Key Points

The author released llm-openrouter version 0.6, a plugin that enables use of LLMs hosted by OpenRouter.
Version 0.6 adds an `llm openrouter refresh` command to reload the available model list immediately instead of waiting for cached data to expire.
The new refresh capability was added specifically to test the newly available Kimi 2.6 model on OpenRouter as soon as it appeared.
The post also includes a Pelican (animation) example and transcript showing the author’s attempt to interact with Kimi 2.6 via OpenRouter, including an HTML/JavaScript UI used to control animation behavior.

Simon Willison’s Weblog

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20th April 2026

Release llm-openrouter 0.6 — LLM plugin for models hosted by OpenRouter

llm openrouter refresh command for refreshing the list of available models without waiting for the cache to expire.

I added this feature so I could try Kimi 2.6 on OpenRouter as soon as it became available there.

Here's its pelican - this time as an HTML page because Kimi chose to include an HTML and JavaScript UI to control the animation. Transcript here.

The bicycle is about right. The pelican is OK. It is pedaling furiously and flapping its wings a bit. Controls below the animation provide a pause button and sliders for controlling the speed and the wing flap.