api-keys.md

API Keys

You will need a key from at least one provider to run the tutorials that call an LLM.

Pick a provider

Each provider has its own console, sign-up flow, and model catalog. Detailed walkthroughs live in the Calling the API section:

• Compare providers — quick matrix to help you choose.
• OpenAI
• DeepSeek
• Qwen

You only need one to start — the tutorials run against whichever provider(s) you have keys for.

Storing keys locally

Regardless of provider, keep keys out of your source tree. Copy .env.example to .env and fill in whichever ones apply:

OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
DEEPSEEK_API_KEY=sk-...
DASHSCOPE_API_KEY=sk-...

The .env file is git-ignored. Load it in Python with os.environ directly, or with python-dotenv:

from dotenv import load_dotenv
load_dotenv()

import os
key = os.environ["OPENAI_API_KEY"]

!!! warning "Do not commit keys" Never paste a key into a notebook cell that will be committed. Read from env vars. If a key has ever been pasted into a shared document, notebook cell that was pushed, or screenshot, rotate it immediately from the provider's console.