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

# Log in to Poolside

> Choose an authentication option and start using Poolside models.

How you log in depends on how you access Poolside models.

<Tip>
  Looking for the fastest way to get a free Poolside API key? Choose **Use Poolside Platform for free (recommended)**.
</Tip>

## Before you start

The steps on this page use Poolside Agent CLI. See [Install Poolside Agent CLI](/cli/install).

If you need an API key for the Poolside API or a third-party tool, see [Authenticate API requests](/api/overview#authenticate-api-requests).

## Choose a login option

Open a terminal and run `pool login`. Choose how you want to access models with the Poolside agent. To use a different ACP agent, run `pool -s`.

| Option                                                                                                                | Description                                                                                                                                                 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [**Use Poolside Platform for free (recommended)**](#use-poolside-platform-for-free-recommended)                       | Choose this option for fast, free developer access. Sign in to Poolside Platform, then copy the API key it creates for you. Recommended for most users.     |
| [**Use your organization's Poolside deployment (enterprise)**](#use-your-organization-poolside-deployment-enterprise) | Choose this option if your organization runs a Poolside deployment with Poolside Console.                                                                   |
| [**Use your OpenRouter account**](#use-your-openrouter-account)                                                       | Choose this option if you already use OpenRouter, or you need paid access to Poolside models with a larger context window.                                  |
| [**Connect an OpenAI-compatible provider**](#connect-an-openai-compatible-provider)                                   | Choose this option if you use self-managed Poolside inference, an inference gateway such as Bifrost or LiteLLM, another provider, or your own model server. |

After you log in, the CLI stores the credentials so you do not need to enter them every time you start `pool`.

### Use Poolside Platform for free (recommended)

Choose this option if you want the fastest way to get free developer access. Sign in to Poolside Platform, then copy the API key it creates for you.

1. In the terminal, choose **Use Poolside Platform for free (recommended)**.
2. In the browser window that opens, sign in to [Poolside Platform](https://platform.poolside.ai/) or create an account.
3. Copy the API key that Poolside creates for you.
4. Return to the terminal.
5. Paste the key at the **Enter API key** prompt.

<Note>
  The API key created through Poolside Platform is for Poolside-hosted inference. If your organization has a Poolside deployment, use that URL and sign-in method instead.
</Note>

<h3 id="use-your-organization-poolside-deployment-enterprise">
  Use your organization's Poolside deployment (enterprise)
</h3>

Choose this option if your organization has its own Poolside deployment with Poolside Console. Your Poolside administrator gives you the API URL.

1. In the terminal, choose **Use your organization's Poolside deployment (enterprise)**.
2. Enter the API URL provided by your organization. Do not enter the deployment's `/openai/v1` API base URL.
3. Choose how to authenticate:
   * **Log in via browser**: Complete the sign-in in the browser window that opens.
   * **Provide API token**: Paste your token at the **Enter API token** prompt.

For more information, see the [Poolside Console documentation](https://docs.poolside.ai/platform/console/poolside-console).

### Use your OpenRouter account

Choose this option if you already use OpenRouter or you need paid access to Poolside models with a larger context window. To see which Poolside models OpenRouter offers, go to [Poolside models on OpenRouter](https://openrouter.ai/poolside).

1. In the terminal, choose **Use your OpenRouter account**.
2. Go to [OpenRouter API keys](https://openrouter.ai/keys), sign in, and create an API key.
3. Return to the terminal.
4. Paste the key at the **Enter API key** prompt.

### Connect an OpenAI-compatible provider

Choose this option for self-managed Poolside inference, an inference gateway such as [Bifrost](/deployment/inference-gateways/bifrost) or [LiteLLM](/deployment/inference-gateways/litellm), a third-party provider, or a model server such as vLLM or [Ollama](/resources/run-model-locally).

1. In the terminal, choose **Connect an OpenAI-compatible provider**.
2. Enter the API base URL supplied by your provider or administrator. A direct self-managed Poolside model endpoint uses `https://<model-hostname>/v1`.
3. Paste the endpoint's API key at the **Enter API key** prompt.

See [API base URLs by access method](/api/overview#use-the-api-base-url-for-your-access-method).

<Note>
  If the endpoint does not validate API keys, enter any non-empty value, such as `local-test`.

  If the endpoint does not list its models, specify one when starting `pool`:

  ```bash theme={null}
  POOLSIDE_STANDALONE_MODEL=<model-name> pool
  ```
</Note>

## Verify your login

Run:

```bash theme={null}
pool
```

When your credentials work, `pool` starts an interactive session and shows a `Connected to agent server:` message.

If the CLI cannot connect, see [Troubleshoot Poolside Agent CLI](/cli/troubleshooting).

## Switch accounts or providers

Log out, then log in again with a different option:

```bash theme={null}
pool logout
pool login
```

## Next steps

* [Use Poolside](/use-poolside) to choose where to work next.
* [Poolside API](/api/overview) to send model requests from your own tools and services.