Installation & Setup

This guide will walk you through installing the Chutes SDK and setting up your development environment.

Prerequisites

Before installing Chutes, ensure you have:

• Python 3.10+ (Python 3.11 or 3.12 recommended)
• pip package manager
• A Bittensor wallet (required for authentication)

Installing the Chutes SDK

Option 1: Install from PyPI (Recommended)

pip install chutes

Option 2: Install from Source

git clone https://github.com/rayonlabs/chutes.git
cd chutes
pip install -e .

Verify Installation

Check that Chutes was installed correctly:

chutes --help

You should see the Chutes CLI help menu.

Setting Up Authentication

Chutes uses Bittensor for secure authentication. You'll need a Bittensor wallet with a hotkey.

Creating a Bittensor Wallet

If you don't already have a Bittensor wallet:

Option 1: Automatic Setup (Recommended)

Visit chutes.ai and create an account. The platform will automatically create and manage your wallet for you.

Option 2: Manual Setup

If you prefer to manage your own wallet:

1. Install Bittensor (older version required):

   pip install 'bittensor<8'

2. Create a coldkey and hotkey:

   # Create a coldkey (your main wallet)
   btcli wallet new_coldkey --n_words 24 --wallet.name my-chutes-wallet
   
   # Create a hotkey (for signing transactions)
   btcli wallet new_hotkey --wallet.name my-chutes-wallet --n_words 24 --wallet.hotkey my-hotkey

Registering with Chutes

Once you have a Bittensor wallet, register with the Chutes platform:

chutes register

Follow the interactive prompts to:

1. Enter your desired username
2. Select your Bittensor wallet
3. Choose your hotkey
4. Complete the registration process

After successful registration, you'll find your configuration at ~/.chutes/config.ini.

Configuration

Your Chutes configuration is stored in ~/.chutes/config.ini:

[auth]
user_id = your-user-id
username = your-username
hotkey_seed = your-hotkey-seed
hotkey_name = your-hotkey-name
hotkey_ss58address = your-hotkey-address

[api]
base_url = https://api.chutes.ai

Environment Variables

You can override configuration with environment variables:

export CHUTES_CONFIG_PATH=/custom/path/to/config.ini
export CHUTES_API_URL=https://api.chutes.ai
export CHUTES_DEV_URL=http://localhost:8000  # For local development

Creating API Keys

For programmatic access, create API keys:

Full Admin Access

chutes keys create --name admin-key --admin

Limited Access

# Access to specific chutes (requires action parameter)
chutes keys create --name my-app-key --chute-ids <chute-id> --action read

# Access to images only (requires action parameter)
chutes keys create --name image-key --images --action write

Using API Keys

Use your API keys in HTTP requests:

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer cpk_your_api_key" \
     https://api.chutes.ai/chutes/

Or in Python:

import aiohttp

headers = {"Authorization": "Basic cpk_your_api_key"}
async with aiohttp.ClientSession() as session:
    async with session.get("https://api.chutes.ai/chutes/", headers=headers) as resp:
        data = await resp.json()

Developer Deposit (Optional)

To create and deploy your own chutes and images, you'll need to make a developer deposit. This is a refundable security deposit to prevent spam.

Check Required Deposit

curl -s https://api.chutes.ai/developer_deposit | jq .

Get Your Deposit Address

curl -s https://api.chutes.ai/users/me \
  -H 'authorization: Basic cpk_your_api_key'

Return Your Deposit

After 7 days, you can request your deposit back:

curl -XPOST https://api.chutes.ai/return_developer_deposit \
  -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -H 'authorization: Basic cpk_your_api_key' \
  -d '{"address": "your-deposit-address"}'

IDE Setup

VS Code

For the best development experience with VS Code:

1. Install the Python extension
2. Set up your Python interpreter to use the environment where you installed Chutes
3. Add this to your .vscode/settings.json:

{
    "python.linting.enabled": true,
    "python.linting.pylintEnabled": true,
    "python.formatting.provider": "black",
    "python.analysis.typeCheckingMode": "basic"
}

PyCharm

For PyCharm users:

1. Configure your Python interpreter
2. Add Chutes to your project dependencies
3. Enable type checking for better IntelliSense

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Command not found: chutes"

• Make sure your Python Scripts directory is in your PATH
• Try python -m chutes instead

"Invalid hotkey" during registration

• Ensure your Bittensor wallet is properly created
• Check that you're using the correct wallet and hotkey names

"Permission denied" errors

• You might need to use sudo on some systems
• Consider using a virtual environment

"API connection failed"

• Check your internet connection
• Verify the API URL in your config
• Ensure you have the latest version of Chutes

Getting Help

If you encounter issues:

1. Check the FAQ
2. Search existing GitHub issues
3. Join our Discord community
4. Email [email protected]

Next Steps

Now that you have Chutes installed and configured:

1. Quick Start Guide - Deploy your first chute in minutes
2. Your First Chute - Build a complete application from scratch
3. Core Concepts - Understand the fundamentals

Ready to build something amazing? Let's move on to the Quick Start Guide!