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OpenRouter

The OpenRouter provider uses OPENROUTER_API_KEY to route compatible models through OpenRouter. open·kritt defaults this provider to the Claude Code harness.

Unlike Codex and Claude, OpenRouter uses a free-text model field. Its catalog is too broad and changes too frequently for open·kritt to present a bounded account-specific picker.

Create and configure the key​

  1. Create an OpenRouter account

    Sign in to OpenRouter and open Credits. Add credits for paid models and reliable scan capacity. Free models may have lower limits.

  2. Create an inference API key

    Open API keys, create a regular key, and copy it when shown. You can set a credit limit to bound its spend.

  3. Save it in open·kritt

    Run ./kritt setup, choose OpenRouter API key, and paste the key into the hidden input. The CLI writes it to OPENROUTER_API_KEY in .env.

  4. Start or recreate the stack

    ./kritt start

    Stop an already-running attached stack with Ctrl+C first.

  5. Choose an exact model ID

    Find a model on the OpenRouter model catalog and enter its exact author/model identifier in the scan or generation form.

Model compatibility​

open·kritt does not validate an OpenRouter model identifier before submitting a run. The selected model must support the agent behavior needed by the chosen harness, including a large code context, tool use for scans, and reliable structured output.

The Claude Code harness is the recommended OpenRouter path and is selected by default. open·kritt configures OpenRouter's Anthropic-compatible endpoint internally; you do not need to set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL or ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN yourself.

The Codex harness is an advanced option. Scan tool mode requires a matching OpenRouter provider definition in the mounted Codex configuration, and the model must be compatible with Codex's agent and Responses API behavior. Use Claude Code unless you intentionally maintain that custom Codex configuration.

The engine image includes an experimental Cursor adapter, but it is not a supported OpenRouter harness. Cursor headless authentication and OpenRouter's Cursor BYOK endpoint require separate setup that open·kritt does not currently perform, so the API and UI do not expose this combination.

Verify and troubleshoot​

  • ./kritt setup should show OpenRouter API key present.
  • The create and generation forms should list OpenRouter and keep the model field as free text.
  • A 401 usually means the key is invalid or revoked. A 402 generally means the account has insufficient credits.
  • A model-not-found error usually means the identifier is misspelled or unavailable to the account. Copy the exact ID from the model catalog.
  • If a run starts but cannot use tools or return valid structured output, choose a model with the required capabilities or switch harnesses.

See OpenRouter's official authentication guide, model catalog guide, and Claude Code integration for current provider behavior.

Next: configure Codex, Claude Code, or learn how to choose a model and harness.

Last updated on by gabi b