> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://dev-docs.altrum.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Gateway quickstart

> Store a provider credential, create a virtual key, and send your first governed request through Altrum.

<Info>This is in development. Details may change before it is available.</Info>

You need the Owner or Admin role, and a model provider account of your own.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add a provider credential">
    Open **AI Gateway**, then **Provider credentials**, and add your OpenAI API key. Altrum stores it encrypted and never shows it again. See [Provider credentials](/ai-gateway/provider-credentials).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a virtual key">
    In **Virtual keys**, create an organization key. Copy it: it is shown once. See [Virtual keys](/ai-gateway/virtual-keys).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Point your client at Altrum">
    Use your provider's SDK as you do today, with Altrum's address as the base URL and the virtual key as the API key. **AI Gateway**, **Overview** shows the address and code to copy for the OpenAI, Anthropic and Google SDKs and curl.

    ```python theme={null}
    import os
    from openai import OpenAI

    client = OpenAI(
        base_url="https://api.altrum.ai/v1",
        api_key=os.environ["ALTRUM_VIRTUAL_KEY"],
    )

    reply = client.chat.completions.create(
        model="openai/gpt-4o-mini",
        messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Where is my parcel?"}],
    )
    print(reply.choices[0].message.content)
    ```

    The answer is the provider's own answer, in the provider's format.
  </Step>

  <Step title="See it in the request log">
    Open **AI Gateway**, then **Request log**. The request is there with its model, tokens, cost, time taken and the guardrails that checked it.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next

* Use Claude Code or another coding agent through Altrum: [Coding agents](/ai-gateway/coding-agents).
* Set a monthly budget: [Budgets and rate limits](/ai-gateway/budgets-and-limits).
* Govern the traffic with guardrails: [Organization guardrails](/guardrails/organization).


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