---
title: "Quickstart: Copilot Runtime"
description: "How to setup the CopilotRuntime endpoints"
---


<img
  referrerPolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"
  src="https://static.scarf.sh/a.png?x-pxid=ffc9f65d-0186-4575-b065-61d62ea9d7d3"
/>

## Option 1: Use Copilot Cloud

### Get a free hosted Copilot Runtime via Copilot Cloud:

<a href="https://go.copilotkit.ai/cloud"> <img src="https://github.com/CopilotKit/CopilotKit/assets/131273140/7f6159ad-d86b-4f38-9219-88312800a7f7" alt="Try Copilot Cloud" height="30"/> </a>

Initialize CopilotKit using your public API key:

```
<CopilotKit publicApiKey="Your Copilot Cloud API key">
  <YourApp/>
</CopilotKit>
```

## Option 2: Host your own Copilot Runtime

### Install CopilotKit Backend packages

Install the CopilotKit backend packages:

<CodeGroup>

```bash npm
  npm i @copilotkit/backend
```

```bash yarn
  yarn add @copilotkit/backend
```

```bash pnpm
  pnpm add @copilotkit/backend
```

</CodeGroup>

#### Manually specified endpoint: Next.js edge function (typescript)

Remember to add any required environment variables. E.g. to use OpenAI:

```env .env.local
OPENAI_API_KEY=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
```

<iframe
  frameBorder="0"
  scrolling="no"
  style={{ width: "100%", height: "205px" }}
  allow="clipboard-write"
  src="https://emgithub.com/iframe.html?target=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2FCopilotKit%2FCopilotKit%2Fblob%2Fmain%2FCopilotKit%2Fscripts%2Fqa%2Flib%2Fnext%2Froute.ts&style=default&type=code&showBorder=on&showLineNumbers=on&showFileMeta=on&showFullPath=on&showCopy=on"
></iframe>

#### Manually specified endpoint: Next.js pages router

<iframe frameBorder="0" scrolling="no" style={{ width: "100%", height: "331px" }} allow="clipboard-write" src="https://emgithub.com/iframe.html?target=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2FCopilotKit%2FCopilotKit%2Fblob%2Fmain%2FCopilotKit%2Fscripts%2Fqa%2Flib%2Fnext-pages%2Fcopilotkit.ts&style=default&type=code&showBorder=on&showLineNumbers=on&showFileMeta=on&showFullPath=on&showCopy=on"></iframe>

#### Manually specified endpoint: Node.js (typescript)

Remember to add any required environment variables. E.g. to use OpenAI:

<iframe
  frameBorder="0"
  scrolling="no"
  style={{ width: "100%", height: "541px" }}
  allow="clipboard-write"
  src="https://emgithub.com/iframe.html?target=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2FCopilotKit%2FCopilotKit%2Fblob%2Fmain%2FCopilotKit%2Fscripts%2Fqa%2Flib%2Fnode%2Fserver.js&style=default&type=code&showBorder=on&showLineNumbers=on&showFileMeta=on&showFullPath=on&showCopy=on"
></iframe>

#### Firebase (GCP) Cloud Function (typescript)

See this repo for a full example: https://github.com/CopilotKit/copilotkit-firebase-demo