Replace localStorage API key with reactive hook across app

app/editor/[storySlug]/page.tsx

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
 import { useParams } from "next/navigation";
 import { useToast } from "@/hooks/use-toast";
+import { useApiKey } from "@/hooks/use-api-key";
 import { EditorToolbar } from "@/components/editor/editor-toolbar";
 import { PageSidebar } from "@/components/editor/page-sidebar";
 import { ComicCanvas } from "@/components/editor/comic-canvas";
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ export default function StoryEditorPage() {
     string[]
   >([]);
   const { toast } = useToast();
+  const [apiKey, setApiKey] = useApiKey();
 
   // Load story and pages from API
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -123,8 +125,7 @@ export default function StoryEditorPage() {
   }, [pages.length]);
 
   const handleAddPage = () => {
-    const storedKey = localStorage.getItem("together_api_key");
+    if (!apiKey && pages.length >= 1) {
-    if (!storedKey && pages.length >= 1) {
       setShowApiModal(true);
       return;
     }
@@ -132,8 +133,7 @@ export default function StoryEditorPage() {
   };
 
   const handleRedrawPage = async () => {
-    const storedKey = localStorage.getItem("together_api_key");
+    if (!apiKey) {
-    if (!storedKey) {
       setShowApiModal(true);
       return;
     }
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ export default function StoryEditorPage() {
         method: "POST",
         headers: {
           "Content-Type": "application/json",
-          "x-api-key": storedKey,
+          "x-api-key": apiKey,
         },
         body: JSON.stringify({
           storyId: story?.slug,
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ export default function StoryEditorPage() {
   };
 
   const handleApiKeySubmit = (key: string) => {
-    localStorage.setItem("together_api_key", key);
+    setApiKey(key);
     setShowApiModal(false);
     const wasGenerating = showGenerateModal;
     if (wasGenerating) {
@@ -210,7 +210,6 @@ export default function StoryEditorPage() {
     characterUrls?: string[];
   }) => {
     try {
-      const apiKey = localStorage.getItem("together_api_key");
       if (!apiKey) {
         setShowApiModal(true);
         return;

components/api-key-modal.tsx

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   DialogDescription,
 } from "@/components/ui/dialog";
 import { TOGETHER_LINK } from "@/lib/utils";
+import { useApiKey } from "@/hooks/use-api-key";
 
 interface ApiKeyModalProps {
   isOpen: boolean;
@@ -21,38 +22,35 @@ interface ApiKeyModalProps {
 }
 
 export function ApiKeyModal({ isOpen, onClose, onSubmit }: ApiKeyModalProps) {
-  const [apiKey, setApiKey] = useState("");
+  const [apiKeyInput, setApiKeyInput] = useState("");
   const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(false);
-  const [existingKey, setExistingKey] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [existingKey, setApiKey] = useApiKey();
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (typeof window !== "undefined" && isOpen) {
+    if (isOpen) {
-      const storedKey = localStorage.getItem("together_api_key");
+      setApiKeyInput((current) => {
-      setExistingKey(storedKey);
+        if (existingKey && current === "") {
-      setApiKey((current) => {
+          return existingKey;
-        if (storedKey && current === "") {
-          return storedKey;
         }
         return current;
       });
     }
-  }, [isOpen]);
+  }, [isOpen, existingKey]);
 
   const handleSubmit = async (e: React.FormEvent) => {
     e.preventDefault();
-    if (!apiKey.trim()) return;
+    if (!apiKeyInput.trim()) return;
 
     setIsLoading(true);
     await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 500));
     setIsLoading(false);
-    onSubmit(apiKey.trim());
+    onSubmit(apiKeyInput.trim());
-    setApiKey("");
+    setApiKeyInput("");
   };
 
   const handleDelete = () => {
-    localStorage.removeItem("together_api_key");
+    setApiKey(null);
-    setExistingKey(null);
+    setApiKeyInput("");
-    setApiKey("");
     onClose();
   };
 
@@ -83,15 +81,15 @@ export function ApiKeyModal({ isOpen, onClose, onSubmit }: ApiKeyModalProps) {
           <div className="relative">
             <Input
               type="password"
-              value={apiKey}
+              value={apiKeyInput}
-              onChange={(e) => setApiKey(e.target.value)}
+              onChange={(e) => setApiKeyInput(e.target.value)}
               placeholder={existingKey ? "Your current API key" : "Enter your API key..."}
               className="bg-secondary border-border/50 text-white placeholder-muted-foreground py-5 pr-10"
             />
-            {apiKey && (
+            {apiKeyInput && (
               <button
                 type="button"
-                onClick={() => setApiKey("")}
+                onClick={() => setApiKeyInput("")}
                 className="absolute right-3 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 text-muted-foreground hover:text-white transition-colors"
               >
                 <X className="w-4 h-4" />
@@ -120,7 +118,7 @@ export function ApiKeyModal({ isOpen, onClose, onSubmit }: ApiKeyModalProps) {
             </Button>
             <Button
               type="submit"
-              disabled={!apiKey.trim() || isLoading}
+              disabled={!apiKeyInput.trim() || isLoading}
               className="flex-1 gap-2 bg-white hover:bg-neutral-200 text-black"
             >
               {isLoading ? "Validating..." : "Continue"}

