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Chibi can operate in two distinct modes depending on your use case: Private (default) and Public.

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Private Mode (Default)

This is the standard mode for personal use or small teams.
  • API Keys: The bot uses the “Master API Keys” configured in the .env file (e.g., your personal OpenAI key).
  • Access: Restricted via USERS_WHITELIST. Only authorized users can interact with the bot.
  • Cost: You (the admin) pay for all API usage.
  • Best for: Personal assistants, home automation, small workgroups.

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Public Mode

This mode is designed for bots that serve many unrelated users.
  • Activation: Set PUBLIC_MODE=True in your .env file.
  • API Keys: The bot doesn’t ignore the API Keys in .env file! You still can provide them for your users!
  • Access: Open to anyone (unless restricted by other means).
  • Cost: Each user must provide their own API key using the /key command. The bot uses the user’s key for their requests.
  • Best for: Public demo bots, community tools where you don’t want to pay for everyone’s tokens.
[!NOTE] Even in Public Mode, some system-level functions (like initial moderation or specific tools) might still rely on the admin’s keys if configured that way.