Venice’s text inference API implements the OpenAI API specification, ensuring compatibility with existing OpenAI clients and tools. This document outlines how to integrate with Venice using this familiar interface.

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Base Configuration

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Required Base URL

All API requests must use Venice’s base URL:

const BASE_URL = "https://api.venice.ai/api/v1"

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Client Setup

Configure your OpenAI client with Venice’s base URL:

import OpenAI from "openai";

new OpenAI({
  apiKey: "--Your API Key--",
  baseURL: "https://api.venice.ai/api/v1",
});

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Available Endpoints

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Models

  • Endpoint: /api/v1/models
  • Documentation: Models API Reference
  • Purpose: Retrieve available models and their capabilities

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Chat Completions

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System Prompts

Venice provides default system prompts designed to ensure uncensored and natural model responses. You have two options for handling system prompts:

  1. Default Behavior: Your system prompts are appended to Venice’s defaults
  2. Custom Behavior: Disable Venice’s system prompts entirely

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Disabling Venice System Prompts

Use the venice_parameters option to remove Venice’s default system prompts:

const completionStream = await openAI.chat.completions.create({
  model: "default",
  messages: [
    {
      role: "system",
      content: "Your system prompt",
    },
    {
      role: "user",
      content: "Why is the sky blue?",
    },
  ],
  // @ts-expect-error Venice.ai paramters are unique to Venice.
  venice_parameters: {
    include_venice_system_prompt: false,
  },
});

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Best Practices

  1. Error Handling: Implement robust error handling for API responses
  2. Rate Limiting: Be mindful of rate limits during the beta period
  3. System Prompts: Test both with and without Venice’s system prompts to determine the best fit for your use case
  4. API Keys: Keep your API keys secure and rotate them regularly

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Differences from OpenAI’s API

While Venice maintains high compatibility with the OpenAI API specification, there are some Venice-specific features and parameters:

  1. venice_parameters: Additional configuration options specific to Venice
  2. System Prompts: Different default behavior for system prompt handling
  3. Model Names: Venice-specific model identifiers
Error Codes