# AI providers and models

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## Provider catalog

form0 uses Pi's provider and model catalog without renaming providers or overriding their
authentication capabilities. The catalog can evolve with the pinned Pi dependency; inspect the
installed version rather than relying on a static list.

```ansi
form0(ai)> /providers
form0(ai)> /models <provider>
```

The manually exercised preview baseline covers:

- OpenAI with an API key
- OpenAI Codex with subscription OAuth
- Anthropic with an API key or Claude subscription OAuth
- Google Gemini with an API key
- OpenRouter with an API key or OAuth
- Ollama local models

Other providers exposed by Pi may work, but they are not part of the manually verified baseline.

## Authentication

Use the authentication type shown by the provider catalog:

```ansi
form0(ai)> /login <provider> <api_key|oauth>
```

OAuth may offer browser or device-code flows depending on the provider. API keys are entered through
a secret prompt. Environment-variable credentials recognized by Pi remain available.

OpenAI API access and a ChatGPT/Codex subscription are separate authentication paths. Use the
OpenAI provider for an API key and the OpenAI Codex provider for subscription OAuth.

Authentication does not automatically choose a model. After login, list and select one explicitly:

```ansi
form0(ai)> /models openai-codex
form0(ai)> /model openai-codex/gpt-5.6-luna
```

## Model selection and persistence

The selected model is recorded in the Pi conversation for the canonical schema path. Leaving AI
mode and returning to the same schema restores that selection. It is not stored in the schema or in
project configuration.

Use `/model` without arguments or `/status` to inspect the current selection. `/new` and `/clear`
start a new conversation while retaining the active model. If the saved model no longer exists or
its authentication is unavailable, the CLI displays Pi's fallback warning.

## Local storage

Credentials, model catalog data, and conversations are stored below `~/.form0-cli/ai/`. Directories
are restricted to the current user, and credential and session files use user-only permissions.
Stored conversations can contain the complete schema.

Nothing is written to a form0 schema until an approved proposal is applied. Provider credentials and
model choices are never added to project configuration.

## Local and cloud models

Ollama discovery checks the local service and exposes discovered models through Pi. Local models
remain available when schema policy blocks cloud providers. Cloud selection is rejected when the
form or any field sets `allowCloud: false`; see [Privacy and security](/cli/ai-authoring/privacy-security).