Settings Guide

Configure Study Buddy to work best for your needs and preferences.

Quick Setup

1. Choose AI Provider

  • OpenAI: High-quality responses, requires API key
  • Together AI: Cost-effective, supports open-source models
  • Custom: Use any OpenAI-compatible endpoint

2. Configure Search Engine

  • DuckDuckGo: Privacy-focused, no setup required
  • Bing: High-quality results, requires API key
  • SearXNG: Self-hosted option for maximum privacy
  • Disabled: Chat-only mode without web search

3. Set Education Level

Choose your default learning level from Elementary to Graduate.

AI Provider Setup

OpenAI Configuration

  1. Get API Key: Visit platform.openai.com/api-keys
  2. Create New Key: Click “Create new secret key”
  3. Copy Securely: Save the key (you won’t see it again)
  4. Enter in Settings: Paste into AI Provider section
  5. Test Connection: Verify it works before saving

Recommended Models:

  • GPT-3.5-turbo: Fast and cost-effective for most topics
  • GPT-4: Higher quality but slower and more expensive
  • GPT-4-turbo: Good balance of quality and speed

Together AI Configuration

  1. Sign Up: Visit api.together.xyz
  2. Generate API Key: Create key from dashboard
  3. Select Model: Choose from available options:
    • Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct-Turbo: Fast, efficient
    • Llama-3.1-70B-Instruct-Turbo: Higher quality
    • Mixtral-8x7B-Instruct-v0.1: Balanced performance

Custom Endpoint Setup

For self-hosted or third-party AI services:

  1. Base URL: Enter your API endpoint (e.g., http://localhost:8080/v1)
  2. API Key: Provide authentication if required
  3. Model Name: Specify model your endpoint supports
  4. Test: Verify connection works properly

Compatible Services:

  • Ollama (local models)
  • LM Studio
  • Text Generation WebUI
  • Azure OpenAI
  • AWS Bedrock (with proxy)

Search Engine Configuration

  • Setup: No configuration required
  • Privacy: No tracking or personal data collection
  • Limitations: May be rate-limited during heavy usage
  • Best For: Privacy-conscious users, no API costs
  1. Azure Account: Sign up at portal.azure.com
  2. Create Resource: Search for “Bing Search v7”
  3. Get API Key: Copy from resource overview page
  4. Enter Key: Paste into Search Engine settings
  5. Test: Verify search functionality works

Pricing: Pay-per-use model, check Azure pricing

  1. Account: Sign up at serper.dev
  2. API Key: Generate from dashboard
  3. Credits: Monitor usage to avoid overages
  4. Configure: Enter key in settings

Features: Access to Google search results via API

SearXNG (Self-Hosted)

For maximum privacy and control:

  1. Find Instance: Visit searx.space for public instances
  2. Test Instance: Verify it’s fast and reliable
  3. Enter URL: Format like https://searx.example.com
  4. Test Search: Confirm functionality

Self-Hosting SearXNG:

# Docker setup
docker run -d --name searxng \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  searxng/searxng

# Then use: http://localhost:8080
  1. API Access: Visit api.search.brave.com
  2. Subscribe: Choose appropriate plan
  3. Generate Key: Create API key from dashboard
  4. Configure: Enter key in settings

Benefits: Independent search index, ad-free results

Advanced Configuration

Default Education Level

Set your preferred learning level:

  • Elementary: Simple explanations for young learners
  • Middle School: Intermediate complexity with examples
  • High School: Advanced concepts with detailed analysis
  • Undergraduate: College-level depth and rigor
  • Graduate: Research-level discussions and theory

This setting is automatically applied to new conversations.

Connection Settings

  • Timeout: Default 30 seconds for AI responses
  • Search Timeout: Default 10 seconds for search queries
  • Retries: Automatic retry for failed requests

Privacy Controls

  • Local Storage: All data stays on your device
  • No Tracking: Zero analytics or telemetry
  • API Key Security: Keys stored locally, never transmitted

Troubleshooting Settings

Common Issues

“API Key Required” Error

  • Verify key is correctly entered without extra spaces
  • Check if key has been revoked or expired
  • Ensure API key has sufficient credits/quota

“Connection Failed” Error

  • Test internet connection with other applications
  • Verify API key permissions
  • Check provider status pages for outages

Search Not Working

  • Try different search engine temporarily
  • Verify API quotas haven’t been exceeded
  • For SearXNG: Try different instance from searx.space

Settings Not Saving

  • Check if app has write permissions to user directory
  • Verify sufficient disk space available
  • Disable antivirus temporarily to test file writing
  • Delete corrupt settings file and reconfigure

Reset Configuration

If settings become corrupted:

  1. Backup API Keys: Write them down first
  2. Close Application: Ensure it’s fully closed
  3. Delete Settings:
    • Windows: %APPDATA%/study-buddy/settings.json
    • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/study-buddy/settings.json
    • Linux: ~/.config/study-buddy/settings.json
  4. Restart App: Reconfigure from scratch

Security Best Practices

API Key Management

  • Keep Private: Never share API keys publicly
  • Rotate Regularly: Change keys every few months
  • Monitor Usage: Check provider dashboards for unusual activity
  • Revoke if Compromised: Immediately revoke exposed keys

Network Security

  • HTTPS Only: All connections use secure protocols
  • Local Storage: Settings stored locally, not in cloud
  • No Telemetry: No usage data sent to external servers

Performance Optimization

Speed Improvements

  1. Choose Faster Models: GPT-3.5 vs GPT-4 for speed
  2. Disable Search: For simple questions that don’t need web data
  3. Local AI: Use Ollama or similar for offline processing
  4. Better Internet: Faster connection improves response times

Cost Management

  1. Model Selection: Smaller models cost less per token
  2. Disable Search: Reduces API calls for search engines
  3. Monitor Usage: Check provider dashboards regularly
  4. Set Limits: Configure spending limits on provider platforms

Need help with configuration? Check our Troubleshooting Guide or visit the GitHub repository for support.