# Authentication

Qwen Code supports three authentication methods. Pick the one that matches how you want to run the CLI:

- **Qwen OAuth**: sign in with your `qwen.ai` account in a browser. Free with a daily quota.
- **Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan**: use an API key from Alibaba Cloud. Paid subscription with diverse model options and higher quotas.
- **API Key**: bring your own API key. Flexible to your own needs — supports OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, and other compatible endpoints.

## Option 1: Qwen OAuth (Free)

Use this if you want the simplest setup and you're using Qwen models.

- **How it works**: on first start, Qwen Code opens a browser login page. After you finish, credentials are cached locally so you usually won't need to log in again.
- **Requirements**: a `qwen.ai` account + internet access (at least for the first login).
- **Benefits**: no API key management, automatic credential refresh.
- **Cost & quota**: free, with a quota of **60 requests/minute** and **1,000 requests/day**.

Start the CLI and follow the browser flow:

```bash
qwen
```

Or authenticate directly without starting a session:

```bash
qwen auth qwen-oauth
```

> [!note]
>
> In non-interactive or headless environments (e.g., CI, SSH, containers), you typically **cannot** complete the OAuth browser login flow.  
> In these cases, please use the Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan or API Key authentication method.

## 💳 Option 2: Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan

Use this if you want predictable costs with diverse model options and higher usage quotas.

- **How it works**: Subscribe to the Coding Plan with a fixed monthly fee, then configure Qwen Code to use the dedicated endpoint and your subscription API key.
- **Requirements**: Obtain an active Coding Plan subscription from [Alibaba Cloud ModelStudio(Beijing)](https://bailian.console.aliyun.com/cn-beijing?tab=coding-plan#/efm/coding-plan-index) or [Alibaba Cloud ModelStudio(intl)](https://modelstudio.console.alibabacloud.com/?tab=coding-plan#/efm/coding-plan-index), depending on the region of your account.
- **Benefits**: Diverse model options, higher usage quotas, predictable monthly costs, access to a wide range of models (Qwen, GLM, Kimi, Minimax and more).
- **Cost & quota**: View Aliyun ModelStudio Coding Plan documentation[Beijing](https://bailian.console.aliyun.com/cn-beijing/?tab=doc#/doc/?type=model&url=3005961)[intl](https://modelstudio.console.alibabacloud.com/?tab=doc#/doc/?type=model&url=2840914).

Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan is available in two regions:

| Region                       | Console URL                                                                  |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Aliyun ModelStudio (Beijing) | [bailian.console.aliyun.com](https://bailian.console.aliyun.com)             |
| Alibaba Cloud (intl)         | [bailian.console.alibabacloud.com](https://bailian.console.alibabacloud.com) |

### Interactive setup

You can set up Coding Plan authentication in two ways:

**Option A: From the terminal (recommended for first-time setup)**

```bash
# Interactive — prompts for region and API key
qwen auth coding-plan

# Or non-interactive — pass region and key directly
qwen auth coding-plan --region china --key sk-sp-xxxxxxxxx
```

**Option B: Inside a Qwen Code session**

Enter `qwen` in the terminal to launch Qwen Code, then run the `/auth` command and select **Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan**. Choose your region, then enter your `sk-sp-xxxxxxxxx` key.

After authentication, use the `/model` command to switch between all Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan supported models (including qwen3.5-plus, qwen3-coder-plus, qwen3-coder-next, qwen3-max, glm-4.7, and kimi-k2.5).

### Alternative: configure via `settings.json`

If you prefer to skip the interactive `/auth` flow, add the following to `~/.qwen/settings.json`:

```json
{
  "modelProviders": {
    "openai": [
      {
        "id": "qwen3-coder-plus",
        "name": "qwen3-coder-plus (Coding Plan)",
        "baseUrl": "https://coding.dashscope.aliyuncs.com/v1",
        "description": "qwen3-coder-plus from Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan",
        "envKey": "BAILIAN_CODING_PLAN_API_KEY"
      }
    ]
  },
  "env": {
    "BAILIAN_CODING_PLAN_API_KEY": "sk-sp-xxxxxxxxx"
  },
  "security": {
    "auth": {
      "selectedType": "openai"
    }
  },
  "model": {
    "name": "qwen3-coder-plus"
  }
}
```

> [!note]
>
> The Coding Plan uses a dedicated endpoint (`https://coding.dashscope.aliyuncs.com/v1`) that is different from the standard Dashscope endpoint. Make sure to use the correct `baseUrl`.

## 🚀 Option 3: API Key (flexible)

Use this if you want to connect to third-party providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Azure OpenAI, OpenRouter, ModelScope, or a self-hosted endpoint. Supports multiple protocols and providers.

