Roo Code Setup
Connect Roo Code to GonkaGate.
Connect Roo Code to GonkaGate through Roo’s OpenAI-compatible provider, then prove the setup in two steps: one plain-text reply and one read-only workspace task.
Set the provider values
Open Roo Code settings and set:
- API Provider:
OpenAI Compatible - Base URL:
https://api.gonkagate.com/v1 - API Key:
gp-your-api-key - Model ID: use a model from GET /v1/models
If Roo asks for advanced model configuration, treat that as Roo-specific tuning. Start with the working model ID first, then adjust optional settings only after the connection succeeds.
Before you start
- Roo Code is already installed.
- You already have a GonkaGate API key in
gp-...format. - You need the narrow Roo provider path, not a broader migration or raw SDK walkthrough.
- For real Roo workflows, you will separately validate a model and provider pair that can handle tool-driven tasks.
Verify the basic connection
Send a short prompt in Roo Code:
Reply with exactly: Roo Code connected to GonkaGate
That confirms the base URL, API key, and model ID are wired correctly.
Validate one read-only workspace task
Roo Code uses native tool calling in real coding sessions. Before you trust the setup for actual edits, run one read-only workspace prompt such as:
List the files in the current workspace and summarize the repo root without changing anything.
Treat that as a first canary before a real coding session, not as a blanket guarantee for every model or every tool-heavy workflow.
Roo-specific rules
GET /v1/modelsgives you valid GonkaGate model IDs, but it is not a tool-support contract by itself.- A plain text reply proves the connection path works. It does not prove that a tool-driven Roo workflow is ready.
- If you need Roo for real workspace tasks, validate the model against the live models catalog and the Tool Calling guide before you blame the provider setup.
Common first failures
| If you see | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
401 invalid_api_key | The key is missing, invalid, or pasted into the wrong provider profile | Recheck the key and Authentication and API Keys |
404 or model not found | The model ID does not match a current GonkaGate model from GET /v1/models | Refresh the model ID before treating the provider setup as broken |
429 insufficient_quota | The prepaid USD balance is too low for this request | Check Pricing before retrying |
429 rate_limit_exceeded | The request was throttled | Retry with bounded backoff and use Rate Limit Handling for the full policy |
| Text prompts work but workspace tasks fail | The connection path works, but the selected model/provider pair is not ready for tool-driven Roo tasks | Recheck the model against the live models catalog and the Tool Calling guide before blaming the provider setup |
Official references
Last verified: 2026-03-13 against the official Roo Code OpenAI-compatible provider docs.
See also
- Framework and Tool Guides for a different framework or coding-tool path
- Authentication and API Keys for key storage, rotation, and auth troubleshooting
- GET /v1/models to confirm the exact live model ID that Roo should use
- Tool Calling guide to validate whether the selected model/provider pair is good enough for Roo workspace tasks
