# FAQ

> Short answers to the questions developers and buyers ask first.

Source: https://cairva.xyz/docs/faq

## Is Cairva live?

Cairva is in its Genesis phase. The full product runs today on one sandbox route serving `gemma4:e2b` through Ollama. No live commercial supply is listed yet and sandbox agreements don't involve money. See [Sandbox](https://cairva.xyz/docs/sandbox).

## Do I need a new SDK?

No. Use the official OpenAI SDK for JavaScript or Python with Cairva's base URL and your Cairva key. See [SDKs](https://cairva.xyz/docs/sdks).

## Can I just buy credits?

No. Cairva sells negotiated capacity, not credits. You agree a model, a token allowance, a window and limits with a supplier, and the gateway enforces that agreement.

## Can one key call several models?

No. A key is bound to one allocation, and an allocation covers one model. Use one key per allocation.

## Why did my request fail with model_not_permitted?

The `model` field has to be exactly the id from `GET /v1/models` for your key. The error message names the model your key can call.

## Why is `usage` null?

The provider didn't return token counts for that request. Cairva doesn't estimate, so the request is marked pending and reconciled by Cairva operations from provider metering. See [Rate limits and holds](https://cairva.xyz/docs/rate-limits#when-usage-doesn-t-arrive).

## Why did I get an empty answer?

Usually `max_tokens` ran out while the model was reasoning. Reasoning counts as output tokens but isn't returned. Check for `finish_reason: "length"` and raise `max_tokens`. See [Chat completions](https://cairva.xyz/docs/chat-completions#output-tokens-you-don-t-see).

## Am I charged for failed requests?

No. A failed request releases its hold and books no usage. It does count toward requests per minute.

## Am I charged if I disconnect from a stream?

Yes, for what the model generated. Cairva reads the stream to the end so the provider's usage report arrives. Lower `max_tokens` to cap it.

## Does Cairva support tool calling or JSON mode?

No. Those fields are ignored and plain text is returned. See [OpenAI compatibility](https://cairva.xyz/docs/compatibility).

## Does Cairva store my prompts?

No. Prompts and outputs pass through to the supplier route and back. Cairva stores request metadata and token counts. See [Privacy and data](https://cairva.xyz/docs/privacy-and-data).

## Can other suppliers see my request?

No. Only the suppliers you invite, your organization and Cairva operations can see it.

## How do I pay?

Live agreements are paid by external invoice, and Cairva operations confirm payment before activation. Sandbox agreements are free. See [Settlement](https://cairva.xyz/docs/settlement).

## What happens when my allowance runs out?

The allocation becomes `depleted`, its agreement completes, and requests fail with `402 allocation_depleted`. Overage is always a hard stop.

## Can I resell API credits I bought somewhere else?

No. Many providers make their credits non-transferable. Cairva only lists capacity whose supplier is authorized to sell it.

## Is there a status page?

Yes, at [/status](https://cairva.xyz/status). It shows route health, recent request counts and incidents.

## Where are these docs as Markdown?

Every page has a **View as Markdown** link, and you can add `.md` to any page URL, such as [/docs/quickstart.md](https://cairva.xyz/docs/quickstart.md). The introduction is at [/docs/introduction.md](https://cairva.xyz/docs/introduction.md). The whole set is at [/llms.txt](https://cairva.xyz/llms.txt) as an index and [/llms-full.txt](https://cairva.xyz/llms-full.txt) in one file.