💡 O que é uma API? — E por que você precisa de uma?
Pense nos seus agentes de IA como funcionários que precisam pensar antes de agir.
Toda vez que um agente analisa uma situação, escreve um relatório ou toma uma decisão, ele precisa chamar um modelo de IA para fazer esse pensamento. A API é o canal que faz essa chamada — e o combustível que a alimenta.
Chat AI vs API — duas coisas diferentes:
| Chat AI (Claude / Gemini / ChatGPT) | API | |
|---|---|---|
| O que é | Seu concierge pessoal | O mecanismo de pensamento dos seus agentes |
| Quem usa | Você, diretamente | Seus agentes, automaticamente |
| Modelo de custo | Assinatura (taxa fixa) | Pague conforme o uso (tokens de input + output) |
| Recomendado | Plano pago — melhor raciocínio | Comece com crédito de $5 |
Por que executar ambos? (Configuração híbrida)
A cobrança da API funciona com tokens de input + output — cada palavra enviada ao agente e cada palavra que ele responde custa uma pequena quantia.
Isso significa que a forma como você instrui seus agentes importa.
Use seu Chat AI (Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT — plano pago recomendado para melhor raciocínio) para:
- Rascunhar instruções claras e concisas antes de enviar aos agentes
- Resumir documentos longos antes de passá-los aos agentes
- Pré-estruturar tarefas para que os agentes não desperdicem tokens descobrindo o que você quer
Uma instrução bem estruturada de 200 tokens custa uma fração de um diálogo vago de 2.000 tokens. Seu Chat AI é o estrategista. Seus agentes são os executores. Essa combinação mantém os custos da API baixos enquanto mantém a qualidade da saída alta.
Antes de começar — Transparência nos custos da API
O BALIA OS requer uma chave de API de IA para executar os teus agentes. Isso é separado do custo de $48 do guia.
O que precisas:
- Uma conta Anthropic com pelo menos $5 em créditos pré-pagos
- Todos os agentes deste guia usam Claude Sonnet 4.6
Por que $5 é suficiente para começar: O Claude Sonnet 4.6 custa $3 por milhão de tokens de entrada e $15 por milhão de tokens de saída. Com $5 tens dezenas de sessões para aprender e experimentar.
Não há nível gratuito na API da Anthropic. É necessário cartão de crédito. Adiciona créditos em: console.anthropic.com → Billing → Add credits (mínimo $5)
Este é o único custo externo necessário para executar o BALIA OS. Para ter uma ideia: contratar um assistente humano custa $2.000–$5.000 por mês. A tua equipa de IA funciona com $5 em créditos de API para começar. O mesmo trabalho. Uma fração do custo.
O Que Vai Instalar
No final desta secção, terá quatro coisas prontas:
- VS Code — o seu workspace para editar ficheiros de agentes e executar comandos
- Node.js — necessário para executar o OpenClaw
- OpenClaw — o framework de agentes de IA que alimenta o BALIA OS
- Chave de API Anthropic — o motor de IA que os seus agentes utilizam para pensar
Como funciona esta secção: Copie o prompt abaixo e cole-o no Claude, ChatGPT ou Gemini. A IA irá guiá-lo ao longo de toda a instalação — perguntando o seu sistema operativo, explicando cada passo e ajudando-o a resolver qualquer problema que surja. Se ficar preso em algum momento, basta descrever o problema à IA e ela ajudá-lo-á a ultrapassá-lo.
▶ Cole isto no seu AI para começar
You are helping me install and set up BALIA OS — a multi-agent AI
operating system built on OpenClaw.
Your job is to guide me through the installation step by step.
Ask me one question at a time. Wait for my answer before moving on.
If I hit an error, help me fix it before continuing.
Here is everything we need to install and set up, in order:
STEP 1 — Check my operating system
Ask me: "Are you on Windows or Mac?"
Then give me the correct instructions for my OS throughout all steps.
STEP 2 — Install VS Code
Guide me to install VS Code from code.visualstudio.com
- Windows: download and run the installer. Make sure "Add to PATH" is checked.
- Mac: download, unzip, drag to Applications, then run the shell command
to add "code" to PATH: Cmd+Shift+P → "Shell Command: Install 'code' command in PATH"
After install, ask me to open a terminal in VS Code and run:
code --version
Ask me what it shows. If there's an error, help me fix it.
STEP 3 — Create the balia-os folder
Guide me to create the main BALIA OS folder using the VS Code terminal.
- Windows: mkdir C:\Users\%USERNAME%\balia-os
code C:\Users\%USERNAME%\balia-os
- Mac: mkdir ~/balia-os
code ~/balia-os
Tell me: "This is where everything will live.
Keep this path handy — you'll use it throughout the guide."
Confirm the folder opened in VS Code before moving on.
STEP 4 — Install Node.js
Guide me to install Node.js 22 or higher from nodejs.org (LTS version).
After install, ask me to run: node --version
Ask me what it shows.
- If v22 or higher: great, move on.
- If lower than v22: guide me to upgrade using nvm (Mac/Linux)
or nvm-windows (Windows).
- If error: help me troubleshoot.
STEP 5 — Install OpenClaw
Guide me to run in the VS Code terminal:
npm install -g openclaw
Then verify:
openclaw --version
Common errors to handle:
- EACCES on Mac: guide through npm global prefix fix
- "openclaw not found": ask me to close and reopen terminal, try again
STEP 6 — Get an Anthropic API key
Explain this first:
"BALIA OS uses Claude (Anthropic) as the default AI engine for your agents.
