Make your first request

Run one local gateway, issue a virtual key, and send an Anthropic Messages request. This evaluation uses SQLite, loopback listeners, and local audit files. It does not deploy shared enforcement.

Before you start

You need Git, the Go toolchain required by go.mod, curl, OpenSSL, and an Anthropic API key with access to the example model. Requests incur your provider's normal charges. For a different provider, adapt the self-hosted example or use the client and provider guide.

1. Build and prepare private state

Run these commands from the repository root in a Bash terminal:

git clone https://github.com/inferplane/inferplane.git
cd inferplane
CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -trimpath -o bin/mayu ./cmd/mayu
umask 077
mkdir -p .local/inferplane

The quickstart configuration stores keys and audit files under .local/inferplane/, relative to this directory. Both listeners bind to 127.0.0.1.

2. Supply server credentials

read -rsp 'Anthropic API key: ' ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
echo
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
INFERPLANE_ADMIN_TOKEN="$(openssl rand -hex 32)"
export INFERPLANE_ADMIN_TOKEN

bin/mayu pricing check --config examples/config.quickstart.json

The config contains only secret references. The provider key stays in the server terminal. pricing check must pass before continuing; the bundled catalog is an estimate for internal accounting, not a current provider quote. Confirm model access and applicable rates for your account before evaluating financial limits.

3. Issue a client key and start the gateway

bin/mayu keys create \
  --config examples/config.quickstart.json \
  --team demo --models claude-sonnet-4-6

bin/mayu serve --config examples/config.quickstart.json

Store the first output line, the virtual key, in your secret manager. Plaintext is shown once. The following key_id is metadata, not a usable credential. Using --config ensures issuance and the gateway use the same database.

4. Verify from another terminal

curl --fail-with-body http://127.0.0.1:9090/readyz

read -rsp 'Virtual key: ' INFERPLANE_API_KEY
echo
export INFERPLANE_API_KEY

curl --fail-with-body http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/messages \
  -H "x-api-key: $INFERPLANE_API_KEY" \
  -H 'anthropic-version: 2023-06-01' \
  -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "model": "claude-sonnet-4-6",
    "max_tokens": 64,
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Reply with: gateway connected"}]
  }'

Expect readiness HTTP 200 and a Messages response containing text and usage. A 401 usually means the wrong virtual key or database; an upstream access error means the server's provider credentials/model access need attention.

To try Claude Code from the client terminal:

ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8080 \
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="$INFERPLANE_API_KEY" \
claude --model claude-sonnet-4-6

5. Inspect and stop

The admin console is at http://127.0.0.1:9090/admin/ui/; authenticated actions need the server's admin token. In another terminal at the repository root:

bin/mayu report --file .local/inferplane/audit.jsonl --by team,model
bin/mayu audit verify --file .local/inferplane/audit.jsonl

Stop the server with Ctrl-C. Keep state files to preserve key records and audit evidence. Local monetary/rate/token counters are in memory; restarting is not a durable budget continuation.

Next, choose a deployment profile, review security boundaries, and configure routing and policy. Do not expose the quickstart listeners by changing their bind addresses before selecting authentication, TLS, and network controls.