DeepSeek Harness

DeepSeek Harness (dsh) is DeepSeek's open-source agent harness. It runs as a web interface or a desktop app. These steps add the exchange to it as a custom provider with an OpenAI-compatible endpoint.

A patch file holds the settings, and one environment variable holds the key. They apply only to the shell that you start it from.

Start with the Liquid CLI

The Liquid CLI writes the patch and starts dsh web with the exchange as its provider. It sets the key for that process only.

curl -fsSL https://inference.ai.exchange/cli/install.sh | bash
liquid login --browser --keys
liquid keys create laptop --save
liquid dsh

liquid dsh reads the model list of the exchange when it starts. It writes each router model, preset and model that accepts tool calls into the patch, so the model list of DeepSeek Harness shows them.

Each entry has the input window of its model and states whether the model reads images.
--filter narrows the list.
If the exchange cannot be reached, the patch holds the default model only.

Before you start

A workspace with a balance and a spend key. See API keys.
A model that supports tool calls and streaming.

1. Install DeepSeek Harness

npm install -g @deepseek-ai/dsh

2. Export the buyer key

Replace the placeholder with your buyer key. Use the same shell for each command below.

export LIQUID_API_KEY=sk-liquid-...

Setting	Purpose
`LIQUID_API_KEY`	Your buyer key. The patch names this variable and never holds a key.

3. Write the patch

DeepSeek Harness reads extra settings from a patch file. Create the folder, then write the file:

mkdir -p ~/.liquid

cat > ~/.liquid/dsh.patch.yml <<'EOF'
- id: llm-pi-ai
  config:
    providers:
      liquid:
        displayName: Liquid Inference
        apiKeyEnv: LIQUID_API_KEY
        api: openai-completions
        baseURL: "https://router.inference.ai.exchange/v1"
        headers:
          X-Title: DeepSeek Harness
          x-liquid-cap-usd: "1.00"
        defaultContextWindow: 128000
        defaultMaxTokens: 16384
        cacheRetention: long
        compat:
          supportsLongCacheRetention: true
        models:
          - id: "liquid.auto"
            input: [text, image]
- id: agent-default-model
  config:
    provider: liquid
    model: "liquid.auto"
- {id: web-search-deepseek, disabled: true}
- id: tool-web
  config:
    search: false

EOF

Setting	Why it is set
`displayName`	Shows the provider in the model list.
`apiKeyEnv`	Names the variable that holds the key.
`api`	Selects OpenAI Chat Completions.
`baseURL`	The exchange URL, with `/v1`.
`X-Title`	Gives each request the DeepSeek Harness client label.
`x-liquid-cap-usd`	Limits the charge for each request.
`defaultContextWindow`	The input window of the model. DeepSeek Harness compacts a session by it.
`defaultMaxTokens`	Limits the output of each request, and so the cap of each request.
`cacheRetention`	Sends the session as `prompt_cache_key`, so the exchange keeps the turns of one session together.
`supportsLongCacheRetention`	Allows `cacheRetention: long` for this provider.
`input`	Lets the model receive images.
`provider`	Makes the exchange the provider of the default model.
`model`	Makes the model the default.
`search`	Turns off the `web_search` tool and keeps `web_fetch`.

The last lines turn off web search. The search backend web-search-deepseek calls DeepSeek's own API with DEEPSEEK_API_KEY, which the exchange does not accept. The web_fetch tool reads a page over plain HTTP and stays on.

4. Start the web interface

dsh web --patch ~/.liquid/dsh.patch.yml

Open the address that dsh prints. Choose a workspace. Send a short request, then open Credits → Receipts to check the charge.

Notes

To use another model, add an entry under models and change model. Use an exact model, a router model or a preset. To get the current names, see the Market page. See Market data.
The cap limits each request. It does not limit the total charge of a task. To limit total spend, set a spending limit on the key. See API keys.
The model sends no reasoning effort. For a reasoning model, declare reasoningEfforts on its entry, for example {low: low, high: high}. Each key is a level of DeepSeek Harness and each value is the effort that the exchange receives. The exchange sends a request with a reasoning effort only to an offer that accepts one.
The patch uses the route of DeepSeek Harness for other endpoints. DeepSeek's own route also sends the session record and the plugin list in each request. This route sends neither.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Cause and fix
`MISSING_CREDENTIAL`	Export `LIQUID_API_KEY` in the shell that starts `dsh`.
`401`	The key is empty, wrong or expired. Check `LIQUID_API_KEY`.
`403`	Check the key's `spend` scope, address restriction and preset rules.
`402`	Add credit to the workspace or check the key's spend limit.
`404`	Keep `/v1` at the end of `baseURL`.
`model_not_found`	The model ID is not on the book. Use an exact name from the Market page.
`reasoning.effort` is not supported by any offer	Remove `reasoningEfforts` from the model entry.
A refusal that names the output limit	Set `defaultMaxTokens` to 16384 or less.

See Errors for the exchange's error codes and causes.

Next steps

Pi: another terminal agent with a provider file.
Market data: models and live offers.
API keys: scopes and spending limits.