OpenAI Python SDK

2.x · active · verified Sat Feb 28

Official Python SDK for the OpenAI API. As of v2.x, the Agents SDK requires openai v2. The Assistants API is deprecated and will be removed August 26, 2026. Use the Responses API for new agent builds.

Warnings

breaking Assistants API is deprecated. Hard shutdown August 26, 2026.
Fix: Migrate to Responses API. See OpenAI Assistants to Conversations migration guide.
breaking Realtime API Beta deprecated. Hard shutdown March 24, 2026.
Fix: Migrate to gpt-realtime GA model and Responses API interface.
breaking openai-agents SDK requires openai v2.x. v1.x is no longer supported.
Fix: pip install --upgrade openai
breaking chatgpt-4o-latest model snapshot removed February 17, 2026.
Fix: Use gpt-4o or a dated snapshot like gpt-4o-2024-11-20.
breaking DALL-E model snapshots deprecated. Removal May 12, 2026.
Fix: Migrate to gpt-image-1.5 or chatgpt-image-latest.
gotcha Responses API replaces Chat Completions as the recommended interface for agents.
Fix: Use client.responses.create() not client.chat.completions.create() for new agent builds.
gotcha Model slugs like gpt-4o-mini-tts now point to dated snapshots. Behaviour can change without notice.
Fix: Pin to dated snapshots in production e.g. gpt-4o-mini-tts-2025-03-20.

Install

pip install openai Python
npm install openai Node.js

Imports

OpenAI
```
from openai import OpenAI
```
v0.x module-level API is removed. Always instantiate the client.
AsyncOpenAI
```
from openai import AsyncOpenAI
```
Async module-level calls removed in v1.0. Use AsyncOpenAI client.

Quickstart

Minimal call using the Responses API (current recommended approach).

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI()  # reads OPENAI_API_KEY from env
response = client.responses.create(
    model='gpt-4o',
    input='What is the capital of France?'
)
print(response.output_text)

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