Setting Up API Keys

This guide provides detailed instructions for obtaining API keys from each of Gondla's supported providers.

OpenAI API Key

Step 1: Create OpenAI Account

1. Visit platform.openai.com
2. Sign up with email or Google/Microsoft account
3. Verify your email address

Step 2: Add Payment Method

1. Navigate to Billing in the sidebar
2. Click Add Payment Method
3. Enter your credit card information
4. Set up billing limits (optional but recommended)

Step 3: Generate API Key

1. Go to API Keys section
2. Click Create New Secret Key
3. Give it a name (e.g., "Gondla Production")
4. Copy the key immediately (you won't see it again!)
5. Store it securely

Step 4: Add to Gondla

1. In Gondla, go to Settings → API Keys
2. Click Add API Key
3. Select OpenAI
4. Paste your API key
5. Add nickname: "My OpenAI Key"
6. Click Save

Cost: Pay-as-you-go. GPT-5.1 ~$0.01/1K tokens, GPT-5.1 Mini ~$0.0005/1K tokens

Anthropic (Claude) API Key

Step 1: Create Anthropic Account

1. Visit console.anthropic.com
2. Sign up with email
3. Verify your email

Step 2: Get Access

1. You may need to join a waitlist or request access
2. Once approved, log into the console
3. Navigate to API Keys

Step 3: Add Credits

1. Go to Billing
2. Add credits to your account ($5 minimum typically)
3. No credit card required for some accounts

Step 4: Generate API Key

1. In API Keys section, click Create Key
2. Name it (e.g., "Gondla")
3. Copy the key immediately
4. Store securely

Step 5: Add to Gondla

1. In Gondla: Settings → API Keys
2. Click Add API Key
3. Select Anthropic
4. Paste your API key
5. Add nickname: "Claude Production"
6. Click Save

Cost: Claude Sonnet 4.5 ~$0.003/1K tokens input, $0.015/1K tokens output

Google AI API Key

Step 1: Access Google AI Studio

1. Visit makersuite.google.com/app/apikey
2. Sign in with Google account
3. Accept terms of service

Step 2: Create API Key

1. Click Get API Key
2. Select Create API key in new project (or use existing project)
3. Copy the API key immediately
4. Store securely

Step 3: Enable Billing (Optional)

For higher rate limits:

1. Go to Google Cloud Console
2. Enable billing for your project
3. This unlocks higher quotas

Step 4: Add to Gondla

1. In Gondla: Settings → API Keys
2. Click Add API Key
3. Select Google AI
4. Paste your API key
5. Add nickname: "Gemini Pro"
6. Click Save

Cost: Gemini 1.5 Flash free tier available! Pro ~$0.00035/1K tokens

DeepSeek API Key

Step 1: Create DeepSeek Account

1. Visit platform.deepseek.com
2. Sign up with email
3. Verify your email

Step 2: Add Credits

1. Navigate to Billing
2. Add credits (minimum amount varies)
3. Payment via credit card or other methods

Step 3: Generate API Key

1. Go to API Keys section
2. Click Create New Key
3. Name it (e.g., "Gondla")
4. Copy the key
5. Store securely

Step 4: Add to Gondla

1. In Gondla: Settings → API Keys
2. Click Add API Key
3. Select DeepSeek
4. Paste your API key
5. Add nickname: "DeepSeek Budget"
6. Click Save

Cost: Very competitive pricing, among the lowest per token

Perplexity AI API Key

Step 1: Create Perplexity Account

1. Visit perplexity.ai
2. Sign up and subscribe to Pro (required for API access)
3. Navigate to API settings

Step 2: Generate API Key

1. Go to Settings → API
2. Click Generate API Key
3. Copy the key immediately
4. Store securely

Step 3: Add to Gondla

1. In Gondla: Settings → API Keys
2. Click Add API Key
3. Select Perplexity
4. Paste your API key
5. Add nickname: "Perplexity Research"
6. Click Save

