> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/DecartAI/ai-sdk-provider/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installation

> Install the Decart AI SDK Provider and configure your API key

# Installation

Get started with the Decart AI SDK Provider by installing the package and configuring your API credentials.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

* **Node.js 18 or higher** installed on your system
* **npm**, **yarn**, or **pnpm** package manager
* A **Decart API key** (see [Getting Your API Key](#getting-your-api-key) below)

## Install the Package

Install the Decart AI SDK Provider using your preferred package manager:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash npm theme={null}
  npm install @decartai/ai-sdk-provider ai
  ```

  ```bash pnpm theme={null}
  pnpm add @decartai/ai-sdk-provider ai
  ```

  ```bash yarn theme={null}
  yarn add @decartai/ai-sdk-provider ai
  ```
</CodeGroup>

<Info>
  The `ai` package is a peer dependency that provides the core AI SDK functionality like `generateImage()` and `experimental_generateVideo()`.
</Info>

## Getting Your API Key

To use the Decart AI SDK Provider, you'll need an API key from Decart:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Visit Decart">
    Go to [decart.ai](https://decart.ai) and create an account if you don't have one
  </Step>

  <Step title="Access API Settings">
    Navigate to your account settings or API section
  </Step>

  <Step title="Generate API Key">
    Create a new API key for your application
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save Securely">
    Store your API key securely - you'll need it for configuration
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Configure Your API Key

There are two ways to provide your API key to the Decart provider:

### Environment Variable (Recommended)

Set the `DECART_API_KEY` environment variable:

```bash theme={null}
export DECART_API_KEY='your-api-key-here'
```

For local development, add it to your `.env` file:

```bash .env theme={null}
DECART_API_KEY=your-api-key-here
```

<Warning>
  Never commit your `.env` file or expose your API key in client-side code. Always keep your API keys secure.
</Warning>

Then use the default provider instance:

```typescript theme={null}
import { decart } from '@decartai/ai-sdk-provider';

// The API key is automatically loaded from DECART_API_KEY
const model = decart.image('lucy-pro-t2i');
```

### Programmatic Configuration

Alternatively, pass the API key directly when creating a custom provider instance:

```typescript theme={null}
import { createDecart } from '@decartai/ai-sdk-provider';

const decart = createDecart({
  apiKey: 'your-api-key-here',
});
```

## Advanced Configuration

For advanced use cases, you can customize the provider with additional options:

```typescript theme={null}
import { createDecart } from '@decartai/ai-sdk-provider';

const decart = createDecart({
  apiKey: 'your-api-key-here',
  baseURL: 'https://custom-proxy.example.com', // Use a custom API endpoint
  headers: {
    'Custom-Header': 'value',
  },
  fetch: customFetchImplementation, // Use a custom fetch function
});
```

### Configuration Options

* **apiKey** `string`

  Your Decart API key. Defaults to the `DECART_API_KEY` environment variable.

* **baseURL** `string`

  Custom API endpoint URL. Defaults to `https://api.decart.ai`. Useful for proxy servers or testing.

* **headers** `Record<string, string>`

  Additional HTTP headers to include in every request.

* **fetch** `FetchFunction`

  Custom fetch implementation. Useful for middleware, request interception, or testing.

## Verification

Verify your installation by running a simple test:

```typescript theme={null}
import { decart } from '@decartai/ai-sdk-provider';
import { generateImage } from 'ai';

const { image } = await generateImage({
  model: decart.image('lucy-pro-t2i'),
  prompt: 'A test image',
});

console.log('Installation successful!');
```

<Tip>
  If you encounter any issues, check that:

  * Your API key is correctly set
  * You're using Node.js 18 or higher
  * Both `@decartai/ai-sdk-provider` and `ai` packages are installed
</Tip>

## Next Steps

<Card title="Quickstart Guide" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
  Learn how to generate your first images and videos with practical examples
</Card>