components/landing/comic-creation-form.tsx

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { useS3Upload } from "next-s3-upload";
 import { useAuth, SignInButton } from "@clerk/nextjs";
 import { COMIC_STYLES } from "@/lib/constants";
 import { useKeyboardShortcut } from "@/hooks/use-keyboard-shortcut";
+import { useApiKey } from "@/hooks/use-api-key";
 
 interface ComicCreationFormProps {
   prompt: string;
@@ -36,25 +37,14 @@ export function ComicCreationForm({
   const { toast } = useToast();
   const { uploadToS3 } = useS3Upload();
   const { isSignedIn, isLoaded } = useAuth();
-  const [hasApiKey, setHasApiKey] = useState(false);
+  const [apiKey] = useApiKey();
+  const hasApiKey = !!apiKey;
   const [previews, setPreviews] = useState<string[]>([]);
   const [showPreview, setShowPreview] = useState<number | null>(null);
   const [showStyleDropdown, setShowStyleDropdown] = useState(false);
   const fileInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
   const textareaRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>(null);
 
-  // Check if user has their own API key set
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const checkApiKey = () => {
-      const apiKey = localStorage.getItem("together_api_key");
-      setHasApiKey(!!apiKey);
-    };
-
-    checkApiKey();
-    // Listen for storage changes
-    window.addEventListener("storage", checkApiKey);
-    return () => window.removeEventListener("storage", checkApiKey);
-  }, []);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (isLoading) {
@@ -138,7 +128,17 @@ export function ComicCreationForm({
     setLoadingStep(0);
 
     try {
-      const apiKey = localStorage.getItem("together_api_key");
+      if (!apiKey) {
+        toast({
+          title: "API key required",
+          description: "Please add your API key to generate comics.",
+          variant: "destructive",
+          duration: 3000,
+        });
+        setIsLoading(false);
+        return;
+      }
+
       const characterUploads = await Promise.all(
         characterFiles.map((file) => uploadToS3(file).then(({ url }) => url))
       );

components/landing/navbar.tsx

@@ -6,15 +6,17 @@ import { Github, Key, BookOpen, User, Plus } from "lucide-react";
 import Link from "next/link";
 import { ApiKeyModal } from "@/components/api-key-modal";
 import { SignInButton, SignedIn, SignedOut, useAuth } from "@clerk/nextjs";
+import { useApiKey } from "@/hooks/use-api-key";
 
 export function Navbar() {
   const [showApiModal, setShowApiModal] = useState(false);
 
   const { isLoaded } = useAuth();
   const pathname = usePathname();
+  const [, setApiKey] = useApiKey();
 
   const handleApiKeySubmit = (key: string) => {
-    localStorage.setItem("together_api_key", key);
+    setApiKey(key);
     setShowApiModal(false);
   };
 

hooks/use-api-key.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { useState, useEffect, useCallback } from "react";
+
+const STORAGE_KEY = "together_api_key";
+const STORAGE_EVENT = "apiKeyChanged";
+
+/**
+ * Reactive hook for managing the Together API key in localStorage.
+ * Automatically syncs across components and tabs when the key changes.
+ * 
+ * @returns {[string | null, (key: string | null) => void]} Tuple of [apiKey, setApiKey]
+ */
+export function useApiKey(): [string | null, (key: string | null) => void] {
+  const [apiKey, setApiKeyState] = useState<string | null>(null);
+
+  // Initialize from localStorage on mount
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const readFromStorage = () => {
+      if (typeof window !== "undefined") {
+        const stored = localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY);
+        setApiKeyState(stored);
+      }
+    };
+
+    readFromStorage();
+
+    // Listen for storage events (cross-tab updates)
+    const handleStorageChange = (e: StorageEvent) => {
+      if (e.key === STORAGE_KEY) {
+        setApiKeyState(e.newValue);
+      }
+    };
+
+    // Listen for custom events (same-tab updates)
+    const handleCustomStorageChange = () => {
+      readFromStorage();
+    };
+
+    window.addEventListener("storage", handleStorageChange);
+    window.addEventListener(STORAGE_EVENT, handleCustomStorageChange);
+
+    return () => {
+      window.removeEventListener("storage", handleStorageChange);
+      window.removeEventListener(STORAGE_EVENT, handleCustomStorageChange);
+    };
+  }, []);
+
+  // Setter function that updates both localStorage and state, and dispatches event
+  const setApiKey = useCallback((key: string | null) => {
+    if (typeof window !== "undefined") {
+      if (key === null) {
+        localStorage.removeItem(STORAGE_KEY);
+      } else {
+        localStorage.setItem(STORAGE_KEY, key);
+      }
+      setApiKeyState(key);
+      // Dispatch custom event for same-tab reactivity
+      window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(STORAGE_EVENT));
+    }
+  }, []);
+
+  return [apiKey, setApiKey];
+}
+