> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.salad.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> ## Agent Instructions
> For autonomous tasks, use live SaladCloud API responses for current state, availability, quotas, models, and other dynamic values. Use current OpenAPI specifications where provided for paths, schemas, required fields, and enums. Never invent endpoints, fields, prices, availability, quotas, models, or state. Prefer API workflows over Portal steps. Read before changing and never expose credentials, signed media URLs, prompts, or sensitive outputs. Retry only safe or idempotent operations with bounded backoff, honoring Retry-After. Verify every write with a read. Stop rather than repeat an uncertain non-idempotent or billable request. AI Gateway uses an organization-specific Bearer key and live /v1/models discovery. Do not delete, cancel, stop, or reduce capacity without explicit user intent. Bind shared operation IDs to the selected product path. Treat Container Engine instances as interruptible and local state as ephemeral. Install the SaladCloud skills (npx skills add https://docs.salad.com), start from the salad skill and /agents/overview; docs MCP: https://docs.salad.com/mcp.

# Use Factory with SaladCloud

> Connect the Factory Droid coding agent to Salad AI Gateway using your own API key.

*Last Updated: September 21, 2026*

Connect [Factory's Droid CLI](https://docs.factory.ai/droid-cli/quickstart) to
[Salad AI Gateway](/ai-gateway/explanation/overview) using **BYOK (Bring Your Own Key)**. This guide uses
`qwen3.6-35b-a3b` through the OpenAI-compatible endpoint, without deploying a container group or installing the
SaladCloud AI SDK provider. Requests use [pay-per-token billing](/ai-gateway/reference/pricing).

<Note>
  This is a custom-model configuration, not a native SaladCloud entry in Factory's model catalog. Factory supports
  custom models in the CLI and desktop app, but not its hosted web or mobile platforms. This walkthrough covers the CLI
  and was tested with Droid `0.223.0`.
</Note>

## Prerequisites

* A macOS or Linux terminal running Bash for the commands below
* A [SaladCloud account](https://portal.salad.com), credits, and an organization-specific AI Gateway API key from
  [Pay-Per-Token Onboarding](/ai-gateway/tutorials/pay-per-token-onboarding)

## Step 1: Install Droid

Use Factory's installer, then check the installed version:

```bash theme={null}
curl -fsSL https://app.factory.ai/cli | sh
droid --version
```

If `droid` is not found, follow the installer's instructions to add its directory to your `PATH`. For other operating
systems and installation methods, see the [Factory quickstart](https://docs.factory.ai/droid-cli/quickstart).

## Step 2: Set Your AI Gateway Key

Enter your key at the hidden prompt so it is not included in your shell history:

```bash theme={null}
read -r -s -p 'Salad AI Gateway API key: ' SALAD_CLOUD_API_KEY
printf '\n'
export SALAD_CLOUD_API_KEY
```

Use your organization's **AI Gateway key**, not a regular SaladCloud API key or a Factory API key. Keep this terminal
open for the following steps. The export applies to this shell and programs launched from it; in a new terminal, repeat
this step or load the variable through your secret manager. Do not commit the key to your project.

## Step 3: Add the Custom Model

Create the configuration directory if necessary:

```bash theme={null}
mkdir -p ~/.factory
```

Open `~/.factory/settings.json` in your editor and add the following configuration. If the file already exists, preserve
your settings and append the model object to its `customModels` array instead of replacing the file. To disable cloud
session syncing in an existing configuration too, set its top-level `cloudSessionSync` to `false`.

```json theme={null}
{
  "cloudSessionSync": false,
  "customModels": [
    {
      "model": "qwen3.6-35b-a3b",
      "displayName": "SaladCloud-Qwen3.6-35B",
      "baseUrl": "https://ai.salad.cloud/v1",
      "apiKey": "${SALAD_CLOUD_API_KEY}",
      "provider": "generic-chat-completion-api",
      "maxOutputTokens": 8192
    }
  ]
}
```

Keep `${SALAD_CLOUD_API_KEY}` as written: Droid reads the exported variable when it starts. The example disables cloud
session syncing and uses an 8,192-token output budget; this budget is a client setting, not the model's maximum output
limit.

<Warning>
  Use `generic-chat-completion-api`, not `openai`: Factory's `openai` provider uses the Responses API. The configuration
  above uses Chat Completions and sends your key as Bearer authentication automatically. Do not add a `Salad-Api-Key`
  header or append `/chat/completions` to the base URL.
</Warning>

See [Factory's BYOK reference](https://docs.factory.ai/model-independence/byok) for the supported configuration fields.

## Step 4: Test the Connection

Run a small request from the same terminal:

```bash theme={null}
droid exec --model 'custom:SaladCloud-Qwen3.6-35B-0' \
  'Reply with exactly: FACTORY_SALAD_OK. Do not use tools.'
```

The response should contain:

```text theme={null}
FACTORY_SALAD_OK
```

Factory's CLI model ID combines `custom:`, the display name with spaces replaced by dashes, and the model's zero-based
index in `customModels`. The `-0` suffix assumes this is your first custom model. Adjust it if you appended the entry
after other models; the API model name remains `qwen3.6-35b-a3b`.

For machine-readable streamed output:

```bash theme={null}
droid exec --model 'custom:SaladCloud-Qwen3.6-35B-0' --output-format stream-json \
  'Explain in three short sentences how an AI coding assistant can help review code. Do not use tools.'
```

These commands send real requests billed to your SaladCloud organization. A zero Factory-credit count does not mean the
Salad request is free. The headless BYOK smoke test on Droid `0.223.0` worked with the Salad key alone, without a
Factory login or `FACTORY_API_KEY`.

## Step 5: Use Droid in Your Project

From your project directory, run:

```bash theme={null}
droid
```

Complete Factory's sign-in flow if prompted. Run `/model`, select **SaladCloud-Qwen3.6-35B** under **Custom models**,
and start with a read-only task such as:

> Read the README and summarize how to run this project. Do not change any files.

Review requested permissions before allowing file edits or command execution. See the
[Droid CLI reference](https://docs.factory.ai/droid-cli/cli-reference) for autonomy controls.

## Troubleshooting

* **Model not found:** check the display name and zero-based index in the `custom:` ID. Use `settings.json` with
  `customModels`, not the legacy `config.json` format.
* **Missing key or HTTP 401:** repeat Step 2 in the terminal where you launch Droid and verify that the key belongs to
  AI Gateway. The environment-variable reference does not save the key itself.
* **HTTP 404 or Responses API errors:** use `generic-chat-completion-api` and exactly `https://ai.salad.cloud/v1`.
* **Custom models blocked:** your Factory organization may restrict custom models or permitted endpoint URLs. Ask your
  administrator to allow Salad's endpoint.