Call Ollama from a Sprite without putting the key in the VM

A Sprite is a Fly.io Linux VM that keeps its disk between sessions. The October 13, 2026 Ollama post describes a connector so code inside that VM can call Ollama cloud models without the API key living in the VM.

The gateway adds the key. The Sprite only has a URL and a connection id. This recipe copies the post's steps. It does not add a click path the post did not print. This directory did not create an org or run the curl.

1. In the Fly.io dashboard, open Sprites, then Connectors, and add an Ollama connector with your API key. The post says Fly.io encrypts the key and does not return it through the API.

2. Under Access Configuration, choose which Sprites can use it. The post says new connectors block every Sprite by default. Allow by label, by name prefix, or all of them. Save.

3. Click Test reachability next to a Sprite. That check is the post's, not a command this directory ran.

4. From inside the Sprite, call the gateway. The post prints this curl. Replace <connection_id> with the id on the connector page. The page is supposed to show the command with the id filled in.

curl "https://api.sprites.dev/v1/gateway/ollama/<connection_id>/v1/chat/completions" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"model": "kimi-k3", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]}'

There is no Authorization header. If you add one, you are no longer following the post.

5. If you want the OpenAI Python SDK, the post sets api_key to the string unused and points base_url at the gateway:

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="https://api.sprites.dev/v1/gateway/ollama/<connection_id>/v1",
    api_key="unused",
)

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="glm-5.3",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Why is the sky blue?"}],
)
print(response.choices[0].message.content)

The post also says Ollama's native /api/* routes work through the gateway. It does not print a sample for those routes. Don't invent one.

• The Sprite you curled is one you allowed. A blocked Sprite failing is the default, not a bad key.
• The model id is one your Ollama plan can call. The pricing page says buying usage credits unlocks all models, and Free includes a smaller starter set. This recipe did not open an account to see which ids the starter set includes.
• You did not copy the key into the Sprite's shell history, a dotenv file, or the agent prompt. The point of the connector is that the VM never has it.

• https://ollama.com/blog/fly-io-sprites
• https://sprites.dev
• https://ollama.com/pricing