Configuration Guide

This guide covers the essential configuration options for Conduit to help you set up the system according to your needs.

Core Configuration

System Settings

Conduit's core settings can be configured through environment variables or the Web UI. The most important settings include:

Setting	Description	Default	Environment Variable
Master Key	Authentication key for administrative access	(Required)	CONDUIT_MASTER_KEY
Host	Interface to bind the HTTP server	localhost	CONDUIT_HOST
Port	Port to run the HTTP server	5000	CONDUIT_PORT
Database Path	Location of the SQLite database	./data/conduit.db	CONDUIT_DATABASE_PATH
Log Level	Verbosity of logging	Information	CONDUIT_LOG_LEVEL

For a complete list of available environment variables, see the Environment Variables guide.

Provider Configuration

Adding Provider Credentials

Provider credentials can be added through the Web UI under Configuration > Provider Credentials:

1. Click Add Provider Credential
2. Select the provider type
3. Enter the required credentials:
   • API Key (all providers)
   • Base URL (some providers)
   • Organization ID (some providers)
4. Click Save

Model Mappings

Model mappings define which provider models are available and how they're exposed through Conduit. To configure model mappings:

1. Navigate to Configuration > Model Mappings
2. Click Add Model Mapping
3. Configure the following:
   • Virtual Model Name: The name clients will use (e.g., my-gpt4)
   • Provider Model: The actual provider model (e.g., gpt-4)
   • Provider: The provider to use
   • Priority: Used for routing when multiple providers can serve the same model
4. Click Save

Routing Configuration

Conduit offers flexible routing options to direct requests to appropriate providers.

Routing Strategies

Navigate to Configuration > Routing to set up your routing strategy:

Strategy	Description
Simple	Uses the first available mapping for a requested model
Priority	Uses the mapping with the highest priority
Least Cost	Routes to the provider with the lowest cost
Round Robin	Distributes requests evenly across providers
Random	Randomly selects among available providers
Least Used	Favors providers with fewer recent requests
Least Latency	Routes to the provider with the lowest recent latency

Fallback Configuration

Configure fallback options for when a primary provider is unavailable:

1. Navigate to Configuration > Routing > Fallbacks
2. Add fallback rules specifying:
   • Primary model/provider
   • Fallback model/provider
   • Conditions for fallback (timeout, error codes, etc.)

Virtual Keys

Virtual keys control access to Conduit. To configure them:

1. Navigate to Virtual Keys
2. Click Create New Key
3. Configure:
   • Name: Descriptive name
   • Description: Purpose of the key
   • Permissions: What actions are allowed
   • Rate Limits: Requests per minute/hour/day
   • Model Access: Which models this key can access
   • Budget: Optional spending limits

See the Virtual Keys guide for more detailed information.

Caching

Caching can significantly improve performance and reduce costs. To configure caching:

1. Navigate to Configuration > Caching
2. Enable or disable the cache
3. Configure cache options:
   • Provider: Redis or In-Memory
   • TTL: Time-to-live for cached responses
   • Max Size: For in-memory cache
   • Connection String: For Redis cache

For detailed caching configuration, see the Cache Configuration guide.

Advanced Configuration

Custom Headers

Configure custom headers to be included in responses:

1. Navigate to Configuration > Advanced
2. Add headers in the Custom Headers section

Webhook Notifications

Set up webhooks to notify external systems about events:

1. Navigate to Configuration > Notifications
2. Add webhook endpoints for different event types

Configuration Files

While the Web UI is the recommended way to configure Conduit, you can also modify configuration files directly:

• Database: SQLite database at the configured location
• Model Mappings: appsettings.json or database

Next Steps

• Learn about Environment Variables for deployment
• Understand Model Routing in depth
• Explore Budget Management for cost control