Human Relay Provider
The Human Relay provider allows you to use Roo Code with web-based AI models like ChatGPT or Claude without needing an API key. Instead, it relies on you to manually relay messages between Roo Code and the AI's web interface.
How it Works
- Select Human Relay: Choose "Human Relay" as your API provider in Roo Code's settings. No API key is required.
- Initiate a Request: Start a chat or task with Roo Code as usual.
- Dialog Prompt: A dialog box will appear in VS Code. Your message to the AI is automatically copied to your clipboard.
- Paste to Web AI: Go to the web interface of your chosen AI (e.g., chat.openai.com, claude.ai) and paste the message from your clipboard into the chat input.
- Copy AI Response: Once the AI responds, copy its complete response text.
- Paste Back to Roo Code: Return to the dialog box in VS Code, paste the AI's response into the designated field, and click "Confirm".
- Continue: Roo Code will process the response as if it came directly from an API.
Use Cases
This provider is useful if:
- You want to use models that don't offer direct API access.
- You prefer not to manage API keys.
- You need to leverage the specific capabilities or context available only in the web UI of certain AI models.
Limitations
- Manual Effort: Requires constant copy-pasting between VS Code and your browser.
- Slower Interaction: The back-and-forth process is significantly slower than direct API integration.
- Potential for Errors: Manual copying and pasting can introduce errors or omissions.
Choose this provider when the benefits of using a specific web AI outweigh the inconvenience of the manual relay process.