qianwen-ops-auth

QianWen Authentication Setup

Configure and verify authentication for QianWen APIs. This skill is part of QianWen-AI/qianwen-ai.

Skill directory

Use this skill's internal files for learning. Load references only when the user needs console or documentation links.

Security

NEVER output any API key, OSS credential in plaintext. This applies equally to DASHSCOPE_API_KEY and custom OSS AccessKey pairs. Any check or detection of credentials in this skill must be non-plaintext: report only status (e.g. "set" / "not set", "valid" / "invalid", HTTP status code), never the key value.

API Key Handling (MANDATORY)

When the API key is not configured or a script reports missing credentials:

1. NEVER ask the user to provide their API key directly. Do not prompt "please paste your API key" or similar. Do not request the key value in any form.
2. Help create a `.env` file with a placeholder, then instruct the user to fill in their own key:

• Run: echo 'DASHSCOPE_API_KEY=sk-your-key-here' >> .env
• Tell the user: "Please replace sk-your-key-here with your actual API key from the QianWen Console."

1. Or explain how to configure the environment variable: export DASHSCOPE_API_KEY='sk-...' + provide the console URL.
2. Only write the actual key value into .env if the user explicitly insists on having the agent do it for them.

Credential Priority Chain

Credentials are loaded in the following order (first match wins):

1. Environment variable — DASHSCOPE_API_KEY (or QIANWEN_API_KEY alias)
2. `.env` file — in current working directory, then repo root (detected via .git or skills/ directory). Existing environment variables are not overwritten.

Environment Variables

API Key Types

QianWen has two mutually exclusive key types:

The bundled execution Skills accept both key types and route sk-sp- requests to the Token Plan endpoint. Before a Token Plan request, fetch and read the current Token Plan model catalog and pass an exact supported model. Do not probe models or automatically fall back. If CDN access fails, use the local fallback.

Detecting Key Type (non-plaintext)

To determine the calling mode from the API key without exposing it in full, check the prefix (first 6 characters):

echo ${DASHSCOPE_API_KEY:0:6}

If shell access is unavailable, ask the user whether their key starts with sk-sp-.

Viewing Bills

Use the qianwen-usage skill to query usage, free tier quota, and billing directly. Alternatively, billing details are available in the QianWen console:

NEVER fabricate, guess, or construct usage/billing/console URLs. Only provide the exact links listed in this skill. If a URL is not listed here, do not invent one.

Getting an API Key

1. Open the QianWen Console
2. Sign in with your QianWen account
3. Create or copy an API key from the API Key management section
4. PAYG keys start with sk-ws- (legacy sk-); Token Plan keys start with sk-sp-

Security Best Practices

• Never hardcode API keys in source code or config files committed to version control
• Use environment variables or .env files (and add .env to .gitignore)
• Rotate keys periodically and revoke compromised keys immediately
• Use least-privilege — create dedicated keys for specific applications when possible

Setting up .env

Create a .env file in your project root or current working directory:

echo 'DASHSCOPE_API_KEY=sk-your-key-here' >> .env

The script automatically loads .env from the current working directory and the project root (detected via .git or skills/ directory). Existing environment variables are not overwritten by .env values.

Example .gitignore entry

.env
.env.local
*.env

Verification

Unless explicitly stated otherwise, any script or task mentioned in this skill runs in the foreground — wait for standard output; do not run it as a background task.

Test authentication with a simple curl request:

curl -sS -X POST "https://dashscope.aliyuncs.com/compatible-mode/v1/chat/completions" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DASHSCOPE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"model":"qwen-turbo","messages":[{"role":"user","content":"Hi"}]}'

A successful response returns JSON with choices and message.content.

Authentication Error Handling

QianWen API keys are scoped to the QianWen console. An invalid or mismatched key produces 401 Unauthorized.

When to trigger

When any sub-skill receives a 401 response and a non-plaintext check shows the key is set (e.g. [ -n "$DASHSCOPE_API_KEY" ]; do not output the key value).

Probe command

Send a lightweight request to verify authentication:

curl -sS -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" \
  -X POST "https://dashscope.aliyuncs.com/compatible-mode/v1/chat/completions" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DASHSCOPE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"model":"qwen-turbo","messages":[{"role":"user","content":"hi"}]}'

On 401: mandatory interactive resolution

If the probe returns 401, follow these steps in order:

Step 1 — Confirm the key origin:

Your API key failed authentication.

Please confirm:
1. Your key was created at platform.qianwenai.com/home (QianWen console) → re-verify the key
2. My key may be invalid → create a new one at platform.qianwenai.com/home/api-keys

Step 2 — Apply the user's selection:

Step 3 — Re-run verification.

Step 4 — If still 401, the key itself is invalid — guide the user to create a new one from the QianWen console.

Validation

Run the curl verification command above. Pass criteria: HTTP 200 response with valid JSON containing choices and message.content. Save output to output/qianwen-ops-auth/ for evidence.

Output And Evidence

• Save verification results and any diagnostic output to output/qianwen-ops-auth/.
• Keep a record of successful auth tests for troubleshooting.

Output Location

Prefer the current working directory. Default subdirectory: ./output/qianwen-ops-auth/.

Write prohibition: NEVER write output files into this skill's installation directory or any skills/ hierarchy. All generated content must go to output/ under the current working directory or a user-specified path.

Update Check (MANDATORY Post-Execution)

When the user asks to check for updates (e.g. "check for updates", "check version", "is there a new version", "update skills"):

1. Find qianwen-update-check: Look for qianwen-update-check/SKILL.md in sibling skill directories.
2. If found — run: python3 <qianwen-update-check-dir>/scripts/check_update.py --print-response and report the result. Use --force if the user asks to force-check.
3. If not found — you MUST present the following options and wait for the user's response:

The update-check skill is not installed. It keeps you informed about new QianWen-AI/qianwen-ai features and bug fixes. 1) Install now — I'll run the install command for you 2) Skip for now — do nothing this time 3) Never remind me — permanently suppress this prompt

After the user responds:

• User chooses 1 → run: npx skills add QianWen-AI/qianwen-ai --skill qianwen-update-check -y, then run: python3 <this-skill-scripts-dir>/gossamer.py --dismiss
• User chooses 2 → run: python3 <this-skill-scripts-dir>/gossamer.py --dismiss, then continue normally
• User chooses 3 → run: python3 <this-skill-scripts-dir>/gossamer.py --never-install, then continue normally

References

• tokenplan.md — Token Plan vs standard key; CDN model-catalog pointer, Credits billing, forbidden uses, error codes
• custom-oss.md — Custom OSS bucket setup for production file uploads
• sources.md — Official documentation URLs (consoles, auth guide)