Use: Primarily for Deep Research feature before content generation

Replicate API Key (for AI Images)

Step 1: Create Replicate Account

1. Visit replicate.com
2. Sign up with email or GitHub
3. Verify your email

Step 2: Add Payment Method

1. Navigate to Billing
2. Add credit card
3. You pay per-use for image generation

Step 3: Get API Token

1. Go to Account → API Tokens
2. Your default token is automatically created
3. Or click Create Token for a new one
4. Copy the token
5. Store securely

Step 4: Add to Gondla

1. In Gondla: Settings → API Keys
2. Click Add API Key
3. Select Replicate
4. Paste your API key
5. Add nickname: "Replicate Images"
6. Click Save

Cost: ~$0.003-$0.04 per image depending on model

Recommended Setup for Beginners

Start with just 2 API keys:

1. Text Generation

Choose one:

• OpenAI (GPT-5.1) - Best for versatility
• Anthropic (Claude Sonnet 4.5) - Best for quality
• Google AI (Gemini 1.5 Pro) - Best for budget

2. Image Generation

• Replicate (for Flux models) or
• Google AI (Imagen included with text models)

Budget: $10-20 in credits gets you started with 50-100 articles

Advanced Multi-Key Setup

For power users and agencies:

Text Generation Keys

• OpenAI (GPT-5.1): Premium content
• Anthropic (Claude Sonnet 4.5): High-quality writing
• Google (Gemini): Budget-friendly long-form
• DeepSeek: Ultra-budget content

Research Key

• Perplexity: Deep research integration

Image Keys

• Replicate: Flux models for variety
• Google AI: Imagen for consistency

Validation and Testing

After adding each key:

Automatic Validation

Gondla validates your key when you save it:

• ✅ Valid: Green checkmark, ready to use
• ❌ Invalid: Red error, check the key

Test Generation

Create a short test article to verify:

1. Go to Create → Blog Post
2. Enter a simple topic
3. Select your new API key
4. Generate a short 500-word article
5. Verify it works

Managing Provider Accounts

Set Spending Limits

OpenAI:

• Settings → Billing → Usage Limits
• Set monthly cap

Anthropic:

• Prepaid credits only
• Add more as needed

Google AI:

• Google Cloud Console → Billing → Budgets & Alerts
• Set up notifications

Monitor Usage

Check your usage regularly:

• OpenAI: Dashboard shows daily/monthly usage
• Anthropic: Console shows credit balance
• Google AI: Cloud Console billing reports

Set Up Alerts

Configure low-balance alerts:

• Prevent generation failures
• Plan for credit refills
• Monitor unexpected usage spikes

Security Best Practices

Do's ✅

• Generate separate keys for different purposes
• Use descriptive names for each key
• Rotate keys every 3-6 months
• Store keys in a password manager
• Monitor usage for anomalies
• Revoke unused keys

Don'ts ❌

• Share keys publicly or in code repositories
• Use the same key across multiple apps
• Ignore unusual usage patterns
• Store keys in plain text files
• Share keys via email/chat

Troubleshooting

Key Not Validating

Issue: "Invalid API key" error when adding to Gondla

Solutions:

1. Copy the key again carefully (no extra spaces)
2. Check you selected the correct provider
3. Verify key hasn't been revoked in provider dashboard
4. Ensure key has proper permissions (if applicable)

Generation Fails After Adding Key

Issue: Key validates but generation fails

Solutions:

1. Check account has credits/balance
2. Verify billing is set up with provider
3. Check rate limits haven't been exceeded
4. Test with provider's playground/console first

"Insufficient Quota" Errors

Issue: Key valid but quota exceeded

Solutions:

1. Add credits to provider account
2. Wait for quota reset (rate limits)
3. Upgrade provider plan
4. Use a different API key temporarily

Next Steps

• Managing Multiple Keys - Organize your keys
• API Key Security - Advanced security tips
• Cost Optimization - Save money
• Model Selection Guide - Choose the right model

Quick Reference