Which API should you use with Codewhale?

For Codewhale, the open-source terminal agent formerly called DeepSeek-TUI, the best API for mixed work is a cost-optimized OpenAI-compatible provider: add [providers.standardcompute] with kind = "openai-compatible" and base_url https://api.stdcmpt.com/v1 to ~/.codewhale/config.toml, and Standard Compute's router sends each step to the cheapest model that can do it (Claude Fable 5.1 or GPT-6 Astra only when it counts), on a plan from $19 a month with a $20 compute budget. A DeepSeek API key billed per token is the cheap route for DeepSeek-only work, OpenRouter is pay-per-use, and Codewhale runs local models through Ollama too. Codewhale itself is free and MIT-licensed.

Light or occasional use

For DeepSeek-only work, a DeepSeek API key billed per token will likely cost the least. If Ollama already runs a capable chat model, Codewhale switches to it on its own; test it on a real task first.

Daily use, cost-optimized

When Codewhale runs long sessions daily and some steps need Claude or GPT, a Standard Compute provider sends each step to the cheapest model that can do it, and for every model we vet providers for price, uptime and speed, with automatic fallback. Opt-in Europe or US Compliance rules apply per key, team or company, and we don't train on your prompts or store them. The bill stays at the monthly plan price: requests stop with HTTP 402 when the compute budget is used, with nothing billed on top.

API and subscription options for Codewhale

Prices and allowances can change. Codewhale's provider tables, key resolution order and config paths come from its configuration docs and README, read on October 15, 2026. Codewhale: configuration · Codewhale repo · DeepSeek API pricing. Spot an error? Tell us.

Add Standard Compute to Codewhale's config

provider = "standardcompute"

[providers.standardcompute]
kind = "openai-compatible"
base_url = "https://api.stdcmpt.com/v1"
api_key_env = "STANDARDCOMPUTE_API_KEY"
model = "standardcompute"

Export STANDARDCOMPUTE_API_KEY and run codewhale; for one session only, use codewhale --provider standardcompute. Change models with /model, for example to anthropic/claude-sonnet-5.5.

Codewhale questions

Why does Codewhale not use my OPENAI_API_KEY with a custom gateway?

Codewhale only sends ambient keys such as OPENAI_API_KEY or DEEPSEEK_API_KEY to that provider's official endpoint, never to a custom host. Give the gateway its own key: api_key_env = "STANDARDCOMPUTE_API_KEY" (or api_key) on [providers.standardcompute]. For custom providers an unset or empty api_key_env is a loud error, not a silent fallback.

Does Codewhale still read my DeepSeek-TUI config?

Yes. Codewhale migrates ~/.deepseek/config.toml into ~/.codewhale/config.toml on first launch, and DEEPSEEK_* environment variables remain accepted aliases for the CODEWHALE_* forms. Put a custom gateway under its own [providers.<name>] table rather than the legacy top-level base_url.

Do I need a Codewhale account?

No. The account is optional and keeps your provider keys in one place across signed-in devices; local use works without it, and signing in does not upload keys you already have locally. With your own provider, the provider bills the model use: on Standard Compute that is the plan price, and new requests stop at the monthly budget instead of billing overage.