# Documentation

> The Kiln API: AI inference you call with the OpenAI SDK. Set base_url and an API key to call models.

Source: https://kiln.bricksum.com/docs/en

Kiln docs

# Kiln API — AI inference you call with the OpenAI SDK

Call AI models with the OpenAI SDK. Set base_url and an API key to start.

[Get an API key](https://kiln.bricksum.com/app/keys)

## Point your OpenAI SDK at Kiln.

Point base_url at Kiln and use an API key that starts with sk-bk-…. Put your key in the examples below, then run them. Some parameters are not supported yet; see Known limitations in the API reference.

**curl**
```bash
curl https://api.bricksum.com/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk-bk-..." \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "qwen3-32b",
    "messages": [
      {"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}
    ]
  }'
```

**Python**
```python
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="https://api.bricksum.com/v1",
    api_key="sk-bk-...",  # your Kiln API key
)

resp = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="qwen3-32b",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}],
)
print(resp.choices[0].message.content)
```

**JavaScript**
```javascript
import OpenAI from "openai";

const client = new OpenAI({
  baseURL: "https://api.bricksum.com/v1",
  apiKey: process.env.KILN_API_KEY, // sk-bk-...
});

const resp = await client.chat.completions.create({
  model: "qwen3-32b",
  messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Hello!" }],
});
console.log(resp.choices[0].message.content);
```

## Up and running in 5 minutes

1. Create an API key in the console
2. Set base_url to https://api.bricksum.com/v1
3. Send a first request and read usage in the response

[QuickstartA step-by-step walkthrough from creating an API key to your first API request.Quickstart →](https://kiln.bricksum.com/docs/en/quickstart)[API ReferenceThe hub of the API reference: base URL, authentication, the endpoints (Chat Completions, Completions, Responses, Messages, models, key), the parameters they share, the response envelope, streaming, errors and limits.Explore the API →](https://kiln.bricksum.com/docs/en/api-reference)[ModelsHow to list the models you can call through the API, and the context length, pricing and capabilities of each one.Pick a model →](https://kiln.bricksum.com/docs/en/models)[Usage & billingThe usage object and usage.cost, how cost is computed, the generation ID header, checking your key, and what is billed.Check your costs →](https://kiln.bricksum.com/docs/en/usage-billing)

## Using an AI coding assistant?

[/llms.txt](https://kiln.bricksum.com/llms.txt) is a machine-readable index of every page here. Give it to Claude Code or Cursor so the agent can read these docs while it sets up Kiln.