding agent you already use.

• Claude Code users can start with claude auth login --claudeai.
• Codex users can start with codex login.
• Users who need faster or more predictable SLM calls should use an API key.
• Users with both a subscription and an API key can route cheap harness work through the API and expensive coding work through the subscription CLI.

Environment knobs

Common settings include:

• ANTHROPIC_API_KEY for Anthropic SDK calls.
• OPENAI_API_KEY for OpenAI SDK calls.
• PROMPTPILOT_JUDGE to choose the small-model judge path.
• CLAUDE_MODEL to choose Claude CLI model behavior.
• USE_MAX_AUTH=1 for Max OAuth-backed harness paths where supported.

Security notes

• Keep API keys in .env or your shell environment, not in committed files.
• Prefer repo-local examples such as .env.example for documentation.
• If a shell environment variable shadows .env, PromptPilot should report that clearly.

Related pages

• Quickstart
• Troubleshooting
• Safety Model