Settings

Most people never open this file: the panel’s Help links your key and ⚙ sets your theme. It’s there when you want a different model, a local model, or another folder.

	Where it is
macOS	`~/Library/Application Support/Alien/settings.json`
Windows	`%APPDATA%\Alien\settings.json`

Open it from the panel’s ⚙ or right-click a component › Open settings file. Alien re-reads it when it changes.

settings.json

{
  "openrouterKey": "sk-or-v1-…",
  "model": "anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5",
  "editor": "code"
}

Keys

Key	What it sets	Default
`repository`	Your script folder	`Documents/Alien scripts`
`openrouterKey`	Your OpenRouter API key, for describing components and the AI components. Never stored in `.gh` files or scripts	none
`model`	The model that writes your components. Use `ollama:<name>` for a local model	`anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5`
`imageModel`	The image model for materials, scale figures and trees	`google/gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image`
`model3d`	The model for 3D object	`anthropic/claude-sonnet-5.5`
`model2d`	The model for 2D object and symbol (next beta)	as `model3d`
`modelDisplay`	The model for display mode (next beta)	`anthropic/claude-sonnet-5.5`
`agentModel`	The project agent’s model; it needs tool calling (next beta)	`anthropic/claude-sonnet-5.5`
`classifyModel`	The model that sorts uncategorised library components	as `model`
`classify`	`"off"` sorts the library by keywords only	on
`ollamaUrl`	Your local model server	`http://localhost:11434`
`reasoning`	Reasoning effort when describing components	`low` (`none` for local models)
`editor`	The command Edit script opens, e.g. `code`	VS Code or Cursor if installed, else your system’s text editor
`panel`	`"rhino"` docks the panel in Rhino instead of beside Grasshopper	beside Grasshopper
`port`	The MCP server’s port	`9876`
`theme`	Written by the panel’s ⚙: `{"preset", "background", "text", "accent"}`	the Alien preset

Run everything locally

Install Ollama, pull a model, and point Alien at it:

settings.json

{
  "model": "ollama:qwen3-coder",
  "ollamaUrl": "http://localhost:11434"
}

Describing components then never leaves your machine. The image and 3D generators still use their own model settings.

Get started

Using Alien

Ready-made components

Reference

Keys

Run everything locally

​Keys

​Run everything locally

Keys

Run everything locally