---
title: "Deploy OrcaRouter Lite"
description: "Self-hosted OpenAI-compatible LLM router with auto model picking, BYOK"
category: "AI/ML"
url: https://railway.com/deploy/orcarouter-lite
---

# Deploy OrcaRouter Lite

Self-hosted OpenAI-compatible LLM router with auto model picking, BYOK

**[Deploy OrcaRouter Lite on Railway](https://railway.com/template/orcarouter-lite)**

Machine-readable deploy manifest (JSON, validated by TemplateCI): https://railway.com/deploy/orcarouter-lite/manifest.json

- **Creator:** My Projects
- **Category:** AI/ML

## Template content

### orcarouter https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Continuum-AI-Corp/OrcaRouter-Lite/main/design/OrcaRouter%20Lite.png

- **Source:** Continuum-AI-Corp/OrcaRouter-Lite
- **Start command:** `python scripts/start.py`
- **Health check:** /health
- **Public domain:** Yes

## Documentation

# Deploy and Host OrcaRouter Lite on Railway
[OrcaRouter Lite](https://github.com/Continuum-AI-Corp/OrcaRouter-Lite) is a self-hosted, OpenAI-compatible LLM router. Bring your own provider keys (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Groq, Together, Fireworks, xAI, DeepSeek), send `model="auto"` and it picks the cheapest model that meets the request's needs (tools, vision, JSON mode). It also speaks the Anthropic and Gemini APIs, streams, and ships a dashboard for providers, keys, routing and savings.

## About Hosting OrcaRouter Lite
This template builds the official `Dockerfile` from the repository and runs a single service:
- SQLite on a persistent volume at `/data`, so providers, keys and settings survive redeploys
- `CREDENTIAL_ENCRYPTION_KEY` and `API_KEY_PEPPER` generated per deployment, so provider keys stored in the dashboard are encrypted with your own key (never the built-in development key)
- a healthcheck on `/health`; the dashboard API and `/v1` require the gateway API key

**After deploy:**
1. Open the service's Deploy Logs and copy the API key from the line `orcarouter-lite ready. API key: sk-orca-...`.
2. Open the service domain and sign in to the dashboard with that key.
3. Add your provider keys in the dashboard (stored encrypted), or set them as service variables (`OPENAI_API_KEY`, `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`, `GOOGLE_API_KEY`, ...).
4. Point any OpenAI SDK at `https://YOUR-RAILWAY-DOMAIN/v1` with the `sk-orca-...` key and `model="auto"`.

Keep `CREDENTIAL_ENCRYPTION_KEY` unchanged after the first deploy: rotating it without the documented migrate step makes stored provider keys undecryptable.

## Common Use Cases
- One OpenAI-compatible endpoint for several providers with your own keys
- Automatic cheapest-capable model selection with `model="auto"`
- Failover between providers when one is down or rate-limited
- Pointing Claude Code or Gemini SDKs at a single self-hosted router

## Dependencies for OrcaRouter Lite Hosting
- Source: https://github.com/Continuum-AI-Corp/OrcaRouter-Lite (built from `main`)
- At least one LLM provider API key

### Deployment Dependencies
- Repository: https://github.com/Continuum-AI-Corp/OrcaRouter-Lite
- Environment reference: https://github.com/Continuum-AI-Corp/OrcaRouter-Lite/blob/main/.env.example

### Implementation Details
Postgres and Redis are optional upstream; this template uses SQLite on a volume for a single-instance setup. `RAILWAY_RUN_UID=0` lets the process write to the volume, which Railway mounts as root.

## Why Deploy OrcaRouter Lite on Railway?
Railway is a singular platform to deploy your infrastructure stack. Railway will host your infrastructure so you don't have to deal with configuration, while allowing you to vertically and horizontally scale it.

By deploying OrcaRouter Lite on Railway, you are one step closer to supporting a complete full-stack application with minimal burden. Host your servers, databases, AI agents, and more on Railway.

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Open this page in a browser: https://railway.com/deploy/orcarouter-lite