Reason

Add the exchange to Reason as a Custom provider. Reason then sends its model requests to the exchange. The exchange auctions each request, sets a cap before the first token and charges for the measured use.

Reason is a hosted coding agent, built on Pi. The agent runs on the Reason servers, and its commands run on your computer. The model requests come from the Reason servers, so the base URL must be the public URL of the exchange.

Print the setup with the Liquid CLI

liquid connect reason prints the values to paste, with your model filled in.

curl -fsSL https://inference.ai.exchange/cli/install.sh | bash
liquid login
liquid connect reason

Before you start

A workspace with a balance and a spend key. See API keys.
A Reason plan that permits an API key. Reason permits API keys on its Team plan.

1. Install Reason and log in

curl -fsSL https://reasonmachines.com/install.sh | bash
reason login

2. Connect a Custom provider

Do 2a or 2b. Both save the same four values.

The base URL ends in /v1. Reason adds /chat/completions to it.
The API format is openai-completions. This is the Reason default, and the format that this setup is tested with.
List the model IDs. If the list is empty, Reason shows only part of the book.

2a. In the Reason settings

Open Reason's model settings (Settings → Models). Then select Custom → ⋯ → Add another API key. Enter these values in the order of the dialog:

API key

sk-liquid-...

Base URL

https://router.inference.ai.exchange/v1

API format

openai-completions

Model IDs

liquid.auto

2b. From a terminal

This command calls the Reason API with the login of the Reason CLI and the key in LIQUID_API_KEY. It replaces the Custom provider of your Reason organization.

creds="$HOME/.config/reason/credentials.json"
curl --fail-with-body -sS -X PUT \
  "https://api.reasonmachines.com/v3/organizations/$(jq -r .orgId "$creds")/provider-credentials/custom-endpoint" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $(jq -r .accessToken "$creds")" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d "$(jq -n --arg key "$LIQUID_API_KEY" --arg models "liquid.auto" '{
    key: $key,
    config: {
      CUSTOM_ENDPOINT_BASE_URL: "https://router.inference.ai.exchange/v1",
      CUSTOM_ENDPOINT_API: "openai-completions",
      CUSTOM_ENDPOINT_MODELS: $models
    }
  }')"

If the command fails with 401, run reason login again.

3. Run it

Reason adds the prefix byok:custom-endpoint: to each model name.

reason --model byok:custom-endpoint:liquid.auto

To run one task and print the result, add a prompt: reason "fix the flaky test" --model byok:custom-endpoint:liquid.auto.

Notes

Receipts show the client as Reason, from the Reason user agent.
Reason cannot send the x-liquid-cap-usd header. liquid.auto applies its own cap. To set a different cap, use a preset that sets one.
Reason stores the key on its servers. Give it a key with a spending limit. See API keys.
This setup is tested with Reason 0.2.260.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Cause and fix
Reason refuses the key with `api_keys_require_team_plan`.	Reason connects an API key only on its Team plan. Change the plan in Reason.
The provider check fails.	The URL is missing `/v1`, or it is not the public URL of the exchange.
The model does not appear in the picker.	The name is not in the Model IDs list. Add it and save the provider again.
A request is refused for lack of funds.	The workspace balance cannot cover the cap. Add funds on the Credits page.

Next steps

Pi: the agent that Reason is built on, with the exchange as its provider.
API keys: scopes and spending limits.
Purchasing rules: cost caps and service floors.