What is this?
Free Router is a local OpenAI-compatible gateway that points your client at free models from any OpenAI-compatible provider you configure, ranking them and failing over automatically when one is rate-limited, down, or has no key.
Free Router is a local OpenAI-compatible gateway that points your client at free models from any OpenAI-compatible provider you configure, ranking them and failing over automatically when one is rate-limited, down, or has no key.Is this a hosted service or something I run myself?It's a self-hosted local server (Node.js app or Docker container) that you run on your own machine, not a hosted cloud service.
It's a self-hosted local server (Node.js app or Docker container) that you run on your own machine, not a hosted cloud service.How do I get it running?Run it with Node.js 20+: copy .env.example to .env, add at least one provider key, then start the server; stop it with ./stop.sh. Alternatively run it with Docker Compose via 'docker compose up -d'.
Run it with Node.js 20+: copy .env.example to .env, add at least one provider key, then start the server; stop it with ./stop.sh. Alternatively run it with Docker Compose via 'docker compose up -d'.What do I need before running this?You need Node.js 20 or newer (or Docker if using the compose setup) and at least one API key from an OpenAI-compatible provider offering free models.
You need Node.js 20 or newer (or Docker if using the compose setup) and at least one API key from an OpenAI-compatible provider offering free models.What happens if a provider's free quota runs out?If a configured provider is rate-limited, down, or empty, Free Router automatically fails over to the next ranked provider; a provider with no key configured is simply skipped.
If a configured provider is rate-limited, down, or empty, Free Router automatically fails over to the next ranked provider; a provider with no key configured is simply skipped.What platforms can I run this on?It runs anywhere Node.js 20+ or Docker is available, including Linux, macOS, and Windows.
It runs anywhere Node.js 20+ or Docker is available, including Linux, macOS, and Windows.How does it pick which free model to use?It ranks currently free models across all the OpenAI-compatible providers you've configured and routes to the best available one, switching automatically on failure.
It ranks currently free models across all the OpenAI-compatible providers you've configured and routes to the best available one, switching automatically on failure.Can I point my existing OpenAI client at it?Yes, since it exposes an OpenAI-compatible API, you just point any existing OpenAI client at your local Free Router endpoint instead of the provider's endpoint.
Yes, since it exposes an OpenAI-compatible API, you just point any existing OpenAI client at your local Free Router endpoint instead of the provider's endpoint.Do I need to configure every provider?No, you only need to add keys for the providers you want to use; providers without a key configured are automatically skipped.
No, you only need to add keys for the providers you want to use; providers without a key configured are automatically skipped.What are similar projects?gpt4free, OmniRoute, ds2api, casbin-gateway, one-api, bifrost, busbar, litellm
gpt4free, OmniRoute, ds2api, casbin-gateway, one-api, bifrost, busbar, litellmWhich topics is it in?failover, ai-gateway, load-balancer, openai-api, openai-compatible, proxy, docker-compose, free, api, terminal, server, llm
failover, ai-gateway, load-balancer, openai-api, openai-compatible, proxy, docker-compose, free, api, terminal, server, llm