Getting Started with DeepSeek API: A Comprehensive Guide for Developers

DeepSeek API is designed to be compatible with the OpenAI API format, enabling you to leverage your existing OpenAI SDK skills and software to access DeepSeek's powerful AI models. This guide will walk you through your first API call, providing a solid foundation for building innovative applications.

DeepSeek API: OpenAI Compatibility and Ease of Use

One of the key advantages of DeepSeek API is its compatibility with the OpenAI ecosystem. By making a few configuration adjustments, you can seamlessly transition your projects to utilize DeepSeek's cutting-edge models. This compatibility extends to various software solutions that are already designed to work with the OpenAI API.

Quick Setup: Base URL and API Key

To begin using the DeepSeek API, you'll need two essential components:

• Base URL: The base URL for DeepSeek API is https://api.deepseek.com. For OpenAI compatibility, you can also use https://api.deepseek.com/v1. Note that the v1 in the URL is for compatibility and does not reflect the model version.
• API Key: You'll need an API key to authenticate your requests. You can obtain one by signing up on the DeepSeek Platform.

Model Updates: DeepSeek-V3 and DeepSeek-R1

Stay up-to-date with DeepSeek's model advancements:

• DeepSeek-V3: The deepseek-chat model has been fully upgraded to DeepSeek-V3. You can access it by specifying model='deepseek-chat' in your API calls.
• DeepSeek-R1: The latest reasoning model, DeepSeek-R1, powers the deepseek-reasoner. To utilize DeepSeek-R1, specify model='deepseek-reasoner'. Check here for more information about reasoning model.

Making Your First API Call: A Step-by-Step Guide

After obtaining your API key, you can use the following code snippets to interact with the DeepSeek API. These examples demonstrate non-streaming output, but you can easily enable streaming by setting stream to true.

cURL Example

curl https://api.deepseek.com/chat/completions \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <Your DeepSeek API Key>" \
  -d '{
    "model": "deepseek-chat",
    "messages": [
      {"role": "system", "content": "You are a helpful assistant."},
      {"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}
    ],
    "stream": false
  }'

Python Example

# Please install OpenAI SDK first: `pip3 install openai`
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    api_key="<Your DeepSeek API Key>",
    base_url="https://api.deepseek.com"
)

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="deepseek-chat",
    messages=[
        {"role": "system", "content": "You are a helpful assistant"},
        {"role": "user", "content": "Hello"},
    ],
    stream=False
)

print(response.choices[0].message.content)

Node.js Example

// Please install OpenAI SDK first: `npm install openai`
import OpenAI from "openai";

const openai = new OpenAI({
    baseURL: 'https://api.deepseek.com',
    apiKey: '<Your DeepSeek API Key>'
});

async function main() {
    const completion = await openai.chat.completions.create({
        messages: [{ role: "system", content: "You are a helpful assistant." }],
        model: "deepseek-chat",
    });
    console.log(completion.choices[0].message.content);
}

main();

Next Steps

• Explore Pricing: Understand the cost structure by visiting the Model & Pricing page.
• Dive Deeper: Learn more about Reasoning Model DeepSeek-R1.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and updates on the DeepSeek News page.

By following this guide, you're well on your way to harnessing the power of DeepSeek AI for your projects.