About Routara LLM Gateway
Routara LLM Gateway is an MCP server for using Routara chat and media models from MCP clients. Its tools cover model discovery, chat, image and video generation, and video status checks.
Key features
- 01Searches the live model catalog
- 02Runs single- or multi-turn chat
- 03Generates images from text or references
- 04Submits text-to-video and image-to-video tasks
- 05Checks asynchronous video task status
Use cases
- 01Finding models available in the catalog
- 02Running chat through an MCP client
- 03Generating images or submitting video tasks
- 04Checking progress of video generation
MCP support
The server exposes Routara model and media operations as tools to MCP clients, including Cursor, Claude Desktop, Codex, Windsurf, and VS Code. Tool calls require a Routara API key.
Configuration
Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.
npx -y routara-mcpROUTARA_API_KEYSecretRoutara API key (sk-or-v1-...) from https://routara.ai/#authROUTARA_API_BASEOptional API base URL (default https://api.routara.ai/v1)Local servers need a runtime on your machine (e.g. Node.js 18+). Config file locations differ by client; see your client’s docs.
Tools
Local servers expose tools only once running on your machine, and the maintainer has not provided a tool list.
Details
From the project READMERoutara MCP Server
Official Model Context Protocol server for Routara. Use Routara chat, image, and video models from Cursor, Claude Desktop, Codex, Windsurf, VS Code, and other MCP clients.
- Website and setup guide: https://routara.ai/mcp?utm_source=github&utm_medium=repository&utm_campaign=mcp_quickstart
- OpenAI-compatible API: https://api.routara.ai/v1
- Create an API key: https://routara.ai/auth?mode=register&returnTo=%2Fapp&utm_source=github&utm_medium=repository&utm_campaign=mcp_quickstart
- Run a first OpenAI SDK request: Python and Node.js quickstart
- Try the API in Postman: importable first-request collection
Practical walkthroughs: Python SDK · Node.js SDK · Cursor MCP · Claude Desktop MCP
Install
npx -y routara-mcp
Or install the one-click routara-mcp.mcpb bundle from the latest GitHub release.
Tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
routara_list_models | Search and paginate the live model catalog |
routara_chat | Single-turn or multi-turn chat, including tool calls |
routara_generate_image | Text-to-image and reference-image generation |
routara_generate_video | Text-to-video and image-to-video submission |
routara_get_video_status | Poll an asynchronous video task |
MCP client configuration
{
"mcpServers": {
"routara": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "routara-mcp"],
"env": {
"ROUTARA_API_KEY": "sk-or-v1-YOUR_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
OpenAI Codex
[mcp_servers.routara]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "routara-mcp"]
enabled = true
[mcp_servers.routara.env]
ROUTARA_API_KEY = "sk-or-v1-YOUR_KEY_HERE"
After adding the config, restart your MCP client and ask it to list Routara models. Then ask it to use routara_chat with a model available to your account. The MCP connection exposes tools; it does not replace the host application's own model subscription or billing.
Environment
| Variable | Required | Default |
|---|---|---|
ROUTARA_API_KEY | Yes for tool calls | None |
ROUTARA_API_BASE | No | https://api.routara.ai/v1 |
ROUTARA_API_TIMEOUT_MS | No | 30000 |
The process can start and complete the MCP handshake without an API key. A key is resolved only when a Routara tool is invoked, which lets directories validate the server safely.
Reliability and compatibility
- Requests time out instead of hanging indefinitely.
- Transient network errors, HTTP 429, and HTTP 5xx responses are retried with bounded backoff.
- API errors include the upstream request ID and retry delay when available.
routara_chatreturns the complete OpenAI-compatible response, preserving reasoning content and tool calls.- Media parameters are forwarded only when explicitly supplied; model-specific support varies.
Development
npm ci
npm run build
npm test
npm run validate:registry
npm run build:mcpb
For a live API smoke test:
ROUTARA_API_KEY=sk-or-v1-... npm run test:live
Directory listings
Security
Do not commit API keys. If a key is exposed, revoke it in the Routara dashboard immediately. Please report security issues privately to [email protected].
License
MIT
Comments
New to MCP?
From what the protocol is to installing your first server, these answers cover most first questions.
An open protocol that defines how AI applications connect to external tools and data in a uniform way. Clients talk to the model; MCP servers provide tools, resources and prompt templates. They exchange standard messages, so one server can be reused by many clients.