Connect and manage providers

Open Configure providers from Ctrl+P to add a connection, refresh its models, or change its credentials. You can also choose Connect a provider on Home.

Connect an API provider

>chart the route to the island

Reading src/map.ts for the reef markers.

Two routes miss the reef. The north one is shorter.

>take the north route

Updating the route in src/map.ts.

>Ctrl+P

Open the palette and choose Configure providers.

Your connections are listed, with Add provider at the end.

Add provider is highlighted.

The Add provider form opens. Known providers prefill the endpoint.

Fill in the form, then save.

Vera reads the catalog and reports how many models it found.

Close it, then enter /model.

Switch model opens.

Type part of a model name.

Search includes the new provider's models.

The new provider's model is highlighted.

Optional.

The highlighted model is now a favorite (★). Favorites list first next time.

If the model offers effort levels, Vera asks for one.

Choose an effort level.

Back in the composer. The next request uses the new model.

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1. Choose Add provider.
2. Enter the provider name, endpoint, and API key. Known providers prefill the endpoint. Custom providers also let you choose a protocol and whether a key is required.
3. Press Enter to save. Vera reads the catalog and reports how many models it found.

Endpoints can use HTTP or HTTPS. Connecting a provider makes its catalog available; it does not select, favorite, verify, or assign a default model.

Choose a model

Open Switch model with /model. It lists your favorites, then recent models, then every connected model. Type to search the whole catalog, highlight a model, and press Enter. If it offers effort levels, choose one to start the conversation.

Favorites save models for quick access. You do not need to favorite a model before selecting it, verifying it, or assigning it as a default. See Models and favorites.

If the connection fails

The form keeps your input and names the cause. Check the reported URL, key, connection, or catalog error, then correct the field and save again. A duplicate connection or an unsupported URL scheme is also reported here.

Subscription sign-in

Choose the subscription connection in Configure providers and follow the sign-in instructions in your browser. The list stays open and the row reads signing in… until the browser finishes. If no browser opens, Vera prints the sign-in link instead. To sign in again, open the connection’s actions and choose Reconnect.

Saved authentication lives in ~/.vera/machine/auth.json. Manage it through the provider screen.

Connect a local server

Start the model server and install its models before connecting Vera. The built-in local connection uses http://127.0.0.1:11434 unless OLLAMA_HOST selects another endpoint. For another server, add its endpoint through Add provider.

Connecting Ollama this way works, but it may not give the best experience with Vera. Ollama expects to configure the coding tools it supports itself, through ollama launch, and a plain API connection does not get that setup.

Outrider’s guided setup is experimental. It is hidden from provider setup unless experimental.outrider_onboarding is true in Home config. Enable it through /configure if you want Vera to offer the Outrider installer and model download. An existing home with Outrider selected keeps showing it.

Selecting a model changes the current conversation. Use Defaults to choose models for later conversations.

Manage connections

Configure providers groups connections under Subscriptions, API keys, Local, and Added in config. Status distinguishes a catalog or model that answered, a stored key, and unverified, which means no model has passed verification. Opening the list does not test the provider.

It is a separate screen, including when opened from Switch model. Escape returns to the screen you came from.

Refresh models

Choose Refresh providers below the groups to read every connected catalog. To refresh one connection, press Enter on its row and choose Refresh. The result appears as an overlay above the dialog that types the message quickly, then a tick. Escape still belongs to the dialog, so the overlay clears after a few seconds. Another overlay waits its turn. Your search and highlighted row stay in place.

Edit a connection

Press Enter on a provider and choose Edit to change its endpoint or credentials. Fixed subscription connections offer Reconnect instead.

Escape from Edit returns to the actions menu. Escape again returns to the same provider list and search. Endpoint and refresh shortcuts also work.

Forget credentials

Forget credentials asks for confirmation and shows how many library entries are affected. It removes the provider’s models, unsets affected defaults, and clears conversation selections using that provider.

Credentials supplied through the host environment must be unset there.

Keys supplied by the environment

Supported built-in connections can read exported keys, including OPENROUTER_API_KEY and CEREBRAS_API_KEY. Export the key before starting the host. A running host retains its own environment.

A key entered through the provider screen is stored by Vera, outside project configuration.