> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hivenet.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Call your Inference API endpoint

> Send OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions requests with Python, JavaScript, or curl using your endpoint URL, model value, and Inference API key.

Each running Inference API endpoint gives you three values you need to make a request:

* An **endpoint URL**
* A **model value** for the request
* An **Inference API key** from the same organization

Open the endpoint details and use the generated **Quick-start snippets** for Python, JavaScript, or `curl`. They contain the values expected by that endpoint.

<Info>
  The current quick-start flow documents the OpenAI-compatible **Chat Completions** interface. Do not assume other OpenAI API routes are supported unless they are documented separately.
</Info>

## Use the endpoint URL as shown

The endpoint URL already includes its API version path. It typically looks like:

```text theme={null}
https://YOUR_ENDPOINT_HOST/v1
```

Use this full value as the base URL in an SDK client.

<Warning>
  Do not append another `/v1`. For a direct Chat Completions request, add `/chat/completions` to the endpoint URL, not another API-version segment.
</Warning>

## Use the exact model value from the snippet

Chat Completions requests include a `model` field. Copy the exact value generated for the endpoint.

It can differ from:

* The endpoint name you chose
* The shorter model title in the catalog
* The identifier used by another or older endpoint

If you receive a model-not-found error, check this value first.

## Python

Install the OpenAI SDK:

```bash theme={null}
pip install openai
```

Then use your endpoint values:

```python theme={null}
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="YOUR_ENDPOINT_URL",
    api_key="YOUR_INFERENCE_API_KEY",
)

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="YOUR_MODEL_VALUE",
    messages=[
        {"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}
    ],
)

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

## JavaScript

Install the OpenAI package in your Node.js project:

```bash theme={null}
npm install openai
```

Then configure the client with the same endpoint URL and key:

```javascript theme={null}
import OpenAI from 'openai'

const client = new OpenAI({
  baseURL: 'YOUR_ENDPOINT_URL',
  apiKey: 'YOUR_INFERENCE_API_KEY',
})

const response = await client.chat.completions.create({
  model: 'YOUR_MODEL_VALUE',
  messages: [{ role: 'user', content: 'Hello!' }],
})

console.log(response.choices[0].message.content)
```

## curl

For a direct request, append `/chat/completions` to the endpoint URL and send the API key as a bearer token:

```bash theme={null}
curl YOUR_ENDPOINT_URL/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_INFERENCE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "YOUR_MODEL_VALUE",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]
  }'
```

## Protect your API key

Do not commit the key to source control. For local testing, store it in an environment variable or another local secret store. For deployed applications, use the secret-management mechanism provided by your runtime or hosting platform.

<Warning>
  If a key is exposed, create a replacement, update the applications that use it, and revoke the exposed key.
</Warning>

See [Create and manage Inference API keys](/documentation/inference-api/api-keys) for the full key lifecycle.

## Before troubleshooting the request

Check these three things first:

* The endpoint is **Running** or **Partially running**.
* The API key is **Active** and belongs to the same organization as the endpoint.
* The endpoint URL and `model` value were copied from that endpoint's Quick-start snippet.

For authentication, capacity, latency, or endpoint-state problems, see [Troubleshoot Hivenet Inference API](/documentation/inference-api/troubleshooting).

## Next steps

* [Create and manage API keys](/documentation/inference-api/api-keys).
* [Manage an endpoint](/documentation/inference-api/manage-deployments).
* [Manage replicas and capacity](/documentation/inference-api/replicas-and-capacity).