feat: Azure OpenAI / Azure AI Foundry support. Models should be defined in conf/azure_models.json (or a custom path). See .env.example for environment variables or see readme. https://github.com/BeehiveInnovations/zen-mcp-server/issues/265 feat: OpenRouter / Custom Models / Azure can separately also use custom config paths now (see .env.example ) refactor: Model registry class made abstract, OpenRouter / Custom Provider / Azure OpenAI now subclass these refactor: breaking change: `is_custom` property has been removed from model_capabilities.py (and thus custom_models.json) given each models are now read from separate configuration files
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Configuration Guide
This guide covers all configuration options for the Zen MCP Server. The server is configured through environment variables defined in your .env file.
Quick Start Configuration
Auto Mode (Recommended): Set DEFAULT_MODEL=auto and let Claude intelligently select the best model for each task:
# Basic configuration
DEFAULT_MODEL=auto
GEMINI_API_KEY=your-gemini-key
OPENAI_API_KEY=your-openai-key
Complete Configuration Reference
Required Configuration
Workspace Root:
### API Keys (At least one required)
**Important:** Use EITHER OpenRouter OR native APIs, not both! Having both creates ambiguity about which provider serves each model.
**Option 1: Native APIs (Recommended for direct access)**
```env
# Google Gemini API
GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_api_key_here
# Get from: https://makersuite.google.com/app/apikey
# OpenAI API
OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key_here
# Get from: https://platform.openai.com/api-keys
# X.AI GROK API
XAI_API_KEY=your_xai_api_key_here
# Get from: https://console.x.ai/
Option 2: OpenRouter (Access multiple models through one API)
# OpenRouter for unified model access
OPENROUTER_API_KEY=your_openrouter_api_key_here
# Get from: https://openrouter.ai/
# If using OpenRouter, comment out native API keys above
Option 3: Custom API Endpoints (Local models)
# For Ollama, vLLM, LM Studio, etc.
CUSTOM_API_URL=http://localhost:11434/v1 # Ollama example
CUSTOM_API_KEY= # Empty for Ollama
CUSTOM_MODEL_NAME=llama3.2 # Default model
Local Model Connection:
- Use standard localhost URLs since the server runs natively
- Example:
http://localhost:11434/v1for Ollama
Model Configuration
Default Model Selection:
# Options: 'auto', 'pro', 'flash', 'o3', 'o3-mini', 'o4-mini', etc.
DEFAULT_MODEL=auto # Claude picks best model for each task (recommended)
Available Models:
auto: Claude automatically selects the optimal modelpro(Gemini 2.5 Pro): Extended thinking, deep analysisflash(Gemini 2.0 Flash): Ultra-fast responseso3: Strong logical reasoning (200K context)o3-mini: Balanced speed/quality (200K context)o4-mini: Latest reasoning model, optimized for shorter contextsgrok-3: GROK-3 advanced reasoning (131K context)grok-4-latest: GROK-4 latest flagship model (256K context)- Custom models: via OpenRouter or local APIs
Thinking Mode Configuration
Default Thinking Mode for ThinkDeep:
# Only applies to models supporting extended thinking (e.g., Gemini 2.5 Pro)
DEFAULT_THINKING_MODE_THINKDEEP=high
# Available modes and token consumption:
# minimal: 128 tokens - Quick analysis, fastest response
# low: 2,048 tokens - Light reasoning tasks
# medium: 8,192 tokens - Balanced reasoning
# high: 16,384 tokens - Complex analysis (recommended for thinkdeep)
# max: 32,768 tokens - Maximum reasoning depth
Model Usage Restrictions
Control which models can be used from each provider for cost control, compliance, or standardization:
# Format: Comma-separated list (case-insensitive, whitespace tolerant)
# Empty or unset = all models allowed (default)
# OpenAI model restrictions
OPENAI_ALLOWED_MODELS=o3-mini,o4-mini,mini
