ruvnet/ruflo · error · AuthenticationError

AUTHENTICATION

AUTHENTICATION

Error message

OpenAI API key is required

What it means

OpenAIProvider.doInitialize() runs during provider.initialize(); if config.apiKey is falsy it throws AuthenticationError before any HTTP call. The key becomes the Authorization: Bearer header against https://api.openai.com/v1 (or config.apiUrl), and providerOptions.organization optionally sets the OpenAI-Organization header.

Source

Thrown at v3/@claude-flow/providers/src/openai-provider.ts:180

      },
      'o3-mini': {
        promptCostPer1k: 0.0011,
        completionCostPer1k: 0.0044,
        currency: 'USD',
      },
    },
  };

  private baseUrl: string = 'https://api.openai.com/v1';
  private headers: Record<string, string> = {};

  constructor(options: BaseProviderOptions) {
    super(options);
  }

  protected async doInitialize(): Promise<void> {
    if (!this.config.apiKey) {
      throw new AuthenticationError('OpenAI API key is required', 'openai');
    }

    this.baseUrl = this.config.apiUrl || 'https://api.openai.com/v1';
    this.headers = {
      Authorization: `Bearer ${this.config.apiKey}`,
      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    };

    if (this.config.providerOptions?.organization) {
      this.headers['OpenAI-Organization'] = this.config.providerOptions.organization as string;
    }
  }

  protected async doComplete(request: LLMRequest): Promise<LLMResponse> {
    const openAIRequest = this.buildRequest(request);

    const controller = new AbortController();
    const timeout = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), this.config.timeout || 60000);

View on GitHub (pinned to fa13ee4ad6)

Solutions

1. Pass the key explicitly: config: { apiKey: process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY, model: 'gpt-4o' }
2. Verify the env var in the actual runtime: printenv OPENAI_API_KEY (or docker exec ... printenv)
3. Load .env before constructing the provider (import 'dotenv/config' or node --env-file=.env)
4. Add a startup check that fails with a clear message when required keys are absent

Example fix

// before
// node app.js  (no dotenv loaded)
const provider = new OpenAIProvider({
  name: 'openai',
  config: { model: 'gpt-4o' }, // apiKey undefined -> AuthenticationError at initialize()
});

// after
// node --env-file=.env app.js
const provider = new OpenAIProvider({
  name: 'openai',
  config: { apiKey: process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY!, model: 'gpt-4o' },
});

const apiKey = process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY;
if (!apiKey) {
  throw new Error('OPENAI_API_KEY is not set - cannot create openai provider');
}
const provider = new OpenAIProvider({ name: 'openai', config: { apiKey, model: 'gpt-4o' } });

import { AuthenticationError } from './types.js';
function isAuthError(e: unknown): e is AuthenticationError {
  return e instanceof AuthenticationError;
}

try {
  await provider.initialize();
} catch (e) {
  if (e instanceof AuthenticationError) {
    throw new Error(`openai credentials missing or invalid: ${e.message}`); // config bug - no retry
  }
  throw e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: new OpenAIProvider({ name: 'openai', config: { model: 'gpt-4o' } }) with no apiKey, or apiKey: process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY when the variable is unset in that runtime.

Common situations: OPENAI_API_KEY missing in CI/CD or Docker (secret not mounted); .env file present but not loaded (missing --env-file / dotenv import); key named OPENAI_KEY instead of OPENAI_API_KEY.

Related errors

• AUTHENTICATION
• AUTHENTICATION
• Config manager is disabled
• Model is required for ${this.name} provider
• unknown game "${key}". Known: ${Object.keys(GAMES).join(', '

AI-assisted analysis of ruvnet/ruflo@fa13ee4ad6 (2026-08-18). Data as JSON: /api/errors/4c5fb991191b966b. Report an issue: GitHub.