Using the API Gateway? This lets you use Alter’s models in other apps like SillyTavern, NovelCrafter, or your own code.
What’s happening?
You’re trying to connect another app to Alter’s API, but:- The app connects but shows no available models
- You have to manually type model names
- Model requests fail unless you specify the exact name
Why this happens
Many AI apps expect OpenAI’s simple model format (likegpt-5), but Alter supports multiple providers. So we use a special format to identify which provider each model comes from.
The solution
Model Format: Provider#Model-name
Instead of just
gpt-5, use: OpenAI#gpt-5The format is always: Provider name + # + Model nameSetup steps
Get your API credentials
- Open Alter → Settings (
Cmd + ,) - Go to the Router tab
- Click Add New Key to generate an API key
- Copy the key (starts with
sk-...) - Note the endpoint:
https://alterhq.com/api
Configure your external app
In the app you’re connecting:
- Base URL:
https://alterhq.com/api(or tryhttps://alterhq.com/api/v1) - API Key: Your generated key from step 1
Manually set the model
Since automatic listing might not work, manually enter a model:
| Provider | Model Name | Full ID |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | GPT-5 | OpenAI#gpt-5 |
| OpenAI | GPT-5 Nano | OpenAI#gpt-5-nano |
| Claude | Sonnet 4 | Claude#claude-sonnet-4-6 |
| Gemini | 2.5 Pro | Gemini#gemini-2.5-pro |
| Mistral | Large | Mistral#mistral-large-latest |
| Alter | Best Router | Alter#best |
Test the connection
Try this simple test:- Send a chat completion request with model
OpenAI#gpt-5-nano - Success: You should get a response back through Alter
Still having issues?
- Make sure you’re using a valid Alter API key (not your provider’s key)
- Try both endpoints:
/apiand/api/v1 - Some apps cache the model list – try restarting the app after setup