How to Configure AI Providers in Shakespeare

Shakespeare's flexible AI provider system gives you maximum flexibility to choose from dozens of AI providers for your website building needs. With support for 40+ models across cloud providers, local installations, and custom APIs, you're never locked into a single vendor. Shakespeare makes it simple to configure and instantly switch between any AI provider you choose.

Accessing AI Settings

Getting to your AI configuration is straightforward:

Edit your AI provider settings

Understanding the Interface

The AI Settings page is organized into two main sections:

Available Provider Options

Configuring Mainstream Providers

Setting Up Anthropic (Claude)

1. Locate "Anthropic" in the Add Provider section
2. Click "Get API key" - this opens the Anthropic website
3. Sign up or log into your Anthropic account
4. Generate an API key in your account dashboard
5. Return to Shakespeare and paste the key in the "Enter your API key" field
6. Click "Add" to activate the provider

Adding PayPerQ

1. Find "PayPerQ" in the provider list
2. Visit PayPerQ's website to create an account and get your API key
3. Enter the API key in Shakespeare's interface
4. Click "Add" to complete the setup

Adding Routstr

1. Locate "Routstr" in the provider list
2. You'll need a Cashu token instead of a traditional API key
3. Enter your Cashu token in the designated field
4. Click "Add" to activate Routstr

Adding Z.ai

1. Find "Z.ai" in the provider list
2. Visit Z.ai's website to create an account and get your API key
3. Enter the API key in Shakespeare's interface
4. Click "Add" to complete the setup

Adding xAI (Grok)

1. Find "xAI" in the provider list
2. Visit xAI's platform to obtain your API key
3. Enter the API key in the "Enter your API key" field
4. Click "Add" to activate xAI's Grok models

Configuring OpenAI

1. Select "OpenAI" from the available providers
2. Go to OpenAI's platform and create an API key
3. Copy the key and paste it into Shakespeare
4. Click "Add" to activate

Setting Up Local AI with Ollama

For ultimate privacy and offline capabilities, you can run AI models locally using Ollama. For detailed installation instructions and more information, visit our full article on using local AI models with Shakespeare.

Managing Your Providers

Switching Between Providers

Once configured, switching providers is instant. You can change models directly from your chat interface using the model dropdown:

The model selector shows your available options:

• shakespeare/shakespeare - Soapbox's premium model for high-quality results
• shakespeare/tybalt - Soapbox's free model for learning and testing purposes
• Enter custom model... - Option to specify any custom model from your configured providers
• Manage providers... - Quick access to add or configure AI providers

Changes take effect immediately for new requests in your conversation.

Removing Providers

To remove a provider you no longer need:

1. Find the provider in your "Configured Providers" list
2. Click the delete/remove icon
3. Confirm the removal

Security Best Practices

Shakespeare runs completely in your browser as a client-side application. This means all your data, including API keys, project files, and conversations, are stored locally on your device and never leave your browser unless you explicitly choose to share them.

Getting the Most from Multi-Provider Setup

Start Simple

Begin with one or two providers to get familiar with the system:

• Choose a primary provider for most tasks
• Add a secondary provider for backup or cost optimization

Breaking Free from Vendor Lock-In

What's Next?

Once you've configured your providers, you'll want to understand which AI model works best for different types of website building tasks - from simple websites to complex applications. The choice of provider can significantly impact both the quality of your results and your costs.

Learn more about choosing the right AI model for your project in our comprehensive guide: What AI model should I use with Shakespeare?

Ready to experience true AI flexibility? Start configuring your providers and discover the optimal development experience that Shakespeare offers with 40+ models at your fingertips.