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GLM (Zhipu)

docs/providers/glm.md

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GLM is a model family (not a company) available through the Z.AI platform. In OpenClaw, GLM models are accessed through the bundled zai provider with refs like zai/glm-5.1.

PropertyValue
Provider idzai
Pluginbundled, enabledByDefault: true
Auth env varsZAI_API_KEY or Z_AI_API_KEY
Onboarding choiceszai-api-key, zai-coding-global, zai-coding-cn, zai-global, zai-cn
APIOpenAI-compatible
Default base URLhttps://api.z.ai/api/paas/v4
Suggested defaultzai/glm-5.1
Default image modelzai/glm-4.6v

Getting started

<Steps> <Step title="Choose an auth route and run onboarding"> Pick the onboarding choice that matches your Z.AI plan and region. The generic `zai-api-key` choice auto-detects the matching endpoint from the key shape; use the explicit regional choices when you want to force a specific Coding Plan or general API surface. 
| Auth choice         | Best for                                            |
| ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| `zai-api-key`       | Generic API key with endpoint auto-detection        |
| `zai-coding-global` | Coding Plan users (global)                          |
| `zai-coding-cn`     | Coding Plan users (China region)                    |
| `zai-global`        | General API (global)                                |
| `zai-cn`            | General API (China region)                          |

<CodeGroup>
bash
openclaw onboard --auth-choice zai-api-key
bash
openclaw onboard --auth-choice zai-coding-global
bash
openclaw onboard --auth-choice zai-coding-cn
bash
openclaw onboard --auth-choice zai-global
bash
openclaw onboard --auth-choice zai-cn

</CodeGroup>
</Step> <Step title="Set GLM as the default model"> ```bash openclaw config set agents.defaults.model.primary "zai/glm-5.1" ``` </Step> <Step title="Verify models are available"> ```bash openclaw models list --provider zai ``` </Step> </Steps>

Config example

json5
{
  env: { ZAI_API_KEY: "sk-..." },
  agents: { defaults: { model: { primary: "zai/glm-5.1" } } },
}
<Tip> `zai-api-key` lets OpenClaw detect the matching Z.AI endpoint from the key shape and apply the correct base URL automatically. Use the explicit regional choices when you want to pin a specific Coding Plan or general API surface. </Tip>

Built-in catalog

The bundled zai provider seeds 13 GLM model refs. All entries support reasoning unless marked otherwise; glm-5v-turbo and glm-4.6v accept image input as well as text.

Model refNotes
zai/glm-5.1Default model. Reasoning, text only, 202k context.
zai/glm-5Reasoning, text only, 202k context.
zai/glm-5-turboReasoning, text only, 202k context.
zai/glm-5v-turboReasoning, text + image, 202k context.
zai/glm-4.7Reasoning, text only, 204k context.
zai/glm-4.7-flashReasoning, text only, 200k context.
zai/glm-4.7-flashxReasoning, text only.
zai/glm-4.6Reasoning, text only.
zai/glm-4.6vReasoning, text + image. Default image model.
zai/glm-4.5Reasoning, text only.
zai/glm-4.5-airReasoning, text only.
zai/glm-4.5-flashReasoning, text only.
zai/glm-4.5vReasoning, text + image.
<Note> GLM versions and availability can change. Run `openclaw models list --provider zai` to see the catalog rows known to your installed version, and check Z.AI's docs for newly added or deprecated models. </Note>

Advanced configuration

<AccordionGroup> <Accordion title="Endpoint auto-detection"> When you use the `zai-api-key` auth choice, OpenClaw inspects the key shape to determine the correct Z.AI base URL. Explicit regional choices (`zai-coding-global`, `zai-coding-cn`, `zai-global`, `zai-cn`) override auto-detection and pin the endpoint directly. </Accordion> <Accordion title="Provider details"> GLM models are served by the `zai` runtime provider. For full provider configuration, regional endpoints, and additional capabilities, see the [Z.AI provider page](/providers/zai). </Accordion> </AccordionGroup> <CardGroup cols={2}> <Card title="Z.AI provider" href="/providers/zai" icon="server"> Full Z.AI provider configuration and regional endpoints. </Card> <Card title="Model providers" href="/concepts/model-providers" icon="layers"> Choosing providers, model refs, and failover behavior. </Card> <Card title="Thinking modes" href="/tools/thinking" icon="brain"> `/think` levels for the reasoning-capable GLM family. </Card> <Card title="Models FAQ" href="/help/faq-models" icon="circle-question"> Auth profiles, switching models, and resolving "no profile" errors. </Card> </CardGroup>