What is CLI2API?

CLI2API is a self-hosted gateway that lets you use your own Qoder, WorkBuddy, and Trae accounts through a unified OpenAI-compatible API. It runs via Docker Compose and provides a web console for managing accounts, models, and client keys. The Go gateway routes requests across multiple accounts with session affinity, concurrency limits, and failover. Each Qoder account gets an isolated Node worker while other providers use in-process Go adapters. All credentials are stored in SQLite.

Should you self-host CLI2API?

CLI2API scores 45/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #25 of 39 in API Gateway. It has 282 GitHub stars.

It shipped 10 stable releases in the past year. The latest, v0.7.16, came out on 28 October 2026.

Setup is moderate: expect some configuration beyond a single command. An official Docker image is available. It is MIT-licensed and written mostly in Go.

Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is Kong Gateway (82/100, 44 311 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See CLI2API vs Kong Gateway side by side.

Features

Account check-in automationDisabled by default, per-account opt-in
Anthropic Messages API
Function Calling
Managed updatesLive upgrade/rollback acceptance still pending per documentation
Model listing
Multi-account routing
OpenAI Compatible API
OpenAI Responses API
SQLite Storage
Streaming Support
Web Console

How to configure CLI2API

CLI2API_UPDATER_SOCKET_DIRplatform-specificHost directory mounted read-only for the Linux updater socket
Host directory mounted read-only for the Linux updater socket
CROSS_PROVIDER_MODEL_POOL0When 1/true, bare model IDs can route across Qoder and WorkBuddy accounts
When 1/true, bare model IDs can route across Qoder and WorkBuddy accounts
values: 0 or 1
HOST127.0.0.1Bind address for the server
Bind address for the server
PLAIN_TEMPLATE_PATHworker/last-plain.sample.jsonPlain template path
Plain template path
PORT3010Port the server listens on
Port the server listens on
QODERCLI_JSimage defaultPinned Qoder Global CLI bundle
Pinned Qoder Global CLI bundle
QODERCNCLI_JSimage defaultPinned Qoder CN CLI bundle
Pinned Qoder CN CLI bundle
QODER_DATA_DIR/dataSQLite database and durable account credentials directory
SQLite database and durable account credentials directory
QODER_MAX_RETRY_ACCOUNTS4Maximum accounts attempted for one request (1-64)
Maximum accounts attempted for one request (1-64)
values: 1-64
QODER_NODE_BINARYnodeNode binary path
Node binary path
QODER_PROXY_URLemptyInitial global outbound proxy: http(s)://, direct, or none
Initial global outbound proxy: http(s)://, direct, or none
values: http(s)://, direct, none
QODER_RUNTIME_DIR/run/cli2apiEphemeral per-account runtime homes for providers that use child processes
Ephemeral per-account runtime homes for providers that use child processes
QODER_SIGNATURE_SECRETbuilt-inOverride the COSY request-signing secret for in-process Qoder
Override the COSY request-signing secret for in-process Qoder
QODER_SSE_DIAGNOSTIC_MODELSemptyComma-separated Qoder model IDs for redacted SSE diagnostics in Runtime Logs; * enables all
Comma-separated Qoder model IDs for redacted SSE diagnostics in Runtime Logs; * enables all
QODER_STREAM_TOTAL_MS300000Qoder worker mid-stream stall timeout in ms
Qoder worker mid-stream stall timeout in ms
QODER_STREAM_TTFB_MS30000Qoder stream first-byte deadline in ms
Qoder stream first-byte deadline in ms
values: min 5000
QODER_WORKER_BASE_PORT32100Internal child-runtime port range
Internal child-runtime port range
QODER_WORKER_DAEMONworker/src/daemon.mjsWorker daemon script path
Worker daemon script path
UPDATE_AGENT_TOKENemptyDocker Desktop updater token, written by the installer
Docker Desktop updater token, written by the installer
UPDATE_AGENT_URLemptyDocker Desktop host updater URL, written by the installer
Docker Desktop host updater URL, written by the installer
UPDATE_GITHUB_TOKENemptyOptional GitHub token for release checks
Optional GitHub token for release checks
UPDATE_SOCKET_PATH/run/cli2api-updater/updater.sockUpdater socket path
Updater socket path