---
title: xAI Grok
url: https://arcana.otnelhq.com/docs/providers/xai
---

# xAI Grok



xAI provides Grok models with real-time data access and an OpenAI-compatible API. Easy to set up if you're already familiar with OpenAI's API format.




## Setup



```bash
# 1. Get your API key from https://console.x.ai/
export XAI_API_KEY=xai-...

# 2. Verify detection
arcana doctor

# 3. Run
arcana run "hello"
```




## Available Models



| Model | Context | Best For |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `grok-3` | 128K | General purpose, real-time data |
| `grok-3-mini` | 128K | Fast, cost-effective |




## Config File



```json
{
  "provider": "xai",
  "model": "grok-3"
}
```




## Environment Variables



| Variable | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `XAI_API_KEY` | Your xAI API key (required) |
| `XAI_BASE_URL` | Custom base URL (default: api.x.ai) |




## OpenAI-Compatible API



xAI's API is OpenAI-compatible. You can also use it via OpenAI's client by setting the base URL:



```bash
export OPENAI_API_KEY=xai-...
export OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://api.x.ai/v1
export ARCANA_MODEL=grok-3
```




## Tips



- Grok models have access to real-time X (Twitter) data
- The OpenAI-compatible API means most OpenAI tools and libraries work out of the box
- `grok-3-mini` is a good budget option for everyday tasks