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

# Configure Elyra with API keys for external data sources

> Set up API keys for Solana on-chain data, crypto news, and AI report generation to unlock every stage of Elyra's research pipeline.

Elyra connects to several external data sources to power its research pipeline. You configure these connections through environment variables. If you're using the hosted platform at [try.getelyra.xyz](https://try.getelyra.xyz), this section is only relevant if you're running the research pipeline locally.

<Info>
  All three backend API keys are optional. Missing keys degrade gracefully — the affected pipeline stage falls back to static output or is skipped entirely, so the rest of the pipeline continues to run.
</Info>

## Backend research pipeline

These variables go in a `.env` file at the repository root. Copy the template to get started:

```bash theme={null}
cp .env.example .env
# Open .env and fill in your keys
```

| Variable           | Purpose                        | Required |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------ | -------- |
| `HELIUS_API_KEY`   | Solana on-chain whale activity | Optional |
| `NEWSDATA_API_KEY` | Crypto news and sentiment      | Optional |
| `GEMINI_API_KEY`   | AI-generated research reports  | Optional |

`GOOGLE_API_KEY` is accepted as an alias for `GEMINI_API_KEY` — either name works.

### Where to get each key

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Helius" icon="link" href="https://helius.dev">
    Solana on-chain data. Powers whale transfer tracking and smart-money flow analysis in the pipeline.
  </Card>

  <Card title="NewsData.io" icon="newspaper" href="https://newsdata.io">
    Crypto news headlines and sentiment scoring. Powers the news stage of the research pipeline.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Google AI Studio" icon="sparkles" href="https://aistudio.google.com/app/apikey">
    Gemini API key for AI-generated research report synthesis at the end of the pipeline.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Frontend variables

These variables go in `Elyra/.env.local`. They are only needed if you're running the Next.js frontend locally.

```bash theme={null}
cd Elyra
cp .env.example .env.local
# Edit .env.local with your values
```

| Variable                     | Purpose                                                                         |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `NEXT_PUBLIC_SOLANA_RPC_URL` | Custom Solana RPC endpoint. Falls back to the public mainnet RPC if left empty. |
| `JUPITER_API_KEY`            | Jupiter Pro API key for enhanced swap routing. Optional.                        |

<Tip>
  Using a dedicated Solana RPC endpoint — from Helius, QuickNode, or Alchemy — significantly improves balance fetch reliability and reduces rate-limit errors compared to the public mainnet endpoint.
</Tip>