> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.kugelaudio.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configuration

> Client options, lifecycle, and region selection

```python theme={null}
from kugelaudio import KugelAudio

# Simple setup
client = KugelAudio(api_key="your_api_key")

# With custom options
client = KugelAudio(
    api_key="your_api_key",                # Required: Your API key
    api_url="https://api.kugelaudio.com",  # Optional: API base URL
    tts_url=None,                          # Optional: separate TTS/WebSocket URL
    timeout=60.0,                          # Optional: Request timeout in seconds
    keepalive_ping_interval=20.0,          # Optional: WS ping interval; None disables
    region=None,                           # Optional: "eu" for the direct EU endpoint
)
```

| Parameter                 | Type            | Default                      | Description                                                                                                        |
| ------------------------- | --------------- | ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `api_key`                 | `str`           | required                     | Your API key. Can be prefixed with `eu-` to select the EU endpoint.                                                |
| `api_url`                 | `str \| None`   | `https://api.kugelaudio.com` | API base URL. For self-hosted deployments, see [Self-Hosted Deployment](/guides/self-hosted).                      |
| `tts_url`                 | `str \| None`   | same as `api_url`            | TTS server URL for WebSocket streaming.                                                                            |
| `timeout`                 | `float`         | `60.0`                       | HTTP request timeout in seconds.                                                                                   |
| `keepalive_ping_interval` | `float \| None` | `20.0`                       | Seconds between WebSocket ping frames on the pooled connection to prevent idle timeouts. Set to `None` to disable. |
| `region`                  | `str \| None`   | `None`                       | Deployment region. Use `"eu"` for the direct EU endpoint.                                                          |

## Client lifecycle

```python theme={null}
client = await KugelAudio.create(api_key="your_api_key")
print(client.is_connected())      # True once the pooled async socket is open
await client.aclose()             # Release HTTP + WebSocket resources
```

`KugelAudio` is also a context manager, so resources are released automatically:

```python theme={null}
with KugelAudio(api_key="your_api_key") as client:
    audio = client.tts.generate(text="Hello!", model_id="kugel-3", voice_id=1071)
    audio.save("output.wav")
```

The async pre-connection methods are also exposed on the TTS resource as
`client.tts.connect_async()` and `client.tts.is_connected()`. The synchronous
`connect()` method exists, but synchronous `generate()` and `stream()` run on
their own event-loop thread and do not reuse that socket. Use
`streaming_session_sync()` when a synchronous application needs a persistent
streaming connection.

## Region Selection

Pin traffic to the direct EU endpoint when needed. See the [EU endpoint guide](/guides/regions) for details.

```python theme={null}
# Option 1: prefix your API key
client = KugelAudio(api_key="eu-ka_your_api_key")

# Option 2: explicit region parameter
client = KugelAudio(api_key="ka_your_api_key", region="eu")
```

## Next steps

* [Generate Speech](/sdks/python/generate) — one-shot generation and parameters
* [Streaming](/sdks/python/streaming) — streaming sessions and barge-in