LiteLLM

LiteLLM is an open-source LLM gateway that provides a unified API to 100+ model providers. Route OpenClaw through LiteLLM to get centralized cost tracking, logging, and the flexibility to switch backends without changing your OpenClaw config.

# Quick start

openclaw onboard --auth-choice litellm-api-key

openclaw onboard --non-interactive --auth-choice litellm-api-key --litellm-api-key "$LITELLM_API_KEY" --custom-base-url "https://litellm.example/v1"

pip install 'litellm[proxy]'
litellm --model claude-opus-4-6

export LITELLM_API_KEY="your-litellm-key"

openclaw

# Configuration

# Environment variables

export LITELLM_API_KEY="sk-litellm-key"

# Config file

{
  models: {
    providers: {
      litellm: {
        baseUrl: "http://localhost:4000",
        apiKey: "${LITELLM_API_KEY}",
        api: "openai-completions",
        models: [
          {
            id: "claude-opus-4-6",
            name: "Claude Opus 4.6",
            reasoning: true,
            input: ["text", "image"],
            contextWindow: 200000,
            maxTokens: 64000,
          },
          {
            id: "gpt-4o",
            name: "GPT-4o",
            reasoning: false,
            input: ["text", "image"],
            contextWindow: 128000,
            maxTokens: 8192,
          },
        ],
      },
    },
  },
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      model: { primary: "litellm/claude-opus-4-6" },
    },
  },
}

# Advanced configuration

# Image generation

LiteLLM can also back the image_generate tool through OpenAI-compatible /images/generations and /images/edits routes. Configure a LiteLLM image model under agents.defaults.imageGenerationModel:

{
  models: {
    providers: {
      litellm: {
        baseUrl: "http://localhost:4000",
        apiKey: "${LITELLM_API_KEY}",
      },
    },
  },
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      imageGenerationModel: {
        primary: "litellm/gpt-image-2",
        timeoutMs: 180_000,
      },
    },
  },
}

Loopback LiteLLM URLs such as http://localhost:4000 work without a global private-network override. For a LAN-hosted proxy, set models.providers.litellm.request.allowPrivateNetwork: true because the API key will be sent to the configured proxy host.

curl -X POST "http://localhost:4000/key/generate" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LITELLM_MASTER_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "key_alias": "openclaw",
    "max_budget": 50.00,
    "budget_duration": "monthly"
  }'

model_list:
  - model_name: claude-opus-4-6
    litellm_params:
      model: claude-opus-4-6
      api_key: os.environ/ANTHROPIC_API_KEY

  - model_name: gpt-4o
    litellm_params:
      model: gpt-4o
      api_key: os.environ/OPENAI_API_KEY

# Key info
curl "http://localhost:4000/key/info" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk-litellm-key"

# Spend logs
curl "http://localhost:4000/spend/logs" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LITELLM_MASTER_KEY"

# Related