Models

Info

Most providers can be configured via /login command, otherwise via providers config.

Models capabilities and configurations are retrieved from models.dev API.

ECA will return to clients the models configured, either via config or login.

Built-in providers and capabilities

model	tools (MCP)	reasoning / thinking	prompt caching	web_search	image_input
OpenAI	√	√	√	√	√
Anthropic (Also subscription)	√	√	√	√	√
Github Copilot	√	√	√	X	√
Google	√	√	√	X	√
Ollama local models	√	√	X	X

Config

Built-in providers have already base initial providers configs, so you can change to add models or set its key/url.

For more details, check the config schema.

Example:

~/.config/eca/config.json

{
  "providers": {
    "openai": {
      "key": "your-openai-key-here", // configuring a key
      "models": {
        "o1": {} // adding models to a built-in provider
        "o3": {
          "extraPayload": { // adding to the payload sent to LLM
            "temperature": 0.5
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Environment Variables: You can also set API keys using environment variables following "<PROVIDER>_API_KEY", examples:

• OPENAI_API_KEY for OpenAI
• ANTHROPIC_API_KEY for Anthropic

Custom providers

ECA allows you to configure custom LLM providers that follow API schemas similar to OpenAI or Anthropic. This is useful when you want to use:

• Self-hosted LLM servers (like LiteLLM)
• Custom company LLM endpoints
• Additional cloud providers not natively supported

You just need to add your provider to providers and make sure add the required fields

Schema:

Option	Type	Description	Required
api	string	The API schema to use ("openai-responses", "openai-chat", or "anthropic")	Yes
urlEnv	string	Environment variable name containing the API URL	No*
url	string	Direct API URL (use instead of urlEnv)	No*
keyEnv	string	Environment variable name containing the API key	No*
keyRc	string	Lookup specification to read the API key from Unix RC credential files	No*
key	string	Direct API key (use instead of keyEnv)	No*
completionUrlRelativePath	string	Optional override for the completion endpoint path (see defaults below and examples like Azure)	No
thinkTagStart	string	Optional override the think start tag tag for openai-chat (Default: "") api	No
thinkTagEnd	string	Optional override the think end tag for openai-chat (Default: "") api	No
models	map	Key: model name, value: its config	Yes
models <model> extraPayload	map	Extra payload sent in body to LLM	No
models <model> modelName	string	Override model name, useful to have multiple models with different configs and names that use same LLM model	No

* url and key will be searched as envs <provider>_API_URL and <provider>_API_KEY, they require the env to be found or config to work.

Examples:

Custom providerCustom model settings / payload

~/.config/eca/config.json

{
  "providers": {
    "my-company": {
      "api": "openai-chat",
      "urlEnv": "MY_COMPANY_API_URL", // or "url"
      "keyEnv": "MY_COMPANY_API_KEY", // or "key"
      "models": {
        "gpt-5": {},
        "deepseek-r1": {}
       }
    }
  }
}

Using modelName, you can configure multiple model names using same model with different settings:

~/.config/eca/config.json

{
  "providers": {
    "openai": {
      "api": "openai-responses",
      "models": { 
        "gpt-5": {},
        "gpt-5-high": {
          "modelName": "gpt-5",
          "extraPayload": { "reasoning": {"effort": "high"}}
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

This way both will use gpt-5 model but one will override the reasoning to be high instead of the default.

API Types

When configuring custom providers, choose the appropriate API type:

• anthropic: Anthropic's native API for Claude models.
• openai-responses: OpenAI's new responses API endpoint (/v1/responses). Best for OpenAI models with enhanced features like reasoning and web search.
• openai-chat: Standard OpenAI Chat Completions API (/v1/chat/completions). Use this for most third-party providers:
  • OpenRouter
  • DeepSeek
  • Together AI
  • Groq
  • Local LiteLLM servers
  • Any OpenAI-compatible provider

Most third-party providers use the openai-chat API for compatibility with existing tools and libraries.

Endpoint override (completionUrlRelativePath)

Some providers require a non-standard or versioned completion endpoint path. Use completionUrlRelativePath to override the default path appended to your provider url.

Defaults by API type: - openai-responses: /v1/responses - openai-chat: /v1/chat/completions - anthropic: /v1/messages

Only set this when your provider uses a different path or expects query parameters at the endpoint (e.g., Azure API versioning).

Credential File Authentication

ECA also supports standard plain-text .netrc file format for reading credentials.

Use keyRc in your provider config to read credentials from ~/.netrc without storing keys directly in config or env vars.

