BLOG · 54 ARTICLES
AI API Guides & Selection Notes
Practical notes for small teams and developers: API keys, Claude Code, Cursor, DeepSeek, pricing, and alternatives.
GPT-5.5 API Guide: Model, Keys, and Cost Control (2026)
GPT-5.5 API guide: model ID, 1.05M context, the 272K billing threshold, API keys, Base URL setup, curl and Python calls, cost control, and error fixes.
Read article →Claude Sonnet 5 API Guide: Keys, Context, and Calls (2026)
Claude Sonnet 5 API guide: model ID, 1M-token context, adaptive thinking, cache and batch billing, API keys, curl and Python calls, errors, and cost control.
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OpenAI-Compatible API Guide: Base URL, SDKs, and Migration (2026)
What OpenAI-compatible APIs cover, how to write the Base URL, configure Python and Node SDKs, handle parameter differences, and migrate from the official API.
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n8n OpenAI API Integration: Node Setup, Automation, and Cost Control (2026)
Configure OpenAI credentials and a Base URL in n8n, build workflows with the OpenAI node or HTTP Request, and control rate limits, retries, and token costs.
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LobeChat Custom API: OpenAI-Compatible Setup and Deployment (2026)
Connect LobeChat to an OpenAI-compatible API via the UI or environment variables: Docker, OPENAI_PROXY_URL, custom model lists, reverse proxies, and fixes.
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GPT-5.6 Terra API Guide: Capabilities, Keys, and Access (2026)
A GPT-5.6 Terra API guide covering context limits, long-context billing, API keys, Base URL setup, code examples, error fixes, and cost control.
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Dify Custom Model API: OpenAI-Compatible Setup and Troubleshooting (2026)
Add an OpenAI-compatible model provider in Dify: Base URL and API key setup, model parameters, app binding, and fixes for 401, 404, and timeout errors.
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Codex API Setup: Custom API Key, Base URL, and Models (2026)
Connect Codex CLI to a compatible gateway with a custom API key, Base URL, and model, including config.toml, Responses API requirements, and common error fixes.
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Cherry Studio Custom API Setup: Base URL, Key, and Models (2026)
Add a custom OpenAI-compatible provider in Cherry Studio: where to enter the API address and key, how to add model IDs, and how to troubleshoot errors.
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Chatbox Custom API Setup: Models, Keys, and Troubleshooting (2026)
Connect Chatbox to a custom OpenAI-compatible provider: how to fill in the API host and key, add model IDs, and fix 401, 404, broken streams, and image errors.
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Whisper API Key Guide: Speech-to-Text Setup and Calls (2026)
How to get a Whisper API key, call /v1/audio/transcriptions, handle file limits and timestamps, and avoid common errors and privacy risks.
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Seedance API Guide: Video Tasks, Integration, and Risks (2026)
How the Seedance async video API works: authentication, task submission, polling, parameters, testing, cost estimation, and content review.
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RAG API in Production: Retrieval, Vectors, and Answer Quality (2026)
A production RAG API guide: chunking, embeddings, hybrid retrieval, reranking, citations, permissions, evaluation, cost, and failure modes.
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LiteLLM Guide: Build a Self-Hosted Multi-Model Gateway (2026)
LiteLLM setup explained: config.yaml, routing and fallbacks, virtual keys, Docker deployment, logging, and when to self-host or use a managed gateway.
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GLM-5 API Guide: Keys, Base URL, and Calls (2026)
How to get a GLM API key, set the base URL, and call GLM-5 through the OpenAI-compatible interface with curl and Python.
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Free DeepSeek API: Is It Reliable? Limits and Alternatives (2026)
Where free DeepSeek API credits come from, what they limit, and how to test them for seven days before moving to a paid plan.
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Cross-Border E-Commerce AI API: Product Research, Support, and Content (2026)
A cross-border e-commerce AI API blueprint: product research, listing translation, multilingual support, review analysis, creative assets, and compliance.
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Anthropic API Top-Up: Pricing, FX, Invoices, and Credit (2026)
Two ways to top up Anthropic API credit, how prepaid billing works, exchange-rate and fee checks, invoices, refunds, and first-call verification.
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AI Meeting Notes API: Transcription, Summaries, and Permissions (2026)
A practical AI meeting notes API architecture: speech transcription, speaker diarization, LLM summaries, action items, permissions, cost, and testing.
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AI Data Analysis API: From Natural Language to Trusted Reports (2026)
How to build a data analysis AI API: schema retrieval, SQL generation and validation, access control, chart output, accuracy testing, and cost control.
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Sora API Guide: Video Generation Endpoints, Access, and Risks (2026)
How Sora API works: async video generation, access paths, test steps, cost estimation, content policy, and production risks.
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SiliconFlow Alternatives: Pricing, Models, and OpenAI Compatibility (2026)
How to evaluate SiliconFlow alternatives by model coverage, OpenAI compatibility, stability, billing, quota management, and compliance, plus migration steps.
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OpenRouter Alternatives: Pricing, Models, and Access Compared (2026)
How to choose an OpenRouter alternative on model coverage, compatibility, stability, billing, support, and compliance, with a migration checklist.
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OpenAI API Relay: Direct Access from China and Alternatives (2026)
How an OpenAI API relay works, how to choose one, how to migrate in four steps, and which risks to check before moving production traffic.
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OpenAI API Key Guide (2026): Setup, Top-Up, Calls, and Security
Step-by-step guide to getting an OpenAI API Key: registration, key creation, top-up, Base URL setup, plus curl, Python, and Node.js examples.