# Gemini model restrictions
GOOGLE_ALLOWED_MODELS=flash,pro
# X.AI GROK model restrictions
XAI_ALLOWED_MODELS=grok-3,grok-3-fast,grok-4-latest
# OpenRouter model restrictions (affects models via custom provider)
OPENROUTER_ALLOWED_MODELS=opus,sonnet,mistral
Supported Model Names:
OpenAI Models:
o3(200K context, high reasoning)o3-mini(200K context, balanced)o4-mini(200K context, latest balanced)mini(shorthand for o4-mini)
Gemini Models:
gemini-2.5-flash(1M context, fast)gemini-2.5-pro(1M context, powerful)flash(shorthand for Flash model)pro(shorthand for Pro model)
X.AI GROK Models:
grok-4-latest(256K context, latest flagship model with reasoning, vision, and structured outputs)grok-3(131K context, advanced reasoning)grok-3-fast(131K context, higher performance)grok(shorthand for grok-4-latest)grok4(shorthand for grok-4-latest)grok3(shorthand for grok-3)grokfast(shorthand for grok-3-fast)
Example Configurations:
# Cost control - only cheap models
OPENAI_ALLOWED_MODELS=o4-mini
GOOGLE_ALLOWED_MODELS=flash
# Single model standardization
OPENAI_ALLOWED_MODELS=o4-mini
GOOGLE_ALLOWED_MODELS=pro
# Balanced selection
GOOGLE_ALLOWED_MODELS=flash,pro
XAI_ALLOWED_MODELS=grok,grok-3-fast
Advanced Configuration
Custom Model Configuration:
# Override default location of custom_models.json
CUSTOM_MODELS_CONFIG_PATH=/path/to/your/custom_models.json
# Override default location of openrouter_models.json
OPENROUTER_MODELS_CONFIG_PATH=/path/to/your/openrouter_models.json
Conversation Settings:
# How long AI-to-AI conversation threads persist in memory (hours)
# Conversations are auto-purged when claude closes its MCP connection or
# when a session is quit / re-launched
CONVERSATION_TIMEOUT_HOURS=5
# Maximum conversation turns (each exchange = 2 turns)
MAX_CONVERSATION_TURNS=20
Logging Configuration:
# Logging level: DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR
LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG # Default: shows detailed operational messages
Configuration Examples
Development Setup
# Development with multiple providers
DEFAULT_MODEL=auto
GEMINI_API_KEY=your-gemini-key
OPENAI_API_KEY=your-openai-key
XAI_API_KEY=your-xai-key
LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG
CONVERSATION_TIMEOUT_HOURS=1
Production Setup
# Production with cost controls
DEFAULT_MODEL=auto
GEMINI_API_KEY=your-gemini-key
OPENAI_API_KEY=your-openai-key
GOOGLE_ALLOWED_MODELS=flash
OPENAI_ALLOWED_MODELS=o4-mini
LOG_LEVEL=INFO
CONVERSATION_TIMEOUT_HOURS=3
Local Development
# Local models only
DEFAULT_MODEL=llama3.2
CUSTOM_API_URL=http://localhost:11434/v1
CUSTOM_API_KEY=
CUSTOM_MODEL_NAME=llama3.2
LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG
OpenRouter Only
# Single API for multiple models
DEFAULT_MODEL=auto
OPENROUTER_API_KEY=your-openrouter-key
OPENROUTER_ALLOWED_MODELS=opus,sonnet,gpt-4
LOG_LEVEL=INFO
Important Notes
Local Networking:
- Use standard localhost URLs for local models
- The server runs as a native Python process
API Key Priority:
- Native APIs take priority over OpenRouter when both are configured
- Avoid configuring both native and OpenRouter for the same models
Model Restrictions:
- Apply to all usage including auto mode
- Empty/unset = all models allowed
- Invalid model names are warned about at startup
Configuration Changes:
- Restart the server with
./run-server.shafter changing.env - Configuration is loaded once at startup
Related Documentation
- Advanced Usage Guide - Advanced model usage patterns, thinking modes, and power user workflows
- Context Revival Guide - Conversation persistence and context revival across sessions
- AI-to-AI Collaboration Guide - Multi-model coordination and conversation threading