### Recommended: One-file setup via `settings.json`

The simplest way to get started with API Key authentication is to put everything in a single `~/.qwen/settings.json` file. Here's a complete, ready-to-use example:

```json
{
  "modelProviders": {
    "openai": [
      {
        "id": "qwen3-coder-plus",
        "name": "qwen3-coder-plus",
        "baseUrl": "https://dashscope.aliyuncs.com/compatible-mode/v1",
        "description": "Qwen3-Coder via Dashscope",
        "envKey": "DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"
      }
    ]
  },
  "env": {
    "DASHSCOPE_API_KEY": "sk-xxxxxxxxxxxxx"
  },
  "security": {
    "auth": {
      "selectedType": "openai"
    }
  },
  "model": {
    "name": "qwen3-coder-plus"
  }
}
```

What each field does:

| Field                        | Description                                                                                                                                     |
| ---------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `modelProviders`             | Declares which models are available and how to connect to them. Keys (`openai`, `anthropic`, `gemini`) represent the API protocol.              |
| `env`                        | Stores API keys directly in `settings.json` as a fallback (lowest priority — shell `export` and `.env` files take precedence).                  |
| `security.auth.selectedType` | Tells Qwen Code which protocol to use on startup (e.g. `openai`, `anthropic`, `gemini`). Without this, you'd need to run `/auth` interactively. |
| `model.name`                 | The default model to activate when Qwen Code starts. Must match one of the `id` values in your `modelProviders`.                                |

After saving the file, just run `qwen` — no interactive `/auth` setup needed.

> [!tip]
>
> The sections below explain each part in more detail. If the quick example above works for you, feel free to skip ahead to [Security notes](#security-notes).

The key concept is **Model Providers** (`modelProviders`): Qwen Code supports multiple API protocols, not just OpenAI. You configure which providers and models are available by editing `~/.qwen/settings.json`, then switch between them at runtime with the `/model` command.

#### Supported protocols

| Protocol          | `modelProviders` key | Environment variables                                        | Providers                                                                                   |
| ----------------- | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| OpenAI-compatible | `openai`             | `OPENAI_API_KEY`, `OPENAI_BASE_URL`, `OPENAI_MODEL`          | OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, OpenRouter, ModelScope, Alibaba Cloud, any OpenAI-compatible endpoint |
| Anthropic         | `anthropic`          | `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`, `ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL`, `ANTHROPIC_MODEL` | Anthropic Claude                                                                            |
| Google GenAI      | `gemini`             | `GEMINI_API_KEY`, `GEMINI_MODEL`                             | Google Gemini                                                                               |

#### Step 1: Configure models and providers in `~/.qwen/settings.json`

Define which models are available for each protocol. Each model entry requires at minimum an `id` and an `envKey` (the environment variable name that holds your API key).

> [!important]
>
> It is recommended to define `modelProviders` in the user-scope `~/.qwen/settings.json` to avoid merge conflicts between project and user settings.

Edit `~/.qwen/settings.json` (create it if it doesn't exist). You can mix multiple protocols in a single file — here is a multi-provider example showing just the `modelProviders` section:

```json
{
  "modelProviders": {
    "openai": [
      {
        "id": "gpt-4o",
        "name": "GPT-4o",
        "envKey": "OPENAI_API_KEY",
        "baseUrl": "https://api.openai.com/v1"
      }
    ],
    "anthropic": [
      {
        "id": "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
        "name": "Claude Sonnet 4",
        "envKey": "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY"
      }
    ],
    "gemini": [
      {
        "id": "gemini-2.5-pro",
        "name": "Gemini 2.5 Pro",
        "envKey": "GEMINI_API_KEY"
      }
    ]
  }
}
```

> [!tip]
>
> Don't forget to also set `env`, `security.auth.selectedType`, and `model.name` alongside `modelProviders` — see the [complete example above](#recommended-one-file-setup-via-settingsjson) for reference.

**`ModelConfig` fields (each entry inside `modelProviders`):**

| Field              | Required | Description                                                          |
| ------------------ | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `id`               | Yes      | Model ID sent to the API (e.g. `gpt-4o`, `claude-sonnet-4-20250514`) |
| `name`             | No       | Display name in the `/model` picker (defaults to `id`)               |
| `envKey`           | Yes      | Environment variable name for the API key (e.g. `OPENAI_API_KEY`)    |
| `baseUrl`          | No       | API endpoint override (useful for proxies or custom endpoints)       |
| `generationConfig` | No       | Fine-tune `timeout`, `maxRetries`, `samplingParams`, etc.            |

> [!note]
>
> When using the `env` field in `settings.json`, credentials are stored in plain text. For better security, prefer `.env` files or shell `export` — see [Step 2](#step-2-set-environment-variables).

