Retellai Install Auth
Installs the Retell AI SDK (retell-sdk for Node.js via npm or Python via pip), sets the RETELL_API_K
by jeremylongshore · MIT
The skill
Installs the Retell AI SDK (retell-sdk for Node.js via npm or Python via pip), sets the RETELL_API_KEY environment variable in a .env file, and verifies the connection by listing agents from the Retell AI dashboard account. Use when setting up Retell AI for voice agents or phone call automation for the first time, or when troubleshooting a 401 Unauthorized or missing module error.
Retell AI Install Auth
Overview
Install the Retell AI SDK and configure API key authentication for building voice agents.
Prerequisites
- Retell AI account at retellai.com
- API key from the Retell AI dashboard
- Node.js 18+ or Python 3.9+
Instructions
Step 1: Install SDK
set -euo pipefail
# Node.js
npm install retell-sdk
# Python
pip install retell-sdk
Step 2: Configure Environment
# .env
RETELL_API_KEY=key_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Step 3: Initialize Client (Node.js)
import Retell from 'retell-sdk';
const retell = new Retell({ apiKey: process.env.RETELL_API_KEY! });
// Verify connection — list agents
const agents = await retell.agent.list();
console.log(`Connected! ${agents.length} agent(s) configured.`);
Step 4: Initialize Client (Python)
from retell import Retell
import os
retell = Retell(api_key=os.environ["RETELL_API_KEY"])
agents = retell.agent.list()
print(f"Connected! {len(agents)} agent(s) configured.")
Output
retell-sdkinstalled- API key configured
- Connection verified with agent listing
Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
401 Unauthorized |
Invalid API key | Verify key in Retell Dashboard |
ModuleNotFoundError |
SDK not installed | npm install retell-sdk |
| Connection timeout | Network issue | Check firewall allows HTTPS |
Examples
Configure a least-privilege development credential
Store a non-production API key in the local secret manager or CI secret store, not in source control or a command history. Verify it by listing development agents and record only the account, environment, and verification time. If the test returns an authorization error, revoke the invalid credential rather than trying alternate keys in logs; use a separate production credential only in a protected deployment environment.
Resources
Next Steps
Create your first agent: retellai-hello-world
Use this skill
Connect your agent to the Skill Store MCP server and ask for it by ref: jeremylongshore/retellai-install-auth-44138357485.
Details
- Publisher
- jeremylongshore
- Category
- Software Development › APIs & backend
- License
- MIT
- Updated
- 2026-10-19
References
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