feat(llm): support remote API base (Ollama/LM Studio/LiteLLM) + docs (#24)

Co-authored-by: Ahmed Allam <ahmed39652003@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: Ahmed Allam <49919286+0xallam@users.noreply.github.com>

README.md

@@ -89,12 +89,12 @@ strix --target api.your-app.com --instruction "Prioritize authentication and aut
 ### ⚙️ Configuration
 
 ```bash
-# Required
 export STRIX_LLM="openai/gpt-5"
 export LLM_API_KEY="your-api-key"
 
-# Recommended
+# Optional
-export PERPLEXITY_API_KEY="your-api-key"
+export LLM_API_BASE="your-api-base-url"  # if using a local model, e.g. Ollama, LMStudio
+export PERPLEXITY_API_KEY="your-api-key"  # for search capabilities
 ```
 
 [📚 View supported AI models](https://docs.litellm.ai/docs/providers)

pyproject.toml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "strix-agent"
-version = "0.1.17"
+version = "0.1.18"
 description = "Open-source AI Hackers for your apps"
 authors = ["Strix <hi@usestrix.com>"]
 readme = "README.md"

strix/cli/main.py

@@ -48,8 +48,23 @@ def validate_environment() -> None:
     if not os.getenv("STRIX_LLM"):
         missing_required_vars.append("STRIX_LLM")
 
+    has_base_url = any(
+        [
+            os.getenv("LLM_API_BASE"),
+            os.getenv("OPENAI_API_BASE"),
+            os.getenv("LITELLM_BASE_URL"),
+            os.getenv("OLLAMA_API_BASE"),
+        ]
+    )
+
     if not os.getenv("LLM_API_KEY"):
+        if not has_base_url:
             missing_required_vars.append("LLM_API_KEY")
+        else:
+            missing_optional_vars.append("LLM_API_KEY")
+
+    if not has_base_url:
+        missing_optional_vars.append("LLM_API_BASE")
 
     if not os.getenv("PERPLEXITY_API_KEY"):
         missing_optional_vars.append("PERPLEXITY_API_KEY")
@@ -65,26 +80,43 @@ def validate_environment() -> None:
             error_text.append(" is not set\n", style="white")
 
         if missing_optional_vars:
-            error_text.append(
+            error_text.append("\nOptional environment variables:\n", style="dim white")
-                "\nOptional (but recommended) environment variables:\n", style="dim white"
-            )
             for var in missing_optional_vars:
                 error_text.append(f"• {var}", style="dim yellow")
                 error_text.append(" is not set\n", style="dim white")
 
         error_text.append("\nRequired environment variables:\n", style="white")
+        for var in missing_required_vars:
+            if var == "STRIX_LLM":
                 error_text.append("• ", style="white")
                 error_text.append("STRIX_LLM", style="bold cyan")
                 error_text.append(
                     " - Model name to use with litellm (e.g., 'openai/gpt-5')\n",
                     style="white",
                 )
+            elif var == "LLM_API_KEY":
                 error_text.append("• ", style="white")
                 error_text.append("LLM_API_KEY", style="bold cyan")
-        error_text.append(" - API key for the LLM provider\n", style="white")
+                error_text.append(
+                    " - API key for the LLM provider (required for cloud providers)\n",
+                    style="white",
+                )
 
         if missing_optional_vars:
             error_text.append("\nOptional environment variables:\n", style="white")
+            for var in missing_optional_vars:
+                if var == "LLM_API_KEY":
+                    error_text.append("• ", style="white")
+                    error_text.append("LLM_API_KEY", style="bold cyan")
+                    error_text.append(" - API key for the LLM provider\n", style="white")
+                elif var == "LLM_API_BASE":
+                    error_text.append("• ", style="white")
+                    error_text.append("LLM_API_BASE", style="bold cyan")
+                    error_text.append(
+                        " - Custom API base URL if using local models (e.g., Ollama, LMStudio)\n",
+                        style="white",
+                    )
+                elif var == "PERPLEXITY_API_KEY":
                     error_text.append("• ", style="white")
                     error_text.append("PERPLEXITY_API_KEY", style="bold cyan")
                     error_text.append(
@@ -94,10 +126,25 @@ def validate_environment() -> None:
 
         error_text.append("\nExample setup:\n", style="white")
         error_text.append("export STRIX_LLM='openai/gpt-5'\n", style="dim white")
+
+        if "LLM_API_KEY" in missing_required_vars:
             error_text.append("export LLM_API_KEY='your-api-key-here'\n", style="dim white")
+
         if missing_optional_vars:
+            for var in missing_optional_vars:
+                if var == "LLM_API_KEY":
                     error_text.append(
-                "export PERPLEXITY_API_KEY='your-perplexity-key-here'", style="dim white"
+                        "export LLM_API_KEY='your-api-key-here'  # optional with local models\n",
+                        style="dim white",
+                    )
+                elif var == "LLM_API_BASE":
+                    error_text.append(
+                        "export LLM_API_BASE='http://localhost:11434'  # needed for local models only\n",
+                        style="dim white",
+                    )
+                elif var == "PERPLEXITY_API_KEY":
+                    error_text.append(
+                        "export PERPLEXITY_API_KEY='your-perplexity-key-here'\n", style="dim white"
                     )
 
         panel = Panel(
@@ -152,6 +199,15 @@ async def warm_up_llm() -> None:
         if api_key:
             litellm.api_key = api_key
 
+        api_base = (
+            os.getenv("LLM_API_BASE")
+            or os.getenv("OPENAI_API_BASE")
+            or os.getenv("LITELLM_BASE_URL")
+            or os.getenv("OLLAMA_API_BASE")
+        )
+        if api_base:
+            litellm.api_base = api_base
+
         test_messages = [
             {"role": "system", "content": "You are a helpful assistant."},
             {"role": "user", "content": "Reply with just 'OK'."},

strix/llm/llm.py

@@ -28,6 +28,15 @@ api_key = os.getenv("LLM_API_KEY")
 if api_key:
     litellm.api_key = api_key
 
+api_base = (
+    os.getenv("LLM_API_BASE")
+    or os.getenv("OPENAI_API_BASE")
+    or os.getenv("LITELLM_BASE_URL")
+    or os.getenv("OLLAMA_API_BASE")
+)
+if api_base:
+    litellm.api_base = api_base
+
 
 class LLMRequestFailedError(Exception):
     def __init__(self, message: str, details: str | None = None):