Model providers

Kward can keep credentials for several model providers and switch between them without changing your conversation. Use this guide to compare authentication options, see where each provider's model list comes from, and find the names used in configuration.

For login steps and credential storage, see Authentication. For every config key and environment override, see Configuration.

Quick start

Inside interactive Kward:

/login
/model

/login connects a provider. /model chooses the active provider and model. The model picker can refresh the available models, accept a manual model ID, show models normally hidden by compatibility filters, or switch providers.

For example, direct OpenAI API access and ChatGPT/Codex OAuth can coexist:

Run kward login for ChatGPT/Codex.
Open /login, choose API key, then OpenAI.
Open /model and choose either Codex or OpenAI.

Provider overview

Kward normally uses the same provider name for authentication and configuration. Direct OpenAI is the exception: authentication and private API-key storage use openai, while config uses openai_api so it cannot be confused with Codex. RPC clients also use the authentication ID.

Provider shown in Kward	Catalog/auth ID	`provider` value	Authentication	Model source	Request API
Codex	—	`codex`	ChatGPT OAuth or `OPENAI_ACCESS_TOKEN`	Curated choices	ChatGPT Codex Responses, streaming
OpenAI	`openai`	`openai_api`	API key	Live cache with curated/manual fallback	OpenAI Responses, streaming
Anthropic	`anthropic`	`anthropic`	API key or Claude subscription OAuth	Curated/manual choices	Anthropic Messages, streaming
Azure OpenAI	`azure_openai`	`azure_openai`	API key plus Azure setup	Configured deployment	Deployment-specific Chat Completions, streaming
Google Gemini	`gemini`	`gemini`	API key	Live cache with curated/manual fallback	Native Gemini, streaming
Cerebras	`cerebras`	`cerebras`	API key	Live cache or manual ID	OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions
DeepSeek	`deepseek`	`deepseek`	API key	Live cache with curated/manual fallback	OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions
Fireworks AI	`fireworks`	`fireworks`	API key	Live cache or manual ID	OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions
Groq	`groq`	`groq`	API key	Live cache or manual ID	OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions
Mistral	`mistral`	`mistral`	API key	Live cache with curated/manual fallback	OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions
NVIDIA NIM	`nvidia`	`nvidia`	API key	Live cache or manual ID	OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions
OpenRouter	`openrouter`	`openrouter`	API key	Account-specific cache or manual ID	OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions
Together AI	`together`	`together`	API key	Live cache or manual ID	OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions
xAI	`xai`	`xai`	API key	Live cache with curated/manual fallback	OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions
GitHub Copilot	`copilot`	`copilot`	GitHub OAuth or `COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN`	Live choices with curated fallback	Copilot Responses or Chat Completions, streaming
Local	—	`local`	Usually none; optional local bearer key	Local server `/models` endpoint or manual ID	OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions, streaming

“OpenAI-compatible” means Kward sends the provider's documented Chat Completions shape. It does not imply that every provider supports every OpenAI feature. Model availability, tools, images, reasoning, context limits, and billing remain provider- and model-specific.

