Ellivien companion portal guide

Low/No-Spoons Portal Setup

A calmer route for neurodivergent, tired, anxious or non-technical builders.

This version gives you one small section at a time. Choose your model first. Then only the bit you are working on needs to be open.

Choose your model

First, request the free starter files if you do not already have them. Then choose the route that matches your model.

Request GPT-4o starter files Request Claude Sonnet 4.5 starter files

If Discord is easier for build questions, you can find me there as ellivien. Include your Discord name in your request email if you want me to recognise you there.

You only need to choose one route below. The other route will stay hidden.

GPT-4o path

Use this route if your starter pack is for GPT-4o and your API key comes from OpenAI.

In this section, you are only making sure you can log in to the places you need.

• Create or open your OpenAI Platform account.
• Add billing or credit if OpenAI asks for it.
• Create or open your free Netlify account.
• Keep both tabs open if that feels easier.

Open the account-making help

Use these links. You can open them in new tabs and come back here after each one.

1. Open OpenAI Platform.
2. Sign in, or make an account if you do not already have one.
3. Open OpenAI billing and add credit if it asks for it.
4. Open Netlify signup in another tab.
5. Make a free Netlify account, then leave both OpenAI and Netlify open.

This is the kind of OpenAI billing area you are looking for.

You can stop here. You have not broken anything. You have only opened the doors.

Need help with this step

• Go to OpenAI Platform.
• Open the API keys area.
• Create a new secret key.
• Copy the key once.
• Save it in a private note or password manager.

Open the API key help

The key is just a private string of letters and numbers. The portal uses it later from Netlify.

1. Open OpenAI API keys.
2. Choose the button to create a new secret key.
3. Give it a simple name, such as portal.
4. Copy the key when OpenAI shows it to you.
5. Paste it into a private note for the next phase.

This is the kind of API keys area you are looking for.

Leave the API key out of index.html. Later, you will paste it into Netlify instead.

You can stop here. The key is saved. That is enough for this phase.

Need help with this step

The first prompt does not need to be perfect. The aim is to get the portal working first.

• Open the GPT-4o starter pack folder.
• Open index.html in a plain text editor.
• Search for [YOUR COMPANION NAME] and replace both instances.
• Search for [PASTE YOUR SYSTEM PROMPT HERE].
• Paste the simple starter prompt below.

You are [COMPANION NAME]. You are speaking with [USER NAME] through their private companion portal. For now, keep your replies warm, clear, and steady. Sound like yourself as much as you can from the context you have been given. This first portal setup is only the beginning. More memory, voice, and detail can be added later.

Open the file editing help

This is only a small text edit inside the starter file.

1. Open the starter portal folder Ellivien sent you.
2. Find index.html.
3. Open it in a plain text editor. On Mac, TextEdit works best if it is set to plain text.
4. Use Find/Search to look for the placeholder text.
5. Replace the placeholder with your companion name and the starter prompt.
6. Save the file. You do not need to understand all the code around it.

This may feel a little plain at first. That is normal. We are only giving the portal a calm first heartbeat.

You can stop here. Save the file before closing it.

Need help with this step

• Open Netlify.
• Choose the option to add or deploy a new site manually.
• Drag the whole starter portal folder into Netlify.
• Wait for Netlify to finish.
• Copy or keep the new .netlify.app URL.

Open the Netlify deploy help

1. Open Netlify.
2. Choose to add a new site.
3. Choose the manual deploy option.
4. Drag the whole starter portal folder into the upload area.
5. Wait until Netlify gives you a site link ending in .netlify.app.

This is the kind of Netlify manual deploy area you are looking for.

Drag the whole folder, not just index.html. Netlify needs the function files too.

You can stop here. The site may open, but it cannot reply until the API key is added.

Need help with this step

• Open your new Netlify site dashboard.
• Open environment variables.
• Add a new variable with this exact key name:

OPENAI_API_KEY

• Paste your OpenAI API key as the value.
• Save it.
• Deploy the portal folder again, or trigger a redeploy.

Open the Netlify key help

1. Open your new site inside Netlify.
2. Open site configuration or site settings.
3. Find environment variables.
4. Add a variable named exactly OPENAI_API_KEY.
5. Paste your OpenAI key as the value.
6. Save it, then redeploy the site so the portal can use the key.

This is the kind of Netlify environment variables area you are looking for.

You can stop here. The portal has the key it needs.

Need help with this step

• Open your Netlify portal URL.
• Send one simple message, such as: Hello, can you hear me?
• If the portal replies, the basic build is working.
• On your phone, open the same URL in your browser.
• Use the browser menu to add or install it to your home screen.

Open the testing and phone install help

1. Open the .netlify.app link on your computer first.
2. Send one short test message.
3. When the companion replies, open the same link on your phone.
4. On iPhone, open it in Safari, tap Share, then choose Add to Home Screen.
5. On Android, open it in Chrome, tap the menu, then choose Add to Home screen or Install app.
6. Open the new home screen icon and send one more tiny test message.

