# CopilotKit API Key Setup Guide ## How to Get and Configure Your CopilotKit API Key --- ## 🔑 **Step 1: Get Your CopilotKit API Key** ### **1.1 Sign Up for CopilotKit** 1. Visit [copilotkit.ai](https://copilotkit.ai) 2. Click "Sign Up" or "Get Started" 3. Create your account using email or GitHub 4. Verify your email address ### **1.2 Access Your Dashboard** 1. Log in to your CopilotKit dashboard 2. Navigate to the "API Keys" section 3. Click "Generate New API Key" 4. Copy the generated public API key ### **1.3 API Key Format** Your API key will look something like this: ``` ck_public_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ``` --- ## 📁 **Step 2: Configure the API Key** ### **2.1 Frontend Environment File** Create a `.env` file in your `frontend` directory: **File Location:** `frontend/.env` ```bash # CopilotKit Configuration # Get your API key from: https://copilotkit.ai REACT_APP_COPILOTKIT_API_KEY=ck_public_your_actual_api_key_here # Backend API Configuration REACT_APP_API_BASE_URL=http://localhost:8000 # Other Frontend Environment Variables REACT_APP_ENVIRONMENT=development REACT_APP_VERSION=1.0.0 ``` ### **2.2 Backend Environment File** Update your backend `.env` file: **File Location:** `backend/.env` ```bash # Google GenAI Configuration (for Gemini) GOOGLE_GENAI_API_KEY=your_google_genai_api_key_here # Database Configuration DATABASE_URL=your_database_url_here # Other Backend Environment Variables ENVIRONMENT=development DEBUG=True ``` --- ## 🔧 **Step 3: Verify Configuration** ### **3.1 Check Frontend Configuration** The API key is used in `frontend/src/App.tsx`: ```typescript ``` ### **3.2 Test the Configuration** 1. **Start the Frontend:** ```bash cd frontend npm start ``` 2. **Check Browser Console:** - Open browser developer tools - Look for any CopilotKit-related errors - Verify the API key is being loaded 3. **Test CopilotKit Sidebar:** - Navigate to the Content Planning Dashboard - Press `/` or click the CopilotKit sidebar - Verify the assistant loads without errors --- ## 🚨 **Important Notes** ### **Security Considerations** - ✅ **Public API Key**: The CopilotKit API key is designed to be public - ✅ **Frontend Only**: Only used in the frontend, not in backend code - ✅ **Rate Limited**: CopilotKit handles rate limiting on their end - ✅ **No Sensitive Data**: The key doesn't expose sensitive information ### **Environment Variables** - **Development**: Use `.env` file in frontend directory - **Production**: Set environment variables in your hosting platform - **Git**: Add `.env` to `.gitignore` to keep it out of version control ### **Fallback Configuration** If no API key is provided, CopilotKit will use a demo mode: ```typescript publicApiKey={process.env.REACT_APP_COPILOTKIT_API_KEY || "demo"} ``` --- ## 🔍 **Troubleshooting** ### **Common Issues** #### **1. API Key Not Loading** ```bash # Check if the environment variable is set echo $REACT_APP_COPILOTKIT_API_KEY # Restart the development server npm start ``` #### **2. CopilotKit Not Working** - Check browser console for errors - Verify the API key format is correct - Ensure the key starts with `ck_public_` #### **3. Environment Variable Not Recognized** - Make sure the `.env` file is in the correct location - Restart the development server after adding the file - Check that the variable name is exactly `REACT_APP_COPILOTKIT_API_KEY` ### **Debug Steps** 1. **Check Environment Variable:** ```bash cd frontend echo $REACT_APP_COPILOTKIT_API_KEY ``` 2. **Check .env File:** ```bash cat .env ``` 3. **Check Browser Console:** - Open developer tools - Look for CopilotKit initialization messages - Check for any error messages --- ## 📊 **Production Deployment** ### **Vercel Deployment** 1. Go to your Vercel project settings 2. Add environment variable: - **Name:** `REACT_APP_COPILOTKIT_API_KEY` - **Value:** Your CopilotKit API key 3. Redeploy your application ### **Netlify Deployment** 1. Go to your Netlify site settings 2. Navigate to "Environment variables" 3. Add the variable: - **Key:** `REACT_APP_COPILOTKIT_API_KEY` - **Value:** Your CopilotKit API key 4. Trigger a new deployment ### **Other Platforms** - **Heroku:** Use `heroku config:set` - **AWS:** Use AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store - **Docker:** Pass as environment variable in docker-compose --- ## 🎯 **Next Steps** ### **After Setting Up API Key** 1. **Test the Integration:** - Start both frontend and backend - Navigate to Strategy Builder - Test CopilotKit sidebar 2. **Verify Features:** - Test field population - Test validation - Test strategy review 3. **Monitor Usage:** - Check CopilotKit dashboard for usage stats - Monitor API response times - Track user interactions --- ## 📞 **Support** ### **CopilotKit Support** - **Documentation:** [docs.copilotkit.ai](https://docs.copilotkit.ai) - **Discord:** [discord.gg/copilotkit](https://discord.gg/copilotkit) - **GitHub:** [github.com/copilotkit/copilotkit](https://github.com/copilotkit/copilotkit) ### **ALwrity Support** - Check the troubleshooting section above - Review the setup guide - Test with the demo key first --- ## ✅ **Summary** 1. **Get API Key:** Sign up at copilotkit.ai and generate a public API key 2. **Add to Frontend:** Create `frontend/.env` with `REACT_APP_COPILOTKIT_API_KEY` 3. **Test Configuration:** Start the app and verify CopilotKit loads 4. **Deploy:** Add the environment variable to your production platform That's it! Your CopilotKit integration should now be fully functional. 🚀