How to Connect Bluehost AI Credits to gstack

Power gstack directly using the AI Credits balance tied to your Bluehost account. gstack doesn't have its own model settings screen — it's a set of Claude Code skills, so it always uses whatever backend Claude Code itself is authenticated with. Connecting AI Credits to gstack means pointing the underlying Claude Code session at the Bluehost AI Credits Gateway instead of (or in addition to) a personal Anthropic API key.

This article assumes you already have gstack running on a Bluehost Self-Managed VPS or Virtual Dedicated Server (VDS).

If you haven't installed gstack yet, see:

Before You Start

Ensure you have the following prerequisites ready:

gstack Instance: Installed and reachable over SSH, with the gstack system user available.
Access Level: Root SSH access to your VPS or VDS.
Bluehost Account: An active account with an available AI credit balance.

Note: You will need an AI Credits API key and Gateway endpoint. If you haven't created a key yet, see How to Manage Your Bluehost API Keys. For an overview of how the system works, see Understanding AI Credits. If you don't have a credit balance yet, see How to Purchase Bluehost AI Credits.

Connect Bluehost AI Credits to gstack

gstack runs entirely on top of Claude Code, so there's no separate "model provider" screen to configure. Instead, Claude Code (and every gstack skill built on it) reads its connection details from environment variables the first time it's launched in a session.

First Time Setup

Follow these steps to connect to your VPS or VDS, switch to the gstack user, and configure your AI Credits key.

Log in to your Bluehost Portal.
In the left-hand menu, click the Hosting tab.
Locate the server you want to manage, then click View Details in the bottom-left corner to expand the section and access additional server information.
Click the Reset Password.
In the pop-up window, type your new root password, then click Reset Password again to confirm and save the changes.

Verify that your variables are correctly loaded in your current shell:

echo $AI_GATEWAY_URL echo $AI_API_KEY

Example Output

gstack@server-123456:~$ echo $AI_GATEWAY_URL
echo $AI_API_KEY
https://gateway.ai.bluehost.com
sk-abc_123testab12

Connect to your server via SSH.
Use your VPS IP and credentials with an SSH client, follow the prompts, and enter your root password when asked:
Replace your_server_ip with your actual server IP address.
```
ssh root@your_server_ip
```

Switch to the gstack user session. gstack runs under its own user account for security:

machinectl shell gstack@

Example Output

root@server-12345:~# machinectl shell gstack@
Connected to the local host. Press ^] three times within 1s to exit session.
gstack@server-12345:~$

Set your AI Credits connection details as environment variables in the gstack user's shell profile so they're loaded automatically every time you start a session. Open the profile file:

nano ~/.bashrc

or

vi ~/.bashrc

Add the following two lines at the end of the file:
Replace your_ai_credits_key with the AI Credits API key from your Bluehost Portal.
```
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://gateway.ai.bluehost.com"
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="your_ai_credits_key"
      
```
Claude Code still requires ANTHROPIC_API_KEY to be set to something — if your gateway authenticates purely through ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN, you can set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY to any placeholder value alongside it.
Save the file (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X), then reload it so the variables are active in your current session:

source ~/.bashrc
Navigate to your project directory and start a Claude Code session as usual:

cd ~/my-project claude

Because ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL and ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN are already set, Claude Code skips the interactive claude auth login flow and routes requests through your AI Credits balance instead.

Example Output

Welcome to Claude Code v2.1.186
..........................................................

     *                                       █████▓▓░
                                 *         ███▓░     ░░
            ░░░░░░                        ███▓░
    ░░░   ░░░░░░░░░░                      ███▓░
   ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░    *                ██▓░░      ▓
                                             ░▓▓███▓▓░
 *                                 ░░░░
                                 ░░░░░░░░
                               ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
       █████████                                        *
      ██▄█████▄██                        *
       █████████      *
.......█ █   █ █..........................................

 Let's get started.

 Choose the text style that looks best with your terminal
 To change this later, run /theme

   1. Auto (match terminal)
 ❯ 2. Dark mode ✔
   3. Light mode
   4. Dark mode (colorblind-friendly)
   5. Light mode (colorblind-friendly)
   6. Dark mode (ANSI colors only)
   7. Light mode (ANSI colors only)

 ╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌
  1  function greet() {
  2 -  console.log("Hello, World!");
  2 +  console.log("Hello, Claude!");
  3  }

Type /gstack inside the session to confirm gstack's skills are available, then start a sprint (for example, /office-hours).

