Connecting an AI provider

Reactive Resume doesn’t include an AI model of its own. To use the assistant, AI imports, drafting and the other AI features, connect a provider such as OpenAI, Anthropic or Google Gemini. Everything else in the app works without AI. On a self-hosted instance, the administrator can configure a shared provider. Settings then show that AI is enabled globally, and personal provider controls are hidden. You can use AI features without entering your own key. The steps below apply when personal providers are available.

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Before you start

• Get an API key from your provider’s dashboard. You pay the provider directly for what you use. A local Ollama server can connect without a key.
• Know which model you want to use, such as gpt-6-luna or claude-haiku-5-5. Reactive Resume suggests a default for each provider, but your account may not have access to every model.

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Add a provider

If the test fails, the dialog shows the provider’s own error message, such as an invalid key or an unknown model. The provider is still saved, so you can fix it later with Edit instead of starting again.

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The fields

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Supported providers

Suggestions favor fast, cost-efficient models for everyday AI tasks. They apply when adding a provider; saved models stay as selected. You can enter another model available to your account. Ollama defaults to a cloud model for its hosted base URL. For a local Ollama server, enter the name of a model installed on that server and change the base URL. Choose OpenAI-compatible for any other service that speaks the OpenAI API, such as a company gateway or LiteLLM. It needs both a model and a base URL. The base URL must start with https:// and point to a public address. On the hosted instance, that means a model running on your own computer (for example, a local Ollama) can’t be connected. Self-hosters can allow local and http:// addresses; see Environment variables.

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Test a provider again

Each saved provider appears as a row under AI providers, showing its name, model and the last four characters of the key. The row shows Off next to the name when the provider isn’t in use. Select Test on a row to check it again. The button changes to Connected with the round-trip time (for example, Connected · 420 ms), or to Failed with the provider’s error message underneath. A passed test turns the provider on; a failed test turns it off, so the app never uses a provider that isn’t answering.

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Edit, turn off or delete a provider

Select Edit on a provider’s row.

• Change the key, model, name or base URL, then select Save and test. Leave API key empty to keep the saved key. Changing the key, model or base URL turns the provider off until the new test passes.
• Turn it on or off with Use this provider. Only a provider that passed its test can be turned on. A provider that is off stays saved but isn’t offered anywhere in the app.
• Delete it with Delete provider, then confirm. The provider and its stored key are removed.

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Which provider is used

You can save several providers, for example one per account or one per model.

• One provider is your default, marked Default in Settings → AI & developer. To change it, choose Make default on another provider that’s on and tested. Every AI feature where you don’t pick a provider uses the default, and the line under each AI action names it.
• If you haven’t chosen a default, or it’s turned off, features use the enabled provider you used most recently, and if you haven’t used one yet, the oldest enabled provider you added.
• Conversations keep the provider they started with. When that provider is turned off or deleted, they continue on the default. A scheduled interview briefing does the same.
• Voice practice uses the default when its provider offers speech models, otherwise another provider that does, otherwise your browser.
• The assistant lets you switch models from the model menu in its header at any time. See Using the assistant.
• Check → Writing lets you pick the provider for each review.

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Connect from the assistant instead

If no provider is connected yet, opening the assistant in the editor shows Connect an AI provider with OpenAI, Anthropic and Other · OpenAI-compatible. Enter your key and model there and select Connect. It saves and tests the provider the same way as settings. For the other providers, use AI & developer.

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How your key is stored

Your personal API key is encrypted on the Reactive Resume server with AES-256-GCM before it’s saved, and it’s never shown again. Settings only ever show the last four characters. When a feature needs the key, the server decrypts it just long enough to call your provider. Self-hosted instances encrypt keys with the ENCRYPTION_SECRET environment variable. Until it’s set, AI & developer shows “AI providers aren’t available on this server until ENCRYPTION_SECRET is set.” If the secret changes later, saved keys can no longer be decrypted. The error asks you to enter the key again: open Settings → AI & developer, select Edit on the provider, paste the key, and select Save and test.

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What is sent to your provider

Requests go from the Reactive Resume server to the provider you chose, using your key. Requests run when you use an AI action or when an AI schedule you enabled becomes due. Each action explains its inputs and connection: Career adds these uses: Workspace text actions use your default connection. Voice settings can use another speech-capable connection or browser speech. Speech usage can be billed separately from text coaching. Automatic role discovery uses your web search connection; it does not need an AI model. See Career controls and data. Your provider handles that data under its own terms and privacy policy. Reactive Resume keeps assistant conversations and their attachments in your account until you delete the conversation.

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