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Overview

SwitchAILocal supports multiple authentication methods for different AI providers. Login commands handle OAuth flows, API key configuration, and service account imports.

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Gemini / Google

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OAuth Login

switchAILocal --login [--project_id PROJECT_ID] [--no-browser]
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--login
boolean
Initiates Google OAuth login for Gemini API access. Opens browser for authentication unless --no-browser is specified.
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--project_id
string
Google Cloud Project ID. Not required for standard Gemini API but needed for Vertex AI.
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--no-browser
boolean
Don’t automatically open browser. Displays URL for manual authentication.
# Opens browser for Google OAuth
switchAILocal --login

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Vertex AI Import

switchAILocal --vertex-import /path/to/service-account.json
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--vertex-import
string
Path to Google Cloud service account JSON key file for Vertex AI authentication.
# Import Vertex AI service account
switchAILocal --vertex-import ~/gcp-keys/vertex-service-account.json
The service account must have the following roles:
  • roles/aiplatform.user for Vertex AI access
  • roles/ml.developer for model access

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Claude / Anthropic

switchAILocal --claude-login [--no-browser]
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--claude-login
boolean
Authenticate with Claude using OAuth flow. Opens browser for Anthropic account login.
switchAILocal --claude-login
Output: 
Claude OAuth Login
==================
Opening browser for authentication...
Callback URL: http://localhost:8765/callback
Waiting for authentication...
✓ Successfully authenticated with Claude
Credentials saved to: ~/.switchailocal/auths/claude.json

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Codex

switchAILocal --codex-login [--no-browser]
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--codex-login
boolean
Authenticate with OpenAI Codex using OAuth.

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Qwen

switchAILocal --qwen-login [--no-browser]
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--qwen-login
boolean
Authenticate with Alibaba Qwen AI using OAuth.

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Antigravity

switchAILocal --antigravity-login [--no-browser]
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--antigravity-login
boolean
Authenticate with Antigravity AI platform using OAuth.

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Ollama (Local)

switchAILocal --ollama-login
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--ollama-login
boolean
Connect to local Ollama instance. No authentication required, but verifies connectivity.
Expected Output: 
Connecting to Ollama...
Ollama endpoint: http://localhost:11434
✓ Successfully connected to Ollama
Models available: 3
  - llama2:latest
  - codellama:7b
  - mistral:latest
Ensure Ollama is running before attempting connection:
ollama serve

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Vibe (Local)

switchAILocal --vibe-login
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--vibe-login
boolean
Connect to local Vibe AI instance.

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iFlow

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OAuth Login

switchAILocal --iflow-login [--no-browser]
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--iflow-login
boolean
Authenticate with iFlow using OAuth.
switchAILocal --iflow-cookie
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--iflow-cookie
boolean
Authenticate with iFlow using browser cookies. Useful when OAuth is not available.
Cookie Login Flow: 
iFlow Cookie Authentication
============================
1. Log in to iFlow in your browser
2. Open browser DevTools (F12)
3. Go to Application > Cookies
4. Copy the session cookie value
5. Paste below:

Session Cookie: ************************
✓ Cookie authenticated successfully

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Common Flags

All login commands support the following optional flags:
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--no-browser
boolean
default:"false"
Disable automatic browser opening. Instead, display the OAuth URL in the terminal for manual authentication.Useful for:
  • Headless servers / SSH sessions
  • CI/CD environments
  • Security policies preventing browser automation

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Authentication Storage

Credentials are stored in the auth directory defined in your config: 
~/.switchailocal/auths/
├── gemini.json
├── claude.json
├── codex.json
└── ...
  • File Permissions: Auth files are automatically created with 0600 permissions (owner read/write only)
  • Token Encryption: Sensitive tokens are encrypted at rest
  • Token Rotation: OAuth tokens are automatically refreshed when expired
  • Centralized Storage: Use PostgreSQL, Git, or Object Store backends for team deployments

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Verifying Authentication

After logging in, verify your authentication status: 
# Check provider health (includes auth validation)
switchAILocal heartbeat status
Expected output: 
PROVIDER    STATUS     LATENCY    MODELS    MESSAGE
gemini      healthy    142ms      15        
claude      healthy    98ms       8         
ollama      healthy    12ms       3

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Troubleshooting

If the OAuth callback fails:
  1. Ensure no other service is using the callback port (usually 8765)
  2. Check firewall settings allow localhost connections
  3. Try --no-browser and manually complete authentication
# Manual OAuth
switchAILocal --claude-login --no-browser
# Copy URL to browser, complete auth, return to terminal
Check auth directory permissions and storage backend:
# Check auth directory
ls -la ~/.switchailocal/auths/

# Verify storage backend
echo $PGSTORE_DSN    # PostgreSQL
echo $GITSTORE_GIT_URL  # Git
OAuth tokens are refreshed automatically, but you can re-authenticate:
# Re-run login to refresh credentials
switchAILocal --claude-login