Is the Gateway Anthropic-compatible? Claude Code expects an endpoint that implements Anthropic's Messages API (/v1/messages), not the OpenAI Chat Completions format. Confirm with your Bluehost AI Credits documentation or support that the Gateway endpoint above exposes an Anthropic-compatible route before relying on this in production — if it doesn't, requests from Claude Code/gstack will fail even though the same key works fine in an OpenAI-compatible app like Langflow or Open WebUI.

Adding AI Credits to an Existing gstack Install

If gstack is already authenticated a different way — through claude auth with a Claude subscription, a personal ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, or a third-party platform like Bedrock or Vertex AI — and you want to switch to AI Credits instead:

Connect to your server via SSH.
Use your VPS IP and credentials with an SSH client, follow the prompts, and enter your root password when asked:
Replace your_server_ip with your actual server IP address.
```
ssh root@your_server_ip
```

Switch to the gstack user session. gstack runs under its own user account for security:

machinectl shell gstack@

Example Output

root@server-12345:~# machinectl shell gstack@
Connected to the local host. Press ^] three times within 1s to exit session.
gstack@server-12345:~$

Check whether the variables are already set:

echo $ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL; echo $ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
Open ~/.bashrc and either add or update the ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL and ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN lines with your AI Credits Gateway endpoint and key, as shown in First Time Setup above.
Save the file and reload it:

source ~/.bashrc
Start (or restart) your Claude Code session. Environment variables are only read at launch, so any Claude Code session already running needs to be exited and reopened for the change to take effect:

cd ~/my-project

Note: If you haven't created your project folder yet, run the following command to create the my-project directory and automatically navigate into it:

mkdir -p ~/my-project && cd ~/my-project
Launch Claude Code:

claude

Already have AI Credits connected? If you're just rotating the key, update the ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN value in ~/.bashrc, reload it with source ~/.bashrc, and start a new Claude Code session. Any session left open from before the change will keep using the old key until it's restarted.

Keep an eye on your AI credit balance in the Bluehost Portal. If your balance runs out, gstack's Claude Code sessions will fail to authenticate until you add more credits.

Test Your Connection

Once your AI Credits variables are set, confirm the connection works before starting a sprint:

From the gstack user session, navigate to a project directory and start Claude Code:

cd ~/my-project claude

Note: If you haven't created your project folder yet, run the following command to create the my-project directory and automatically navigate into it:

mkdir -p ~/my-project && cd ~/my-project

Start it again:

claude

Example Output

gstack@server-123456:~$ claude
Welcome to Claude Code v2.1.186
..........................................................

     *                                       █████▓▓░
                                 *         ███▓░     ░░
            ░░░░░░                        ███▓░
    ░░░   ░░░░░░░░░░                      ███▓░
   ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░    *                ██▓░░      ▓
Welcome to Claude Code v2.1.186
..........................................................

     *                                       █████▓▓░
                                 *         ███▓░     ░░
            ░░░░░░                        ███▓░
    ░░░   ░░░░░░░░░░                      ███▓░
   ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░    *                ██▓░░      ▓
                                             ░▓▓███▓▓░
 *                                 ░░░░
                                 ░░░░░░░░
                               ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
       █████████                                        *
      ██▄█████▄██                        *
       █████████      *
.......█ █   █ █..........................................


────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
  Detected a custom API key in your environment

  ANTHROPIC_API_KEY: sk-ant-...2_lxabc123test

  Do you want to use this API key?

   ❯ 1. Yes
   2. No (recommended)

  Enter to confirm · Esc to cancel

Because you exported ANTHROPIC_API_KEY and ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL into your .bashrc, Claude Code will detect your environment variables and land you directly at the interactive prompt without forcing a browser login.

Send a simple prompt, such as "Good morning".

