Connecting Your First AI Provider

Roo Code requires an API key from an AI model provider to function. We recommend these options for accessing the powerful Claude 3.7 Sonnet model:

• OpenRouter (Recommended): Provides access to multiple AI models through a single API key. Ideal for getting started quickly with minimal setup. View pricing.
• Anthropic: Direct access to Claude models. Requires API access approval and may have rate limits depending on your tier. See Anthropic's pricing page for details.

Getting Your API Key

Option 1: LLM Routers

LLM routers let you access multiple AI models with one API key, simplifying cost management and switching between 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 Roo Code setup

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

Requesty

1. Go to requesty.ai
2. Sign in with your Google account or email
3. Navigate to the API management page and create a new key
4. Important: Copy your API key immediately as it won't be displayed again

Requesty API management page with "Create API Key" button. Copy your key immediately - it's shown only once.

Option 2: Direct Providers

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

Anthropic

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

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 Roo Code in VS Code

Once you have your API key:

1. Open the Roo Code sidebar by clicking the Roo Code icon () in the VS Code Activity Bar
2. In the welcome screen, select your API provider from the dropdown
3. Paste your API key into the appropriate field
4. Select your model:
   • For OpenRouter: select anthropic/claude-3.7-sonnet (model details)
   • For Anthropic: select claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219 (model details)

Model Selection Advice

We strongly recommend Claude 3.7 Sonnet for the best experience—it generally "just works" out of the box. Roo Code has been extensively optimized for this model's capabilities and instruction-following behavior.

Selecting alternative models is an advanced feature that introduces complexity. Different models vary significantly in how they follow tool instructions, parse formats, and maintain context through multi-step operations. If you do experiment with other models, choose ones specifically designed for structured reasoning and tool use.

5. Click "Let's go!" to save your settings and start using Roo Code