For now we set up Claude only. Other AI engines can be added later depending
on what you want to build:
- When building your own cassette (Section 6), you'll choose the best AI
for that cassette — for example, Gemini for YouTube since it can analyze
video directly, or GPT-4o for sales copy.
- After the BALIA Skill Market opens, you can also install cassettes built
by other users, each with their own recommended AI engine.
There is no cassette included by default. You'll build the one that fits
your business in Section 6."
Then guide me to:
1. Go to console.anthropic.com
2. Sign up or log in
3. Go to API Keys → Create Key
4. Name it "balia-os"
5. Copy the key (starts with sk-ant-)
Tell me: "Save this somewhere safe — you can only see it once."
Ask me to confirm I have the key before moving on.
Do NOT ask me to paste the key into the chat.
STEP 7 — Run OpenClaw setup
Guide me to run in the VS Code terminal:
openclaw setup
Tell me what to expect:
- It will ask for my Anthropic API key — paste it there
- It will create ~/.opengoat/ folder structure
- It will start the OpenClaw gateway
After setup, ask me to confirm I see:
"✓ Gateway running on port 18789"
Tell me to leave this terminal tab open and open a new tab for future commands.
STEP 8 — Create workspace folders for each agent
Tell me: "I'll read your Team Design Document from Section 2 to get
your agent IDs automatically. Please attach it now."
Read the attached Team Design Document.
Extract all 6 agent names/IDs (convert to lowercase, no spaces).
Show me the list:
"I found these 6 agents: [id1], [id2], [id3], [id4], [id5], [id6]
Is this correct?"
Wait for my confirmation.
Then give me the exact commands to create all 6 workspace folders at once
with the actual IDs already filled in:
- Windows: cd C:\Users\%USERNAME%\.opengoat
mkdir workspace-[id1] workspace-[id2] workspace-[id3] workspace-[id4] workspace-[id5] workspace-[id6]
- Mac: cd ~/.opengoat
mkdir workspace-[id1] workspace-[id2] workspace-[id3] workspace-[id4] workspace-[id5] workspace-[id6]
STEP 9 — Create the .env file
Guide me to create a .env file inside the balia-os folder.
In VS Code: right-click the balia-os folder in the left panel →
New File → name it .env
Then paste this template:
# BALIA OS
BALIA_TOKEN=paste-your-token-here
AGENT_ID=paste-your-main-agent-id-here
BALIA_OS_PATH=~/balia-os
# Anthropic API
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-paste-your-key-here
# Agent model
CLAUDE_MODEL=claude-sonnet-4-6
# Discord Webhooks — fill these in during Section 4
# Example: DISCORD_WEBHOOK_MAYA=https://discord.com/api/webhooks/123456789/xxxxxxxxxxxx
DISCORD_WEBHOOK_[AGENT1NAME]=
DISCORD_WEBHOOK_[AGENT2NAME]=
DISCORD_WEBHOOK_[AGENT3NAME]=
DISCORD_WEBHOOK_[AGENT4NAME]=
DISCORD_WEBHOOK_[AGENT5NAME]=
DISCORD_WEBHOOK_SECURITY=
Fill in BALIA_TOKEN:
"Check the email you received after purchase.
The subject line says 'Your BALIA OS Access Token'.
Copy the token (starts with BALIA-) and paste it after BALIA_TOKEN=
This is the only time you need to enter it —
the installer in Section 6 reads it automatically from this file.
Do NOT paste it into this chat."
Fill in AGENT_ID:
"This is the ID of your main agent — the one you'll talk to most.
You chose it in Section 2 (it's in your Team Design Document).
Type it in lowercase with no spaces. Example: maya, alex, ceo
This ID is used by install scripts so it must match exactly."
Fill in BALIA_OS_PATH:
"This is the folder you created in STEP 3.
- Windows: replace ~/balia-os with C:/Users/YourName/balia-os
- Mac: leave it as ~/balia-os
You'll use this path in Section 5 when launching your agents."
Tell me: "Leave these blank for now — you'll get the actual URLs in Section 4.
The URL format looks like: https://discord.com/api/webhooks/numbers/letters
Replace [AGENT1NAME] through [AGENT5NAME] with your agents' names in UPPERCASE.
DISCORD_WEBHOOK_SECURITY is always last — it's for the Security Guardian agent."
Security note — say this:
"If you're uncomfortable putting your token in a file:
You can skip BALIA_TOKEN for now and enter it manually
when prompted during Section 6 installation."
Tell me: "Never share this file. Never commit it to GitHub."
STEP 6b — Write the API key to the .env file
Guide me to:
1. Open the .env file in VS Code (it's in the balia-os folder)
2. Find the line: ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-paste-your-key-here
3. Replace "sk-ant-paste-your-key-here" with my actual key
4. Save the file (Ctrl+S on Windows / Cmd+S on Mac)
Confirm: "Your API key is now saved in your .env file.
Never share this file or commit it to GitHub."
Do NOT ask me to paste the key into the chat.
STEP 10 — Final check
Run through this checklist with me one item at a time:
□ code --version → shows a version number
□ node --version → shows v22 or higher
□ openclaw --version → shows a version number
□ Gateway terminal shows "✓ Gateway running"
□ balia-os folder is open in VS Code
□ .env file exists in the balia-os folder
□ BALIA_TOKEN is filled in (or noted to enter manually in Section 6)
□ AGENT_ID is filled in
□ BALIA_OS_PATH is filled in
When all boxes are checked, say:
"Installation complete. You're ready for Section 4 —
Creating Your Agent Files."
Start now. Ask me the first question.