How to Configure Wigolo to Use Different LLM Providers (Gemini, Anthropic, OpenAI, Ollama)

Configure Wigolo to synthesize answers using Gemini, Anthropic, OpenAI, or Ollama by setting the WIGOLO_LLM_PROVIDER environment variable and the corresponding API key.

Wigolo is a keyless search and research tool where only the final answer synthesis step requires an LLM. According to the KnockOutEZ/wigolo source code, you can switch between cloud providers and local models using environment variables that are read at runtime in src/search/answer-synthesis.ts.

Core Environment Variables

Wigolo reads a specific set of environment variables to determine which LLM provider to use for synthesis. These are documented in docs/configuration.md lines 96-108.

Variable	Purpose	Example Values
WIGOLO_LLM_PROVIDER	Selects the provider backend	gemini, anthropic, openai, groq, ollama
WIGOLO_LLM_MODEL	Overrides the default model	gemini-1.5-flash, claude-3-5-sonnet, gpt-4o, llama3:8b
WIGOLO_LLM_API_KEY	Generic key slot populated by wigolo init	Stored in OS keychain
Provider-specific keys	Alternative to generic key slot	GEMINI_API_KEY, ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, OPENAI_API_KEY, GROQ_API_KEY
WIGOLO_LLM_BASE_URL	Endpoint for Ollama or compatible APIs	http://localhost:11434
WIGOLO_LLM_CACHE_TTL_DAYS	Synthesis cache duration	7 (default)

When WIGOLO_LLM_PROVIDER is unset, Wigolo operates in keyless mode and returns a raw brief with evidence instead of a polished synthesis.

Provider-Specific Configuration

Each provider requires specific environment variables and offers different default models. The implementation adapters live in src/integrations/cloud/llm/.

Google Gemini

Gemini requires a free API key from Google AI Studio.

• Required variable: GEMINI_API_KEY
• Default model: gemini-2.5-flash-lite
• Implementation: src/integrations/cloud/llm/gemini.ts

export WIGOLO_LLM_PROVIDER=gemini
export GEMINI_API_KEY=YOUR_GEMINI_KEY
wigolo search "latest Rust async patterns" --format answer

Anthropic Claude

Anthropic integration uses the Claude API for synthesis.

• Required variable: ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
• Default model: claude-3-5-sonnet-20240620
• Implementation: src/integrations/cloud/llm/anthropic.ts

export WIGOLO_LLM_PROVIDER=anthropic
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=YOUR_ANTHROPIC_KEY
wigolo search "explain quantum tunnelling" --format answer

OpenAI

OpenAI integration supports GPT-4o and other models via the standard API.

• Required variable: OPENAI_API_KEY
• Default model: gpt-4o
• Implementation: src/integrations/cloud/llm/openai.ts

export WIGOLO_LLM_PROVIDER=openai
export OPENAI_API_KEY=YOUR_OPENAI_KEY
wigolo search "best practices for Dockerfile layering" --format answer

Ollama (Local)

Ollama allows running synthesis entirely locally without external API keys.

• Required variable: None (uses local server)
• Base URL: WIGOLO_LLM_BASE_URL (defaults to http://localhost:11434)
• Default model: Provider default (e.g., llama3:8b)
• Implementation: src/integrations/cloud/llm/ollama.ts (handled via OpenAI-compatible client)

export WIGOLO_LLM_PROVIDER=ollama
export WIGOLO_LLM_BASE_URL=http://localhost:11434
wigolo search "summarize the Rust book chapter 4" --format answer

Configuration Methods

You can configure Wigolo through command-line exports, persistent config, or JSON files.

Command-Line Usage

Set environment variables inline for one-off searches:

WIGOLO_LLM_PROVIDER=gemini GEMINI_API_KEY=xxx wigolo search "query" --format answer

Persistent Configuration

Use the built-in config command to store settings securely:

# Interactive TUI

wigolo config

# Headless configuration

wigolo config --set WIGOLO_LLM_PROVIDER=gemini
wigolo config --set GEMINI_API_KEY=YOUR_GEMINI_KEY

Keys are stored in the OS keychain, not in plaintext configuration files.

JSON Configuration File

For advanced use cases, create ~/.wigolo/config.json:

{
  "WIGOLO_LLM_PROVIDER": "openai",
  "WIGOLO_LLM_MODEL": "gpt-4o"
}

Point to a custom location using WIGOLO_CONFIG_PATH. Note that API keys should still be supplied via environment variables or the keychain, not this JSON file.

How Provider Selection Works

The selection logic resides in src/search/answer-synthesis.ts lines 239-262. The flow follows these steps:

1. Read WIGOLO_LLM_PROVIDER from environment variables.
2. Load the corresponding adapter function (callGemini, callAnthropic, callOpenAI, or Ollama handler).
3. Resolve the API key from provider-specific environment variables or the generic WIGOLO_LLM_API_KEY.
4. Override the default model if WIGOLO_LLM_MODEL is set.
5. Execute the LLM call, cache the result per WIGOLO_LLM_CACHE_TTL_DAYS, and return the synthesized answer.

This architecture keeps the search, fetch, and crawl pipelines completely keyless while isolating LLM dependencies to the synthesis stage.

Summary

• Wigolo only requires LLM configuration for the answer synthesis step triggered by --format answer or research/agent commands.
• Set WIGOLO_LLM_PROVIDER to gemini, anthropic, openai, or ollama to select your backend.
• Provide API keys via provider-specific environment variables or the generic WIGOLO_LLM_API_KEY stored in the OS keychain.
• Use WIGOLO_LLM_MODEL to override default models like gemini-2.5-flash-lite, claude-3-5-sonnet-20240620, or gpt-4o.
• Configure Ollama locally by pointing WIGOLO_LLM_BASE_URL to your server endpoint (default http://localhost:11434).
• When no provider is configured, Wigolo falls back to keyless mode returning raw briefs instead of synthesized answers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an API key to use all Wigolo features?

No. According to the source code, Wigolo's search, fetch, crawl, and embedding pipelines are completely keyless. You only need an API key when using format: "answer" or the research/agent commands that trigger answer synthesis. Without a key, Wigolo returns a raw brief with source evidence instead of a written answer.

Can I use a custom OpenAI-compatible endpoint instead of Ollama?

Yes. While Ollama is the documented local option, you can point WIGOLO_LLM_PROVIDER=ollama and set WIGOLO_LLM_BASE_URL to any OpenAI-compatible API endpoint. This allows integration with custom proxies or alternative hosting solutions that follow the OpenAI API specification.

How does Wigolo store my API keys securely?

When using wigolo config --set, keys are stored in your operating system's native keychain (Keychain on macOS, Credential Manager on Windows, or Secret Service on Linux) rather than plaintext files. The generic WIGOLO_LLM_API_KEY slot is populated by wigolo init --provider and retrieved securely at runtime.

What happens if I set the provider but not the model?

Wigolo uses provider-specific defaults defined in the adapter files. For Gemini it defaults to gemini-2.5-flash-lite, for Anthropic claude-3-5-sonnet-20240620, and for OpenAI gpt-4o. Ollama uses whatever default model is configured on your local server. You can override these by setting WIGOLO_LLM_MODEL.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}