Setup

Configure your environment and API keys for Aparture.

Environment Variables

Aparture uses a .env.local file to store sensitive configuration like API keys and passwords.

Create .env.local

Create a .env.local file in the project root:

touch .env.local  # Linux/Mac
type nul > .env.local  # Windows

Required Variables

Add the following to .env.local:

# Application Password (required)
ACCESS_PASSWORD=your-secure-password-here

# API Keys (at least one required)
CLAUDE_API_KEY=sk-ant-api03-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
GOOGLE_AI_API_KEY=AIzaSyxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Security

Never commit .env.local to git! It's already in .gitignore.

API Keys

You need at least one API key to use Aparture. Having multiple providers gives you flexibility in model selection.

Anthropic (Claude)

Get your key:

1. Visit console.anthropic.com
2. Sign up or log in
3. Navigate to "API Keys"
4. Click "Create Key"
5. Copy the key (starts with sk-ant-)

Models available: Claude Haiku 4.5, Sonnet 4.5, Opus 4.1

See Model Selection → for detailed pricing and comparisons.

OpenAI (ChatGPT)

Get your key:

1. Visit platform.openai.com
2. Sign up or log in
3. Navigate to "API Keys"
4. Click "Create new secret key"
5. Copy the key (starts with sk-)

Models available: GPT-5, Mini, Nano

See Model Selection → for detailed pricing and comparisons.

Rate Limits

OpenAI has tier-based rate limits. Start with Tier 1 and upgrade as needed.

Google (Gemini)

Get your key:

1. Visit aistudio.google.com/apikey
2. Sign in with Google
3. Click "Create API Key"
4. Copy the key (starts with AIzaSy)

Models available: Gemini 2.5 Pro, Flash, Flash-Lite

See Model Selection → for detailed pricing and comparisons.

Free Tier

Google's Gemini models offer a generous free tier, making them great for getting started.

Access Password

The ACCESS_PASSWORD protects your web interface from unauthorized access.

Requirements:

• Minimum 8 characters
• Mix of letters, numbers, and symbols recommended
• Don't reuse passwords from other services

Example:

ACCESS_PASSWORD=MySecureP@ssw0rd

This password is required every time you access the web interface.

Verify Setup

Test that your environment is configured correctly:

1. Check .env.local exists

ls -la .env.local  # Linux/Mac
dir .env.local     # Windows

2. Start the development server

npm run dev

3. Access the application

Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

4. Test authentication

• Enter your ACCESS_PASSWORD
• You should see the main application interface
• Check the model dropdowns show your available providers

Testing API Keys

The application will show which models are available based on your configured API keys. If a provider's models don't appear, check that API key.

Optional Configuration

Port Configuration

Change the development server port with an environment variable:

PORT=3001 npm run dev

Or add to .env.local:

PORT=3001

Node Environment

Set the environment mode:

NODE_ENV=development  # or production

Security Best Practices

Protect Your Keys

1. Never commit .env.local - Already in .gitignore
2. Use environment variables in production - Don't hardcode keys
3. Rotate keys periodically - Every 3-6 months
4. Use different keys for dev/prod - Separate environments
5. Monitor usage dashboards - Watch for unexpected usage

Monitor Spending

Set up billing alerts in each provider:

Anthropic:

• Console → Settings → Usage
• Set monthly budget limits

OpenAI:

• Platform → Usage → Limits
• Set hard and soft limits

Google:

• AI Studio → Quota
• Monitor daily/monthly limits

Rate Limit Best Practices

• Start with small batch sizes
• Increase gradually as needed
• Monitor rate limit errors
• Consider multiple API keys for high volume

Troubleshooting

API Key Not Working

Check:

1. Key copied correctly (no extra spaces)
2. Key is active in provider dashboard
3. Account has available credits
4. Correct environment variable name

Test directly:

# Test Claude key (example using Haiku)
curl https://api.anthropic.com/v1/messages \
  -H "x-api-key: $CLAUDE_API_KEY" \
  -H "anthropic-version: 2023-06-01" \
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{"model": "claude-haiku-4-5-20251001", "max_tokens": 10, "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hi"}]}'

Environment Variables Not Loading

Next.js requires restart:

# Stop the server (Ctrl+C)
# Start again
npm run dev

Check .env.local location:

• Must be in project root (same level as package.json)
• File name is .env.local not env.local

Models Not Appearing in Dropdowns

If certain provider's models don't appear:

1. Verify API key is set - Check .env.local for the correct variable name
2. Restart development server - Stop with Ctrl+C, then npm run dev
3. Check browser console - Press F12 and look for API authentication errors
4. Verify account status - Ensure your API account is active with available credits

Next Steps

Now that your environment is configured:

1. Run your first analysis →
2. Learn about model selection →
3. Set up CLI automation →