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API Keys Configuration

PolyOracle AI requires several API keys to function properly. This guide explains how to obtain and configure each required service.

Required API Keys​

1. OpenAI API Key ⚡ Required​

What it's for: Powers the AI analysis and decision-making

How to get it:

  1. Visit OpenAI Platform
  2. Create an account or sign in
  3. Navigate to API Keys section
  4. Click "Create new secret key"
  5. Copy the key (starts with sk-)

Usage: Add to .env file:

OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-your-openai-key-here

Cost: Pay-per-use, typically $0.002-0.06 per 1K tokens

2. Exa API Key ⚡ Required​

What it's for: Powers the deep research capabilities

How to get it:

  1. Visit Exa.ai
  2. Sign up for an account
  3. Go to your dashboard
  4. Find your API key in the settings

Usage: Add to .env file:

EXA_API_KEY=your-exa-api-key

Cost: Free tier available, then usage-based pricing

3. Polymarket API Keys ⚡ Required​

What it's for: Trading and market data access

How to get it:

  1. Visit Polymarket
  2. Connect your wallet and create an account
  3. Navigate to API section in your account settings
  4. Generate API key and secret
  5. Note: You'll also need to create a proxy contract (see Polymarket Setup)

Usage: Add to .env file:

POLYMARKET_API_KEY=your-polymarket-api-key
POLYMARKET_API_SECRET=your-polymarket-secret

4. Polygon Wallet Private Key ⚡ Required​

What it's for: Executing trades on Polygon blockchain

How to get it:

  1. Create a dedicated trading wallet (recommended)
  2. Export private key from MetaMask or similar wallet
  3. ⚠️ Security Warning: Use a separate wallet for trading, never your main wallet

Usage: Add to .env file:

POLYGON_WALLET_PRIVATE_KEY=0xYourPrivateKeyHere

Security Note: Keep this key secure and never share it

Optional API Keys​

Anthropic API Key (Optional)​

What it's for: Alternative LLM for analysis (fallback option)

How to get it:

  1. Visit Anthropic Console
  2. Create account and generate API key
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-anthropic-key

LangChain API Key (Optional)​

What it's for: Tracing and monitoring agent execution

How to get it:

  1. Visit LangSmith
  2. Create account and generate API key
LANGCHAIN_API_KEY=your-langchain-key
LANGCHAIN_TRACING_V2=true
LANGSMITH_PROJECT=polyoracle

Tavily API Key (Optional)​

What it's for: Additional search capabilities (backup to Exa)

How to get it:

  1. Visit Tavily
  2. Sign up and get API key
TAVILY_API_KEY=your-tavily-key

Web3 Configuration (Frontend)​

Privy Authentication​

What it's for: Web3 wallet authentication in frontend

How to get it:

  1. Visit Privy
  2. Create an app and get your App ID
NEXT_PUBLIC_PRIVY_APP_ID=your-privy-app-id
PRIVY_SECRET=your-privy-secret

Configuration Checklist​

Essential Setup ✅​

  • OpenAI API Key configured
  • Exa API Key configured
  • Polymarket API Key and Secret configured
  • Polygon Wallet Private Key configured
  • Privy App ID configured (for frontend)

Optional Enhancements ⚪​

  • Anthropic API Key (for model diversity)
  • LangChain API Key (for tracing)
  • Tavily API Key (for backup search)

Security Best Practices​

API Key Security​

  1. Use Environment Variables: Never hardcode keys in source code
  2. Separate Environments: Use different keys for dev/staging/production
  3. Regular Rotation: Rotate keys periodically
  4. Access Monitoring: Monitor API usage for suspicious activity

Wallet Security​

  1. Dedicated Trading Wallet: Use a separate wallet just for trading
  2. Limited Funds: Only keep necessary trading funds in the wallet
  3. Private Key Storage: Store private keys securely (consider hardware wallets)
  4. Regular Monitoring: Monitor wallet transactions

Environment File Security​

# Make sure .env files are in .gitignore
echo ".env" >> .gitignore
echo ".env.local" >> .gitignore

# Set appropriate permissions
chmod 600 .env
chmod 600 frontend/.env.local

Testing Your Configuration​

Backend API Test​

cd backend
python -c "
import os
from dotenv import load_dotenv
load_dotenv()
print('OpenAI:', '✅' if os.getenv('OPENAI_API_KEY') else '❌')
print('Exa:', '✅' if os.getenv('EXA_API_KEY') else '❌') 
print('Polymarket:', '✅' if os.getenv('POLYMARKET_API_KEY') else '❌')
"

Frontend Config Test​

cd frontend
pnpm dev
# Check browser console for any missing environment variable warnings

Cost Management​

OpenAI Costs​

  • Set usage limits in OpenAI dashboard
  • Monitor token usage regularly
  • Use GPT-4o-mini for cost optimization where possible

Exa Costs​

  • Start with free tier
  • Monitor search volume
  • Optimize research depth vs cost

Trading Costs​

  • Polymarket has trading fees
  • Consider gas costs for Polygon transactions
  • Start with small position sizes for testing

Troubleshooting​

"Invalid API key" errors

  • Double-check key format and characters
  • Ensure no extra spaces or newlines
  • Verify key is active in provider dashboard

"Insufficient permissions" errors

  • Check API key permissions in provider settings
  • Some keys need specific scopes enabled

Environment variables not loading

  • Verify .env file location
  • Check file permissions
  • Restart development servers after changes

Next Steps​

Once your API keys are configured:

  1. Polymarket Setup - Configure Polymarket-specific settings
  2. Quick Start - Test your configuration
  3. Usage Guide - Start using the agent

Need help? Check the Troubleshooting Guide for common API configuration issues.