Connecting an AI Model Provider

Overview

AI Model Providers are companies that develop and host large language models (LLMs) like Claude, GPT, and Gemini. To use PostQode, you need to connect to an AI Model Provider by obtaining an API key from them. This API key allows PostQode to securely communicate with the provider's AI models on your behalf.

What is an AI Model Provider?

An AI Model Provider is a company that:

• Develops and trains large language models (LLMs)
• Hosts these models on their infrastructure
• Provides API access to their models through API keys
• Charges based on usage (tokens processed)

Examples include Anthropic (Claude), OpenAI (GPT), Google (Gemini), and aggregators like OpenRouter that provide access to multiple models.

PostQode requires an API key from an AI Model Provider to function. The API key authenticates your requests and allows PostQode to access the AI models.

Recommended Providers

We recommend these options for accessing the latest and most powerful AI models:

Latest Models Available (2025)

• Claude 4.5 Sonnet - Anthropic's latest flagship model with enhanced reasoning, coding capabilities, and extended context windows
• GPT-5 - OpenAI's newest generation model with improved performance across all tasks
• Codex (Latest) - OpenAI's specialized coding model optimized for software development tasks

Provider Options

• PostQode API Provider (Recommended for Free Models): Provides access to multiple AI models with competitive pricing and free credits to get started. Includes access to several free models that are perfect for getting started:

  • Google Gemini 2.0 Flash - Fast, capable model for general tasks (Free)
  • Meta Llama 3.3 70B - Powerful open-source model (Free)
  • Qwen 2.5 72B - High-performance model for coding and reasoning (Free)
  • DeepSeek V3 - Advanced reasoning model (Free)

• OpenRouter: An LLM router that provides access to multiple AI models including Claude 4.5, GPT-5, and Codex through a single API key. Also offers free models. View pricing

• Anthropic: Direct access to Claude models including Claude 4.5 Sonnet from the original provider. Requires API access approval and may have rate limits depending on your tier. See Anthropic's pricing page for details

• OpenAI: Direct access to GPT-5 and Codex models from OpenAI. See OpenAI's pricing page for details

Using the PostQode Provider

By default when you install the PostQode extension, you'll be prompted to sign in or create an account with PostQode.

This will walk you through the account setup and automatically configure PostQode to get you started. If you'd rather use another AI Model Provider, you'll need to manually obtain your API key as described below.

Using Another AI Model Provider

Getting Your API Key

Option 1: LLM Routers

LLM routers are services that aggregate multiple AI Model Providers, letting you access various AI models with a single API key. This simplifies cost management and makes it easy to switch between different models. They often offer competitive pricing compared to direct providers.

OpenRouter

1. Go to openrouter.ai
2. Sign in with your Google or GitHub account
3. Navigate to the API keys page and create a new key
4. Copy your API key - you'll need this for PostQode setup

OpenRouter dashboard with "Create key" button. Name your key and copy it after creation.

Option 2: Direct AI Model Providers

For direct access to specific models from their original providers, with full access to their features and capabilities:

Anthropic

Anthropic is the company behind the Claude family of models. Connecting directly to Anthropic gives you access to the latest Claude models with their full capabilities.

1. Go to console.anthropic.com
2. Sign up for an account or log in
3. Navigate to the API keys section and create a new key
4. Important: Copy your API key immediately as it won't be displayed again

Anthropic console API Keys section with "Create key" button. Name your key, set expiration, and copy it immediately.

OpenAI

OpenAI is the company behind the GPT family of models, including GPT-4 and GPT-4o. Connecting directly to OpenAI gives you access to their latest models.

1. Go to platform.openai.com
2. Sign up for an account or log in
3. Navigate to the API keys section and create a new key
4. Important: Copy your API key immediately as it won't be displayed again

OpenAI platform with "Create new secret key" button. Name your key and copy it immediately after creation.

Configuring the AI Model Provider in PostQode

Once you have your API key from your chosen AI Model Provider:

1. Open the PostQode sidebar by clicking the PostQode icon () in the VS Code Side Bar
2. In the welcome screen, select your AI Model Provider from the dropdown
3. Paste your API key into the appropriate field
4. Select your model:
   • For PostQode API Provider or OpenRouter:
     • anthropic/claude-4.5-sonnet for the latest Claude model (model details)
     • openai/gpt-5 for GPT-5 (model details)
     • openai/codex-latest for the latest Codex model (model details)
   • For Anthropic: select claude-4.5-sonnet-20250219 (model details)
   • For OpenAI: select gpt-5 or codex-latest (model details)
5. Click "Let's go!" to save your settings and start using PostQode

Next Steps

After connecting your AI Model Provider, you're ready to start using PostQode! Check out Your First Task to learn how to give PostQode its first assignment.