How do I create an AIWave API key?

No. You can create an AIWave account with email or GitHub. Create a key in the AIWave console, use a shared USD balance across supported models.

Can I use the OpenAI SDK with an AIWave key?

Yes. The authentication scheme is identical. Set api_key to your AIWave key and base_url to https://aiwave.live/v1 and the official OpenAI SDKs work unchanged.

What happens if my API key leaks?

Revoke it in the console immediately and issue a replacement. Use separate keys per environment so revoking one does not break the others.

Authentication

The AIWave API authenticates with a bearer token in the Authorization header — the same scheme the OpenAI API uses. Any OpenAI-compatible client library therefore authenticates correctly with no code change beyond the base URL.

Getting an API key

Create an account in the console using email or GitHub. OpenAI-compatible setup number, use a shared USD balance across supported models — that is the entire reason this gateway exists. Keys are issued instantly and draw on a single USD balance shared across each listed route.

Sending the header

curl https://aiwave.live/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk-YOUR_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "model": "deepseek-v4-pro",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}]
  }'

With the official SDKs

The openai-python and openai-node SDKs both accept the key and base URL as constructor arguments.

import os
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    api_key=os.environ["AIWAVE_API_KEY"],
    base_url="https://aiwave.live/v1",
)

import OpenAI from "openai";

const client = new OpenAI({
  apiKey: process.env.AIWAVE_API_KEY,
  baseURL: "https://aiwave.live/v1",
});

Keeping keys safe

Read the key from an environment variable. Never commit it, and never ship it in browser JavaScript — anything in front-end code is public.
Route browser traffic through your own backend so the key stays server-side.
Issue separate keys per environment so you can revoke one without breaking the others.
Rotate a key immediately if it appears in a log, a screenshot or a public repository.

What a failed auth looks like

A missing or invalid key returns 401; a valid key without access to the requested model returns 403. Both use the standard error envelope described in error codes.

{
  "error": {
    "message": "Invalid API key",
    "type": "invalid_request_error",
    "code": "invalid_api_key"
  }
}