Example:

~/.config/eca/config.json

{
  "providers": {
    "openai": {"keyRc": "api.openai.com"},
    "anthropic": {"keyRc": "work@api.anthropic.com"}
  }
}

keyRc lookup specification format: [login@]machine[:port] (e.g., api.openai.com, work@api.anthropic.com, api.custom.com:8443).

ECA by default search .netrc file stored in user's home directory. You can also provide the path to the actual file to use with :netrcFile in ECA config.

Tip for those wish to store their credentials encrypted with tools like gpg or age:

# via secure tempororay file
gpg --batch -q -d ./netrc.gpg > /tmp/netrc.$$ && chmod 600 /tmp/netrc.$$ && ECA_CONFIG='{"netrcFile": "/tmp/netrc.$$"}' eca server && shred -u /tmp/netrc.$$

Further reading on credential file formats: - Curl Netrc documentation - GNU Inetutils .netrc documentation

Notes: - Authentication priority (short): key > keyRc files > keyEnv > OAuth. - All providers with API key auth can use credential files.

Providers examples

AnthropicGithub CopilotGoogle / GeminiLiteLLMOpenRouterDeepSeekAzure OpenAIZ.ai

1. Login to Anthropic via the chat command /login.
2. Type 'anthropic' and send it.
3. Type the chosen method
4. Authenticate in your browser, copy the code.
5. Paste and send the code and done!

1. Login to Github copilot via the chat command /login.
2. Type 'github-copilot' and send it.
3. Authenticate in Github in your browser with the given code.
4. Type anything in the chat to continue and done!

Tip: check Your Copilot plan to enable models to your account.

1. Login to Google via the chat command /login.
2. Type 'google' and send it.
3. Choose 'manual' and type your Google/Gemini API key. (You need to create a key in google studio)

~/.config/eca/config.json

{
  "providers": {
    "litellm": {
      "api": "openai-responses",
      "url": "https://litellm.my-company.com", // or "urlEnv"
      "key": "your-api-key", // or "keyEnv"
      "models": {
        "gpt-5": {},
        "deepseek-r1": {}
       }
    }
  }
}

OpenRouter provides access to many models through a unified API:

1. Login via the chat command /login.
2. Type 'openrouter' and send it.
3. Specify your Openrouter API key.
4. Inform at least a model, ex: openai/gpt-5
5. Done, it should be saved to your global config.

or manually via config:

~/.config/eca/config.json

{
  "providers": {
    "openrouter": {
      "api": "openai-chat",
      "url": "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1", // or "urlEnv"
      "key": "your-api-key", // or "keyEnv"
      "models": {
        "anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet": {},
        "openai/gpt-4-turbo": {},
        "meta-llama/llama-3.1-405b": {}
       }
    }
  }
}

DeepSeek offers powerful reasoning and coding models:

1. Login via the chat command /login.
2. Type 'deepseek' and send it.
3. Specify your Deepseek API key.
4. Inform at least a model, ex: deepseek-chat
5. Done, it should be saved to your global config.

or manually via config:

~/.config/eca/config.json

{
  "providers": {
    "deepseek": {
      "api": "openai-chat",
      "url": "https://api.deepseek.com", // or "urlEnv"
      "key": "your-api-key", // or "keyEnv"
      "models": {
        "deepseek-chat": {},
        "deepseek-coder": {},
        "deepseek-reasoner": {}
       }
    }
  }
}

1. Login via the chat command /login.
2. Type 'azure' and send it.
3. Specify your API key.
4. Specify your API url with your resource, ex: 'https://your-resource-name.openai.azure.com'.
5. Inform at least a model, ex: gpt-5
6. Done, it should be saved to your global config.

or manually via config:

~/.config/eca/config.json

{
  "providers": {
    "azure": {
      "api": "openai-responses",
      "url": "https://your-resource-name.openai.azure.com", // or "urlEnv"
      "key": "your-api-key", // or "keyEnv"
      "completionUrlRelativePath": "/openai/responses?api-version=2025-04-01-preview",
      "models": {
        "gpt-5": {}
       }
    }
  }
}

1. Login via the chat command /login.
2. Type 'azure' and send it.
3. Specify your API key.
4. Inform at least a model, ex: GLM-4.5
5. Done, it should be saved to your global config.

or manually via config:

~/.config/eca/config.json

{
  "providers": {
    "z-ai": {
      "api": "anthropic",
      "url": "https://api.z.ai/api/anthropic",
      "key": "your-api-key", // or "keyEnv"
      "models": {
        "GLM-4.5": {},
        "GLM-4.5-Air": {}
       }
    }
  }
}