OpenAI Integration - Autohand Docs

Q: How do I configure the Autohand OpenAI integration?

Set OPENAI_API_KEY, select the openai provider, and choose a model ID currently available to the account.

Quick answer

What is the Autohand OpenAI integration?

The Autohand OpenAI integration connects the coding agent directly to an OpenAI API account. It uses an OpenAI API key and a model identifier available to that account through the standard provider configuration.

Status: Available
Requires: An OpenAI API key, account billing, and access to the selected model.
Configure with: Set OPENAI_API_KEY, select the openai provider, and choose a model ID currently available to the account.
Best for: Direct use of models exposed by an OpenAI API account.

Know before you start: Model names, access tiers, quotas, prices, and supported features can change; confirm them in the OpenAI account before deployment.

Overview

OpenAI provides some of the most capable AI models available. When integrated with Autohand, you get:

Access to GPT-4o, GPT-4 Turbo, and o1 reasoning models
Direct API connection for lowest latency
Vision capabilities for image understanding
Function calling for structured outputs
Reliable infrastructure with high uptime

Alternative: If you want access to OpenAI models along with other providers, consider using OpenRouter which provides a unified API for multiple model providers.

Setup

Get started with OpenAI in a few steps.

Get your API key

Go to platform.openai.com and sign in
Navigate to API Keys in your account settings
Click Create new secret key and copy it

Configure Autohand

# Set environment variable (recommended)
export OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

# Or configure via CLI
autohand config set openai.apiKey "sk-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

Verify your configuration:

# Start with OpenAI provider
autohand --provider openai --model gpt-4o

# Test with a prompt
autohand --prompt "Hello, which model are you?"

CLI configuration

Configure OpenAI in your ~/.autohand/config.json:

{
  "provider": "openai",
  "openai": {
    "apiKey": "${OPENAI_API_KEY}",
    "model": "gpt-4o",
    "maxTokens": 4096,
    "temperature": 0.7,
    "organization": "org-xxxxx"
  }
}

Configuration options

Option	Description	Default
`apiKey`	Your OpenAI API key	-
`model`	Model to use	`gpt-4o`
`maxTokens`	Maximum tokens in response	`4096`
`temperature`	Response randomness (0-2)	`0.7`
`organization`	OpenAI organization ID	-
`baseUrl`	Custom API endpoint	`https://api.openai.com/v1`

Available models

OpenAI offers several model tiers optimized for different tasks.

GPT-4o series

Model	Context	Best for
`gpt-4o`	128K	Most capable, multimodal
`gpt-4o-mini`	128K	Fast and cost-effective

GPT-4 Turbo

Model	Context	Best for
`gpt-4-turbo`	128K	Complex reasoning
`gpt-4-turbo-preview`	128K	Latest features

o1 reasoning models

Model	Context	Best for
`o1`	200K	Advanced reasoning, complex problems
`o1-mini`	128K	Fast reasoning tasks

Switch models

# Set default model
autohand config set model "gpt-4o"

# Use a specific model for one session
autohand --model "o1"

# Switch during a session
/model openai/gpt-4o-mini

Best practices

Use environment variables: Never commit API keys to version control.
Choose the right model: Use gpt-4o for most tasks, o1 for complex reasoning.
Monitor usage: Check your OpenAI dashboard for usage and costs.
Set spending limits: Configure usage limits in OpenAI dashboard.

Recommended configurations

General coding

{
  "openai": {
    "model": "gpt-4o",
    "temperature": 0.3,
    "maxTokens": 4096
  }
}

Complex reasoning

{
  "openai": {
    "model": "o1",
    "maxTokens": 8192
  }
}

Resources

Troubleshooting

Common issues

Issue	Solution
Invalid API key	Verify key at platform.openai.com
Rate limited	Wait or upgrade your plan
Context too long	Reduce input or use a model with larger context
Model not available	Check model access in your OpenAI account

Debug mode

# Enable verbose logging
AUTOHAND_DEBUG=true autohand --provider openai

# Check API status
curl https://status.openai.com/api/v2/status.json

Common questions

OpenAI integration FAQ

How do I configure the Autohand OpenAI integration?

Set OPENAI_API_KEY, select the openai provider, and choose a model ID currently available to the account.

What does the Autohand OpenAI integration require?

An OpenAI API key, account billing, and access to the selected model.

What limitations should I know about?

Model names, access tiers, quotas, prices, and supported features can change; confirm them in the OpenAI account before deployment.