For the full `modelProviders` schema and advanced options like `generationConfig`, `customHeaders`, and `extra_body`, see [Model Providers Reference](model-providers.md).

#### Step 2: Set environment variables

Qwen Code reads API keys from environment variables (specified by `envKey` in your model config). There are multiple ways to provide them, listed below from **highest to lowest priority**:

**1. Shell environment / `export` (highest priority)**

Set directly in your shell profile (`~/.zshrc`, `~/.bashrc`, etc.) or inline before launching:

```bash

# Alibaba Dashscope
export DASHSCOPE_API_KEY="sk-..."

# OpenAI / OpenAI-compatible
export OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-..."

# Anthropic
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-..."

# Google GenAI
export GEMINI_API_KEY="AIza..."
```

**2. `.env` files**

Qwen Code auto-loads the **first** `.env` file it finds (variables are **not merged** across multiple files). Only variables not already present in `process.env` are loaded.

Search order (from the current directory, walking upward toward `/`):

1. `.qwen/.env` (preferred — keeps Qwen Code variables isolated from other tools)
2. `.env`

If nothing is found, it falls back to your **home directory**:

3. `~/.qwen/.env`
4. `~/.env`

> [!tip]
>
> `.qwen/.env` is recommended over `.env` to avoid conflicts with other tools. Some variables (like `DEBUG` and `DEBUG_MODE`) are excluded from project-level `.env` files to avoid interfering with Qwen Code behavior.

**3. `settings.json` → `env` field (lowest priority)**

You can also define API keys directly in `~/.qwen/settings.json` under the `env` key. These are loaded as the **lowest-priority fallback** — only applied when a variable is not already set by the system environment or `.env` files.

```json
{
  "env": {
    "DASHSCOPE_API_KEY": "sk-...",
    "OPENAI_API_KEY": "sk-...",
    "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "sk-ant-..."
  }
}
```

This is the approach used in the [one-file setup example](#recommended-one-file-setup-via-settingsjson) above. It's convenient for keeping everything in one place, but be mindful that `settings.json` may be shared or synced — prefer `.env` files for sensitive secrets.

**Priority summary:**

| Priority    | Source                         | Override behavior                            |
| ----------- | ------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- |
| 1 (highest) | CLI flags (`--openai-api-key`) | Always wins                                  |
| 2           | System env (`export`, inline)  | Overrides `.env` and `settings.json` → `env` |
| 3           | `.env` file                    | Only sets if not in system env               |
| 4 (lowest)  | `settings.json` → `env`        | Only sets if not in system env or `.env`     |

#### Step 3: Switch models with `/model`

After launching Qwen Code, use the `/model` command to switch between all configured models. Models are grouped by protocol:

```
/model
```

The picker will show all models from your `modelProviders` configuration, grouped by their protocol (e.g. `openai`, `anthropic`, `gemini`). Your selection is persisted across sessions.

You can also switch models directly with a command-line argument, which is convenient when working across multiple terminals.

```bash
# In one terminal

qwen --model "qwen3-coder-plus"

# In another terminal

qwen --model "qwen3.5-plus"
```

## `qwen auth` CLI command

In addition to the in-session `/auth` slash command, Qwen Code provides a standalone `qwen auth` CLI command for managing authentication directly from the terminal — without starting an interactive session first.

### Interactive mode

Run `qwen auth` without arguments to get an interactive menu:

```bash
qwen auth
```

You'll see a selector with arrow-key navigation:

```
Select authentication method:

> Qwen OAuth - Free · Up to 1,000 requests/day · Qwen latest models
  Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan - Paid · Up to 6,000 requests/5 hrs · All Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan Models

(Use ↑ ↓ arrows to navigate, Enter to select, Ctrl+C to exit)
```

### Subcommands

| Command                                              | Description                                       |
| ---------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| `qwen auth`                                          | Interactive authentication setup                  |
| `qwen auth qwen-oauth`                               | Authenticate with Qwen OAuth                      |
| `qwen auth coding-plan`                              | Authenticate with Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan       |
| `qwen auth coding-plan --region china --key sk-sp-…` | Non-interactive Coding Plan setup (for scripting) |
| `qwen auth status`                                   | Show current authentication status                |

**Examples:**

```bash
# Authenticate with Qwen OAuth directly
qwen auth qwen-oauth

# Set up Coding Plan interactively (prompts for region and key)
qwen auth coding-plan

# Set up Coding Plan non-interactively (useful for CI/scripting)
qwen auth coding-plan --region china --key sk-sp-xxxxxxxxx

# Check your current auth configuration
qwen auth status
```

## Security notes

- Don't commit API keys to version control.
- Prefer `.qwen/.env` for project-local secrets (and keep it out of git).
- Treat your terminal output as sensitive if it prints credentials for verification.