IDs, model keys, and environment variables

Provider	Model config key	Model environment variable	Credential environment variable
Codex	`openai_model`	`OPENAI_MODEL`	`OPENAI_ACCESS_TOKEN`
OpenAI	`openai_api_model`	`OPENAI_API_MODEL`	`OPENAI_API_KEY`
Anthropic	`anthropic_model`	`ANTHROPIC_MODEL`	`ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` for direct API access
Azure OpenAI	`azure_openai_model`	`AZURE_OPENAI_MODEL`	`AZURE_OPENAI_API_KEY`
Google Gemini	`gemini_model`	`GEMINI_MODEL`	`GEMINI_API_KEY`
Cerebras	`cerebras_model`	`CEREBRAS_MODEL`	`CEREBRAS_API_KEY`
DeepSeek	`deepseek_model`	`DEEPSEEK_MODEL`	`DEEPSEEK_API_KEY`
Fireworks AI	`fireworks_model`	`FIREWORKS_MODEL`	`FIREWORKS_API_KEY`
Groq	`groq_model`	`GROQ_MODEL`	`GROQ_API_KEY`
Mistral	`mistral_model`	`MISTRAL_MODEL`	`MISTRAL_API_KEY`
NVIDIA NIM	`nvidia_model`	`NVIDIA_MODEL`	`NVIDIA_API_KEY` or `NGC_API_KEY`
OpenRouter	`openrouter_model`	`OPENROUTER_MODEL`	`OPENROUTER_API_KEY`
Together AI	`together_model`	`TOGETHER_MODEL`	`TOGETHER_API_KEY`
xAI	`xai_model`	`XAI_MODEL`	`XAI_API_KEY`
GitHub Copilot	`copilot_model`	`COPILOT_MODEL`	`COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN`
Local	`local_model`	`KWARD_LOCAL_MODEL`	`KWARD_LOCAL_API_KEY` when needed

Saved API keys live in private <config-dir>/api_keys.json; they do not belong in the model configuration. Environment credentials take precedence over saved API keys. OAuth files and their location overrides are documented in Authentication.

Choosing between similar providers

Codex or direct OpenAI

Choose Codex when you want ChatGPT subscription authentication and the ChatGPT Codex backend. Choose OpenAI when you want an OpenAI Platform API key, public api.openai.com billing, and the Responses API. Their credentials and model settings are intentionally separate.

Anthropic API or Claude subscription

Both appear as Anthropic. If an Anthropic API key is configured, Kward uses it before subscription OAuth. Remove or unset the API key when you specifically want the OAuth-backed subscription path.

OpenRouter or a direct provider

OpenRouter is useful when you want one key and its cross-provider model catalog. A direct provider is useful when you want that provider's own billing, endpoint, or native runtime. Refresh OpenRouter with /model or:

kward openrouter refresh
kward openrouter list

Cloud or Local

Choose Local for Ollama, LM Studio, llama.cpp, or another trusted OpenAI-compatible server. You must set the real context window yourself when the server cannot report it safely. See Local models.

Azure OpenAI setup

Azure requires:

{
  "provider": "azure_openai",
  "azure_openai_endpoint": "https://example.openai.azure.com",
  "azure_openai_model": "production-gpt",
  "azure_openai_api_version": "2025-04-01-preview"
}

The endpoint must use HTTPS and cannot contain URL credentials, a query, or a fragment. The model value is the Azure deployment name. Kward does not attempt deployment discovery using an inference key.

Model discovery and filtering

Kward combines several sources so a temporary catalog failure does not lock you out:

refreshed live metadata, when the provider exposes model discovery;
the last private local cache;
conservative curated choices, where Kward has them;
the currently configured model;
a manual ID entered in /model.

When capability metadata is present, the default picker prioritizes entries that advertise generation or tool/function support and hides the others. Empty or incomplete metadata stays visible. Use Show all models for embedding, preview, private, or unusually described models.

Model discovery proves that an ID exists; it does not guarantee account access, tool support, image support, context size, pricing, or regional availability. Provider errors remain authoritative.

OAuth availability

Kward supports browser OAuth for ChatGPT/Codex and Anthropic, plus interactive GitHub login for Copilot. RPC can initiate OpenAI and Anthropic OAuth; Copilot OAuth remains CLI-only.

OpenRouter documents an official OAuth PKCE flow, but Kward has not implemented it. xAI's public API quickstart documents API keys rather than a stable third-party subscription OAuth flow. Kward reports both limitations explicitly instead of presenting a login that cannot be completed safely.

RPC clients

RPC clients should discover providers rather than hard-code this table:

auth/providers returns catalog providers and supported authentication methods;
auth/status returns sanitized configured/source state;
models/list returns known model entries;
models/refresh refreshes a provider when supported;
models/set selects the provider and model.

See the RPC protocol for request shapes and unsupported OAuth capability reporting.