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One API and New API: Self-Hosted vs Managed Gateways (2026)
One API and New API explained, including what self-hosting requires, how it compares with managed gateways, and how to migrate safely.
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OCR API Guide: Image to Text, Structured Extraction, and Selection (2026)
Compare traditional OCR, multimodal models, and OCR plus LLM pipelines, with calling examples, testing, and compliance notes.
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Moonshot API Guide: Kimi Models, Keys, and Integration (2026)
How to use the Moonshot API with Kimi models: keys, Base URL, Python examples, long-context practices, and error handling.
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MiniMax API Guide: Models, Keys, and Integration (2026)
How to integrate the MiniMax API: text, voice, and video capabilities, keys, Base URL, testing, and error handling.
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LLM API Proxy: Compliance, Billing, and Reliability (2026)
What an LLM API proxy is, how it differs from a gateway, and how enterprises should verify authorization, data terms, billing, reliability, and contracts.
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How to Choose an LLM API Platform: Enterprise Buying Checklist (2026)
An actionable enterprise checklist for buying an LLM API platform, covering the scoring model, POC testing, contracts, invoices, compliance, and total cost.
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LLM API Aggregators Compared: OpenRouter, SiliconFlow, ZSQH (2026)
Compare OpenRouter, SiliconFlow, and ZSQH AI Gateway on model coverage, access from China, compatibility, billing, and compliance.
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Kling API Guide: Video Generation, Keys, and Task Flow (2026)
How Kling API works: async video tasks, authentication, polling, cost planning, compliance risks, and a test checklist.
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Grok API Guide: Keys, Base URLs, and Setup (2026)
How to get a Grok API key and call xAI models, with OpenAI SDK examples, base URL configuration, error fixes, and cost planning.
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Gemini API Relay: Access from China, Quotas, and Alternatives (2026)
How to access Gemini API from mainland China through a relay, what to check for multimodal support and quotas, and how to test before launch.
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Gemini API Key Guide: AI Studio, Quotas, and Access (2026)
How to get a Gemini API Key, how free quotas work, and how to call Gemini from restricted networks, with curl and Python examples and error fixes.
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Embedding API Guide: Text Vectors, RAG, and Cost (2026)
How to use an Embedding API: text vectors, RAG pipelines, model selection, cost calculation, and common pitfalls.
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DeepSeek V4 API Guide: Models, Keys, and Migration (2026)
How to use the DeepSeek V4 API: keys, Base URL, curl and Python examples, migration steps, and cost control.
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DeepSeek API Top-Up: Official vs Gateway, Invoices, and Cost Control (2026)
Compare official and gateway top-up paths for DeepSeek API, plus invoices, refunds, account credit, and practical cost control.
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DeepSeek API Key Guide: Setup, Top-Up, Calls, and Alternatives (2026)
How to get and fund a DeepSeek API Key, call it with the OpenAI SDK, handle rate limits, and compare direct access with a gateway.
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Cursor Pricing: Pro/Ultra vs Pay-As-You-Go API (2026)
How to compare Cursor subscription plans with bring-your-own API keys, using a cost formula, three usage tiers, and the hidden costs that are easy to miss.
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Cursor API Guide: Custom Keys, Base URL, and Models (2026)
Configure a custom API Key and Base URL in Cursor, switch between Claude and GPT models, and compare subscription versus usage-based billing.
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Claude Code Relay: Why You Need One and How to Connect (2026)
What a Claude Code relay can and cannot solve, how to choose one, and how to configure ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL on macOS, Linux, and Windows.
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Claude Code Pricing: Subscription vs Pay-As-You-Go (2026)
A practical way to compare Claude Code subscriptions and API pay-as-you-go billing, with cost formulas, usage tiers, and hidden costs.
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Claude Code API Guide: Keys, Base URL, and Setup (2026)
From registration and API Key creation to Base URL configuration and your first run, with model selection, common errors, and cost control.
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Claude API Top-Up: Pricing, Exchange Rates, and Invoices (2026)
Two ways to top up Claude API credit, what to check on exchange rates and fees, how to configure your key afterward, and how to keep costs under control.
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Claude API Key: Console, Top-Up, Calls, and Proxies (2026)
Get a Claude API Key from Anthropic Console or a gateway, make your first call, connect Claude Code, and fix the most common errors.
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ChatGPT API Access from China: Direct, Gateway, and Self-Hosted (2026)
How developers in mainland China can reach the ChatGPT and OpenAI API through direct access, domestic gateways, or self-hosting, with a test checklist.
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What Is an API Relay? Selection, Pricing, and Compliance (2026)
What an API relay is, how to evaluate one, how to compare real costs, which compliance questions to ask, and how to test before going live.
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AnyRouter Alternative: Pricing, Stability, and Migration (2026)
A reusable framework for evaluating AnyRouter alternatives, covering requirements, compatibility tests, migration steps, and stability metrics.
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Anthropic API: Claude Models, Access, and Billing (2026)
What the Anthropic API is, how the Messages API works, how it differs from OpenAI, and two ways to access it from mainland China.
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What Is an AI Relay? A Complete 2026 Guide and Pitfall List
AI relay, API gateway, or aggregation platform? Learn the differences and how to evaluate model coverage, stability, billing, latency, quotas, and compliance.
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AI Agent API for Enterprise: Tool Calls, Cost, and Security (2026)
An enterprise checklist for AI Agent APIs: tool calling, permission boundaries, cost control, stability, and security.
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Claude API Relay: Access, Pricing, and Setup (2026)
How Claude API relay gateways work, how to choose one, how to configure Claude Code and the OpenAI SDK, and what risks to check first.
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