> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.openpawz.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect Your First Provider

> OpenPawz needs at least one AI provider to power your agents. Use a local model (Ollama — free) or a cloud API.

# Connect Your First Provider

OpenPawz needs at least one AI provider to power your agents. You can use a local model (Ollama — free) or a cloud API.

## Option A: Ollama (local, free)

The easiest way to get started — runs entirely on your machine.

1. Install Ollama: [ollama.com](https://ollama.com/)
2. Pull a model:
   ```bash theme={null}
   ollama pull llama3.1
   ```
3. Launch Pawz — it auto-detects Ollama on `localhost:11434`

That's it. Pawz will also auto-pull the `nomic-embed-text` embedding model for the memory system.

## Option B: Cloud provider

### OpenAI

1. Go to [platform.openai.com/api-keys](https://platform.openai.com/api-keys) and create an API key
2. In Pawz, go to **Settings → Providers**
3. Click **Add Provider**
4. Select **OpenAI**, paste your API key
5. Choose a default model (GPT-4o recommended)

### Anthropic

1. Go to [console.anthropic.com/settings/keys](https://console.anthropic.com/settings/keys) and create an API key
2. In Pawz, go to **Settings → Providers**
3. Click **Add Provider**
4. Select **Anthropic**, paste your API key
5. Choose a default model (Claude Sonnet 4 recommended)

### Google Gemini

1. Go to [aistudio.google.com/apikey](https://aistudio.google.com/apikey) and create an API key
2. In Pawz, go to **Settings → Providers**
3. Click **Add Provider**
4. Select **Google**, paste your API key
5. Choose a default model (Gemini 2.5 Pro recommended)

## Verify

After adding a provider, go to any agent chat and send a message. If you get a response, your provider is working.

The model name with a checkmark (✓) in the chat header confirms which model is actually being used.

## Multiple providers

You can add as many providers as you want. Each agent can use a different model — just change it in the agent's settings.

## Next steps

See the full [Providers guide](/providers/overview) for all 10 supported providers, model routing, and advanced configuration.