Perplexity Install Auth

---
name: perplexity-install-auth
description: 'Install and configure Perplexity Sonar API authentication.

  Use when setting up a new Perplexity integration, configuring API keys,

  or initializing the OpenAI-compatible client for Perplexity.

  Trigger with phrases like "install perplexity", "setup perplexity",

  "perplexity auth", "configure perplexity API key", "perplexity sonar setup".

  '
allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit, Bash(npm:*), Bash(pip:*), Grep
version: 1.12.0
license: MIT
author: Jeremy Longshore <jeremy@intentsolutions.io>
tags:
- saas
- perplexity
- api
- authentication
compatibility: Designed for Claude Code
---
# Perplexity Install & Auth

## Overview

Set up Perplexity Sonar API access using the OpenAI-compatible chat completions endpoint at `https://api.perplexity.ai`. Perplexity does not have a custom SDK -- you use the standard OpenAI client library pointed at Perplexity's base URL.

## Prerequisites

- Node.js 18+ or Python 3.10+
- Perplexity account at [perplexity.ai](https://www.perplexity.ai)
- API key from [perplexity.ai/settings/api](https://www.perplexity.ai/settings/api)

## Instructions

### Step 1: Install OpenAI Client Library

```bash
set -euo pipefail
# Node.js / TypeScript
npm install openai

# Python
pip install openai
```

There is no `@perplexity/sdk` package. Perplexity uses the OpenAI wire format, so you use the official `openai` package with a custom `baseURL`.

### Step 2: Configure API Key

```bash
# Set environment variable
export PERPLEXITY_API_KEY="pplx-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

# Or create .env file (add .env to .gitignore)
echo 'PERPLEXITY_API_KEY=pplx-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx' >> .env
```

API keys start with `pplx-` and are generated at [perplexity.ai/settings/api](https://www.perplexity.ai/settings/api). You must add credits to your account before making API calls.

### Step 3: Verify Connection (TypeScript)

```typescript
import OpenAI from "openai";

const client = new OpenAI({
  apiKey: process.env.PERPLEXITY_API_KEY,
  baseURL: "https://api.perplexity.ai",
});

async function verify() {
  const response = await client.chat.completions.create({
    model: "sonar",
    messages: [{ role: "user", content: "What is 2+2?" }],
    max_tokens: 50,
  });
  console.log("Connected:", response.choices[0].message.content);
  console.log("Model:", response.model);
  console.log("Tokens used:", response.usage?.total_tokens);
}

verify().catch(console.error);
```

### Step 4: Verify Connection (Python)

```python
import os
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    api_key=os.environ["PERPLEXITY_API_KEY"],
    base_url="https://api.perplexity.ai",
)

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="sonar",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "What is 2+2?"}],
    max_tokens=50,
)
print("Connected:", response.choices[0].message.content)
print("Model:", response.model)
print("Tokens:", response.usage.total_tokens)
```

## Available Models

| Model | Use Case | Input $/M tokens | Output $/M tokens |
|-------|----------|-------------------|-------------------|
| `sonar` | Fast search, simple queries | $1 | $1 |
| `sonar-pro` | Deep research, more citations | $3 | $15 |
| `sonar-reasoning-pro` | Chain-of-thought with search | $3 | $15 |
| `sonar-deep-research` | Multi-step research synthesis | $2 | $8 |

## Error Handling

| Error | Cause | Solution |
|-------|-------|----------|
| `401 Unauthorized` | Invalid or missing API key | Verify key starts with `pplx-` and has credits |
| `403 Forbidden` | Key lacks model access | Check key permissions at perplexity.ai/settings |
| `Module not found: openai` | SDK not installed | Run `npm install openai` or `pip install openai` |
| `Connection refused` | Wrong base URL | Ensure `baseURL` is `https://api.perplexity.ai` |

## Output

- OpenAI client configured with Perplexity base URL
- Successful API response confirming connection
- Token usage confirming billing is active

## Examples

### Configure a least-privilege local client

Create a short-lived development API key with only the models required by the sample, save it in an ignored environment file, and initialize the compatible client with the documented base URL. Verify access with a small synthetic request and inspect only the status and usage summary. Never hardcode the key in source, test fixtures, or logs; rotate or revoke it when development access is no longer needed.

## Resources

- [Perplexity API Documentation](https://docs.perplexity.ai)
- [API Key Management](https://www.perplexity.ai/settings/api)
- [OpenAI Compatibility Guide](https://docs.perplexity.ai/guides/chat-completions-guide)
- [Model Cards](https://docs.perplexity.ai/getting-started/models)

## Next Steps

After successful auth, proceed to `perplexity-hello-world` for your first search query.