Example Output

gstack@server-123456:~$ claude
Welcome to Claude Code v2.1.186
..........................................................
     *                                       █████▓▓░
                                 *         ███▓░     ░░
            ░░░░░░                        ███▓░
    ░░░   ░░░░░░░░░░                      ███▓░
   ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░    *                ██▓░░      ▓
╭─── Claude Code v2.1.186 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│                                               │ Tips for getting started                                             │
│                 Welcome back!                 │ Run /init to create a CLAUDE.md file with instructions for Claude    │
│                                               │ Note: You have launched claude in your home directory. For the best… │
│                    ▐▛███▜▌                    │ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│                   ▝▜█████▛▘                   │ What's new                                                           │
│                     ▘▘ ▝▝                     │ Added `--restricted` (or `CLAUDE_CODE_RESTRICTED=1`): removes the b… │
│                                               │ Added `experimental.cacheTtl` (`"5m"` or `"1h"`) to agent frontmatt… │
│   Opus 4.8 (1M context) · API Usage Billing   │ Added `claude self-hosted-runner --client-label label` (or `SELF_… │
│                 /home/gstack                  │ /release-notes for more                                              │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
❯ goodmorning
● Good morning! ☀️
  Anything on the agenda today, or want me to help you get oriented with what's in progress?
✻ Cogitated for 4s
❯ I want coffee
● Ha — that's the one bug I can't fix from here. ☕
  Want me to help with anything code-related while you go brew a cup? Or should I be quiet until you're properly
  caffeinated?
✻ Cogitated for 6s
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
❯ 
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
  ? for shortcuts · ← for agents

If you get a response, the connection is working. Type /gstack to confirm the skill set loads normally.

Example Output

  
    
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
❯ /gstack
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
/gstack                       Fast headless browser for QA testing and site dogfooding. (gstack) (user)
/gstack-upgrade               Upgrade gstack to the latest version. (user)
/open-gstack-browser          Launch GStack Browser — AI-controlled Chromium with the sidebar extension baked in.
                              (user)
/benchmark-models             Cross-model benchmark for gstack skills. (gstack) (user)
/ios-sync                     Regenerate the iOS debug bridge against the latest upstream gstack templates. (gstack)
                              (user)
/plan-tune                    Self-tuning question sensitivity + developer psychographic for gstack (v1:
                              observational). (gstack) (user)
/sync-gbrain                  Keep gbrain current with this repo's code and refresh agent search guidance in
                              CLAUDE.md. Wraps the gstack-gbrain-sync orchestrator with state (gstack) (user)
/autoplan                     Auto-review pipeline — reads the full CEO, design, eng, and DX review skills from disk
                              and runs them sequentially with auto-decisions using 6 decision principles. (gstack) …
/benchmark                    Performance regression detection using the browse daemon. (gstack) (user)
/browse                       Fast headless browser for QA testing and site dogfooding. (gstack) (user)

Troubleshooting

If your connection test doesn't work as expected, use the table below to identify the likely cause and next steps.

Issue	Likely Cause	What to Check
Claude Code still prompts for `claude auth` login	Environment variables weren't loaded before Claude Code started	Run `source ~/.bashrc`, confirm with `echo $ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL`, and restart the `claude` session
"Insufficient credits" or similar error	AI credit balance is depleted	Check your balance in the Bluehost Portal AI Tooling page and add more credits
"Invalid API key" or authentication error	Key was mistyped, expired, or deleted	Re-copy the key from the Bluehost Portal, update `ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN`, and reload the shell profile
Requests fail even with a valid key	The Gateway endpoint doesn't expose an Anthropic-compatible `/v1/messages` route	Confirm with Bluehost support or documentation whether the AI Credits Gateway supports the Anthropic Messages API, not just an OpenAI-compatible format
Change to `~/.bashrc` doesn't seem to apply	An existing Claude Code session is still running with the old environment	Exit the running `claude` session and start a new one after updating the variables

Summary

gstack itself has no connection settings — it inherits whatever backend the underlying Claude Code session is authenticated with. To run gstack on AI Credits, set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL to the Bluehost AI Credits Gateway and ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN to your AI Credits key in the gstack user's shell profile, then start (or restart) a Claude Code session. Confirm the Gateway supports the Anthropic Messages API before relying on this in production, and test with a simple prompt before starting a full sprint.

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