104 lines
3.0 KiB
Markdown
104 lines
3.0 KiB
Markdown
# API Key Setup Guide
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Every lab needs at least one LLM API key. If you don't have one, the mock LLM handles everything offline.
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---
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## Quick Start: Use the Mock LLM (No Key Needed)
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All labs include automatic mock LLM fallback. Run without any setup:
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```bash
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python labs/L1-first-agent/solution.py test.txt "Summarize this file"
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```
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The mock client returns realistic responses. Your code runs identically with real or mock LLM.
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---
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## Provider Keys
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### Anthropic (Claude) — Recommended
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**Best for**: All course labs. Claude Sonnet is the default model used throughout.
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**Cost**: Free credits available on signup. Labs cost ~$0.01-0.05 each with Sonnet.
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**Get key**: [console.anthropic.com](https://console.anthropic.com/settings/keys)
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**Set it**:
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```bash
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# Windows PowerShell
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$env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-..."
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# Mac/Linux
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export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-..."
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```
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### OpenAI (GPT)
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**Best for**: Labs using the OpenAI SDK.
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**Cost**: Free credits on signup. GPT-4o costs ~$0.02-0.10 per lab.
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**Get key**: [platform.openai.com/api-keys](https://platform.openai.com/api-keys)
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**Set it**:
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```bash
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export OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-..."
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```
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### Google Gemini
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**Best for**: Cost-sensitive experimentation. Gemini Flash is $0.15/M tokens.
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**Cost**: Free tier available (60 requests/minute).
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**Get key**: [aistudio.google.com/apikey](https://aistudio.google.com/apikey)
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**Set it**:
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```bash
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export GEMINI_API_KEY="..."
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```
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### OpenRouter (Multi-Provider)
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**Best for**: Accessing multiple models from one key.
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**Cost**: Pay-as-you-go. Free tier available for some models.
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**Get key**: [openrouter.ai/keys](https://openrouter.ai/keys)
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**Set it**:
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```bash
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export OPENROUTER_API_KEY="sk-or-..."
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```
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---
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## Which Key Should You Get?
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| If you... | Get |
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|-----------|-----|
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| Want the simplest setup | **None** (use mock LLM) |
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| Want to follow the course exactly | **Anthropic** (Claude Sonnet) |
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| Already have OpenAI access | **OpenAI** (GPT-4o or o3-mini) |
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| Want the cheapest option | **Gemini** (Flash is $0.15/M) |
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| Want to try different models | **OpenRouter** (one key for everything) |
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---
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## Testing Your Key
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```bash
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# Anthropic
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python -c "from anthropic import Anthropic; c=Anthropic(); print(c.messages.create(model='claude-sonnet-4', max_tokens=50, messages=[{'role':'user','content':'hi'}]).content)"
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# OpenAI
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python -c "from openai import OpenAI; c=OpenAI(); print(c.chat.completions.create(model='gpt-4o', messages=[{'role':'user','content':'hi'}]).choices[0].message.content)"
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# Mock (no key needed)
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python -c "from mock_llm import MockAnthropic; c=MockAnthropic(); print(c.messages.create(messages=[{'role':'user','content':'hi'}]).content[0].text)"
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```
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---
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## Free Tier Limits
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| Provider | Free Credits | Rate Limit |
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|----------|-------------|------------|
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| Anthropic | $5-10 signup credit | Varies by model |
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| OpenAI | $5-18 signup credit | Varies by tier |
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| Gemini | Free tier (60 req/min) | 60 requests/minute |
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| OpenRouter | Varies by model | Varies |
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The course uses ~$0.50-2.00 in API costs total with Anthropic, or $0 with the mock LLM.
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