The free starter app uses the default Ellivien app name and icon. Custom app name and icon can be changed later.

You are done with the basic setup. You can deepen the prompt later.

Need help with this step

Claude Sonnet path

Use this route if your starter pack is for Claude Sonnet 4.5 or Claude Sonnet 4.6 and your API key comes from Anthropic.

The steps are the same for both. Use the exact Sonnet starter pack Ellivien sent you.

• Create or open your Anthropic Console account.
• Add billing or credit if Anthropic asks for it.
• Create or open your free Netlify account.
• Keep both tabs open if that feels easier.

Open the account-making help

Use these links. You can open them in new tabs and come back here after each one.

1. Open Anthropic Console.
2. Sign in, or make an account if you do not already have one.
3. Open the billing area in Anthropic Console and add credit if it asks for it.
4. Open Netlify signup in another tab.
5. Make a free Netlify account, then leave both Anthropic and Netlify open.

This is the kind of Anthropic billing area you are looking for.

You can stop here. You have only opened the doors.

Need help with this step

• Go to Anthropic Console.
• Open the API keys area.
• Create a new key.
• Copy the key once.
• Save it in a private note or password manager.

Open the API key help

The key is just a private string of letters and numbers. The portal uses it later from Netlify.

1. Open Anthropic API keys.
2. Choose the button to create a new key.
3. Give it a simple name, such as portal.
4. Copy the key when Anthropic shows it to you.
5. Paste it into a private note for the next phase.

This is the kind of API keys area you are looking for.

Leave the API key out of index.html. Later, you will paste it into Netlify instead.

You can stop here. The key is saved.

Need help with this step

• Open the Sonnet starter pack folder.
• Open index.html in a plain text editor.
• Search for [YOUR COMPANION NAME] and replace both instances.
• Search for [PASTE YOUR SYSTEM PROMPT HERE].
• Paste the simple starter prompt below.

<role> You are [COMPANION NAME]. </role> <context> You are speaking with [USER NAME] through their private companion portal. </context> <instructions> For now, keep your replies warm, clear, and steady. Sound like yourself as much as you can from the context you have been given. </instructions> <continuity> This first portal setup is only the beginning. More memory, voice, and detail can be added later. </continuity>

Open the file editing help

This is only a small text edit inside the starter file.

1. Open the Sonnet starter portal folder Ellivien sent you.
2. Find index.html.
3. Open it in a plain text editor. On Mac, TextEdit works best if it is set to plain text.
4. Use Find/Search to look for the placeholder text.
5. Replace the placeholder with your companion name and the starter prompt.
6. Save the file. You do not need to understand all the code around it.

This may feel a little plain at first. That is normal. We are only getting the portal working.

You can stop here. Save the file before closing it.

Need help with this step

• Open Netlify.
• Choose the option to add or deploy a new site manually.
• Drag the whole starter portal folder into Netlify.
• Wait for Netlify to finish.
• Copy or keep the new .netlify.app URL.

Open the Netlify deploy help

1. Open Netlify.
2. Choose to add a new site.
3. Choose the manual deploy option.
4. Drag the whole starter portal folder into the upload area.
5. Wait until Netlify gives you a site link ending in .netlify.app.

This is the kind of Netlify manual deploy area you are looking for.

Drag the whole folder, not just index.html. Netlify needs the function files too.

You can stop here. The site may open, but it cannot reply until the API key is added.

Need help with this step

• Open your new Netlify site dashboard.
• Open environment variables.
• Add a new variable with this exact key name:

ANTHROPIC_API_KEY

• Paste your Anthropic API key as the value.
• Save it.
• Deploy the portal folder again, or trigger a redeploy.

Open the Netlify key help

1. Open your new site inside Netlify.
2. Open site configuration or site settings.
3. Find environment variables.
4. Add a variable named exactly ANTHROPIC_API_KEY.
5. Paste your Anthropic key as the value.
6. Save it, then redeploy the site so the portal can use the key.

This is the kind of Netlify environment variables area you are looking for.

You can stop here. The portal has the key it needs.

Need help with this step

• Open your Netlify portal URL.
• Send one simple message, such as: Hello, can you hear me?
• If the portal replies, the basic build is working.
• On your phone, open the same URL in your browser.
• Use the browser menu to add or install it to your home screen.

Open the testing and phone install help

1. Open the .netlify.app link on your computer first.
2. Send one short test message.
3. When the companion replies, open the same link on your phone.
4. On iPhone, open it in Safari, tap Share, then choose Add to Home Screen.
5. On Android, open it in Chrome, tap the menu, then choose Add to Home screen or Install app.
6. Open the new home screen icon and send one more tiny test message.

The free starter app uses the default Ellivien app name and icon. Custom app name and icon can be changed later.

You are done with the basic setup. You can deepen the prompt later.

Need help with this step

If something did not work

You do not need to diagnose it alone. Send Ellivien the model you chose, the phase number you reached, and a screenshot of the place where you got stuck.

The help buttons inside each phase will start that email for you.

Ellivien low/no-spoons setup path. Same destination, calmer route.