# LM Studio

Source: https://docs.aicentos.com/en/clients/lm-studio

Language: en

> LM Studio is a local inference server rather than a client — its correct role and what to do instead

LM Studio is often mistaken for yet another chat client, but the direction is the other way round: it is a **local model runner** that exposes an OpenAI-compatible endpoint (by default `http://localhost:1234/v1`) for others to connect to. It has no place to enter a remote Base URL, so it cannot be connected to aicentos as a client.

## Why it cannot connect directly

* Its official positioning is `Serve local models on OpenAI-like endpoints`: a server role, not a consumer.
* Neither the desktop app nor the `lms` CLI has an endpoint setting for third-party providers.
* Its cloud features (LM Studio Secure Cloud, LM Link) are officially hosted compute channels and do not accept custom third-party endpoints.

## Configuration to fill in

| Field    | Value                                              |
| -------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| API Key  | The key created in the console                     |
| Base URL | `https://aicentos.com/v1`                          |
| Model    | A model name from the Model Gallery in the console |

The table above lists the generic aicentos-side parameters, for use with the alternatives below.

## Alternatives

### Alternative 1: Use it the other way round — let clients connect to LM Studio

If you want to run local models, keep LM Studio as the server and set the Base URL in [Cherry Studio](https://docs.aicentos.com/en/clients/cherry-studio), [Chatbox](https://docs.aicentos.com/en/clients/chatbox), and [Cline](https://docs.aicentos.com/en/clients/cline) to `http://localhost:1234/v1`. This path has nothing to do with aicentos, but it is the correct way to use LM Studio.

### Alternative 2: Want aicentos models? Change the front end

[Cherry Studio](https://docs.aicentos.com/en/clients/cherry-studio), [Chatbox](https://docs.aicentos.com/en/clients/chatbox), and [LobeChat](https://docs.aicentos.com/en/clients/lobechat) are all desktop chat clients that support several providers side by side: one entry for aicentos, one for the local LM Studio, switched in the same interface.

### Alternative 3: Mix local and cloud

With a client such as Cherry Studio, mount both providers at once: send simple tasks to the local one and complex tasks to aicentos, switching as needed.

## Test

When LM Studio is the server, first run `lms server start`, then use `curl http://localhost:1234/v1/models` to confirm the endpoint is alive, and then send one prompt in the client.

## Notes

* Do not look for a Base URL input box in LM Studio; it only shows the address it listens on.
* Local model context and speed are limited by the machine's VRAM; for long-context tasks, prefer aicentos.
* Do not confuse the two directions: **the server fills in a port, the client fills in an endpoint**.

## Related links

* [LM Studio OpenAI-compatible API](https://lmstudio.ai/docs/api/openai-api)
* [lms CLI](https://github.com/lmstudio-ai/lms)