> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.openlayer.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Set up the gateway

> Sign in to the admin portal, connect a provider, and issue your first API key

This guide is for the **operator** running the gateway. By the end you'll have a provider connected
and an API key you can hand to an app or a teammate.

<Info>
  You'll need the **admin portal URL** and an **admin key**. You get both when
  we set up your gateway. Don't have one yet? [Reach out to
  us](mailto:support@openlayer.com) and we'll get one running for your team.
</Info>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign in to the admin portal">
    Open `https://your-gateway.example.com/admin` and enter your admin key.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect a provider">
    Go to **Config** and add a provider under **Providers**:

    * **Name**: a label you choose, such as `openai`.
    * **Base URL**: the provider's API root, such as `https://api.openai.com`.
    * **Format**: one of `openai`, `anthropic`, or `azure_openai`.
    * **API key env var**: the name of the environment variable that holds the provider's key, such as `OPENAI_API_KEY`.

    The provider's secret lives in an environment variable on the gateway host, not in the portal.
    We set these during deployment, so coordinate with us if you need a new one. For every option,
    including Azure and routing between providers, see [Connect providers](/gateway/connect-providers).

    Save your changes. The gateway picks up the new config right away, with no restart.

    <img width="700" style={{ borderRadius: "0.5rem" }} src="https://mintcdn.com/openlayer-44/2eGfXTpwMAOWCnGg/images/gateway/provider_config.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=2eGfXTpwMAOWCnGg&q=85&s=f10abb621c7f5d29e33fc6d51aa3ffe2" alt="Connecting a provider on the Config page" data-path="images/gateway/provider_config.png" />
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create an API key">
    Go to **API keys** and create a key. You can give it a name, and attach a user or a team so you
    can track and govern it later.

    Copy the key when it appears. It's shown **only once** and starts with `sk-olga-`. Store it
    somewhere safe.

    <img width="700" style={{ borderRadius: "0.5rem" }} src="https://mintcdn.com/openlayer-44/2eGfXTpwMAOWCnGg/images/gateway/api_key_create.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=2eGfXTpwMAOWCnGg&q=85&s=837127a4d7d284bb7e4f1a7e605bda0d" alt="Creating an API key" data-path="images/gateway/api_key_create.png" />
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Hand it off

Give the developer two things:

* The **gateway base URL**, such as `https://your-gateway.example.com/v1`.
* The **API key** you just created.

That's everything they need to send traffic. Point them at
[Make your first request](/gateway/make-your-first-request).

## Next steps

Now that traffic can flow, decide what the gateway should enforce on it.

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Set usage limits" icon="wallet" href="/gateway/budgets-and-limits">
    Cap spend, requests, or tokens per key or team.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Add guardrails" icon="shield-alert" href="/gateway/guardrails">
    Block or redact PII and stop prompt injection.
  </Card>
</Columns>