OpenAI Basics

Setup

Begin with an API key from OpenAI. Install the official `openai` npm package or call the REST endpoints directly from your backend service.

<Callout type="warn"> Always secure your keys and avoid exposing them in clients. Environment variables or secret stores keep credentials safe. </Callout>

Explore

Experiment with completions and assistants. Start with small prompts, inspect the outputs, and iterate. Chat models handle conversations, while assistants let you define structured workflows.

Next Steps

Review OpenAI's usage policies and pricing. When moving to production, cache responses where possible and monitor token usage to control cost.