feat: add OpenAI-first provider selection with OpenRouter fallback

README.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Inspired by [OpenAI's in-house data agent](https://openai.com/index/inside-our-i
 ```sh
 # Clone this repo
 git clone https://github.com/agno-agi/dash.git && cd dash
-# Add OPENAI_API_KEY by adding to .env file or export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-***
+# Add OPENAI_API_KEY (preferred) or OPENROUTER_API_KEY (fallback) to .env
 cp example.env .env
 
 # Start the application
@@ -234,10 +234,14 @@ python -m dash  # CLI mode
 
 | Variable | Required | Description |
 |----------|----------|-------------|
-| `OPENAI_API_KEY` | Yes | OpenAI API key |
+| `OPENAI_API_KEY` | Preferred | OpenAI API key (original behavior, highest priority) |
+| `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` | Fallback | Used only when `OPENAI_API_KEY` is not set |
+| `DASH_MODEL` | No | Model override for OpenRouter path (default: `openai/gpt-4o`) |
 | `EXA_API_KEY` | No | Web search for external knowledge |
 | `DB_*` | No | Database config (defaults to localhost) |
 
+Provider priority: Dash uses OpenAI when `OPENAI_API_KEY` is set. If it is not set and `OPENROUTER_API_KEY` is set, Dash uses OpenRouter.
+
 ## Further Reading
 
 - [OpenAI's In-House Data Agent](https://openai.com/index/inside-our-in-house-data-agent/) — the inspiration

dash/agents.py

@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@
 
 from os import getenv
 
+OPENAI_API_KEY = getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY", "")
+OPENROUTER_API_KEY = getenv("OPENROUTER_API_KEY", "")
+OPENROUTER_BASE_URL = "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1"
+USE_OPENAI_PROVIDER = bool(OPENAI_API_KEY)
+USE_OPENROUTER_PROVIDER = not USE_OPENAI_PROVIDER and bool(OPENROUTER_API_KEY)
+
 from agno.agent import Agent
 from agno.knowledge import Knowledge
 from agno.knowledge.embedder.openai import OpenAIEmbedder
@@ -18,6 +24,7 @@
     UserProfileConfig,
 )
 from agno.models.openai import OpenAIResponses
+from agno.models.openrouter import OpenRouter
 from agno.tools.mcp import MCPTools
 from agno.tools.reasoning import ReasoningTools
 from agno.tools.sql import SQLTools
@@ -32,6 +39,31 @@
 # Database & Knowledge
 # ============================================================================
 
+
+def _build_embedder() -> OpenAIEmbedder:
+    """Build embedder using OpenAI first; OpenRouter only as fallback."""
+    if USE_OPENROUTER_PROVIDER:
+        return OpenAIEmbedder(
+            id="openai/text-embedding-3-small",
+            api_key=OPENROUTER_API_KEY,
+            base_url=OPENROUTER_BASE_URL,
+        )
+    return OpenAIEmbedder(id="text-embedding-3-small")
+
+
+def _build_model():
+    """Build model using OpenAI first; OpenRouter only as fallback."""
+    if USE_OPENROUTER_PROVIDER:
+        return OpenRouter(
+            id=getenv("DASH_MODEL", "openai/gpt-4o"),
+            default_headers={
+                "HTTP-Referer": "https://github.com/agno-agi/dash",
+                "X-Title": "dash",
+            },
+        )
+    return OpenAIResponses(id="gpt-5.2")
+
+
 agent_db = get_postgres_db()
 
 # KNOWLEDGE: Static, curated (table schemas, validated queries, business rules)
@@ -41,7 +73,7 @@
         db_url=db_url,
         table_name="dash_knowledge",
         search_type=SearchType.hybrid,
-        embedder=OpenAIEmbedder(id="text-embedding-3-small"),
+        embedder=_build_embedder(),
     ),
     contents_db=get_postgres_db(contents_table="dash_knowledge_contents"),
 )
@@ -53,7 +85,7 @@
         db_url=db_url,
         table_name="dash_learnings",
         search_type=SearchType.hybrid,
-        embedder=OpenAIEmbedder(id="text-embedding-3-small"),
+        embedder=_build_embedder(),
     ),
     contents_db=get_postgres_db(contents_table="dash_learnings_contents"),
 )
@@ -165,7 +197,7 @@
 
 dash = Agent(
     name="Dash",
-    model=OpenAIResponses(id="gpt-5.2"),
+    model=_build_model(),
     db=agent_db,
     instructions=INSTRUCTIONS,
     # Knowledge (static)

example.env

@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
-# Required (default configured for OpenAI)
+# Preferred (original behavior): OpenAI key
 OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-***
 
-# Optional: Use a different model provider
-# ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-***
-# GOOGLE_API_KEY=***
+# Optional fallback provider: used only when OPENAI_API_KEY is not set
+# OPENROUTER_API_KEY=sk-or-v1-***
+
+# Optional model override (OpenRouter path only, default: openai/gpt-4o)
+# DASH_MODEL=openai/gpt-4o
 
 # Exa API key for web research
 # EXA_API_KEY=***
 
 # Database (defaults work out of the box)
 # DB_USER=ai
 # DB_PASS=ai
-# DB_DATABASE=ai
+# DB_DATABASE=ai