SPB Git
spboucher.ai

Repository Public

spbdoc-api

quickstart.md 12.2 KB

# Agents API quickstart

For the complete documentation index, see llms.txt. Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending .md to the page URL.

Build a coding assistant that writes tree.py, runs it, and shows a directory tree. OpenAI manages the agent, its conversation, and the sandbox where it works.

# Prerequisites

Create an application API key in your OpenAI Platform project. Grant api.agents.read and api.agents.write for session operations, plus api.responses.write for model inference, then export it:

bash
export OPENAI_API_KEY="your-api-key"

Keep this key outside the agent's sandbox. See OpenAI-hosted sandboxes for sandbox configuration and limits.

Requests require the OpenAI-Beta: agents=v1 header. The OpenAI SDKs add it automatically; include it explicitly when using cURL.

# 1. Run a task

Choose a language, install the OpenAI SDK, and run the example. The SDK examples use the beta.agents namespace. The request creates a session, submits a task, and streams progress.

Python

Install or update the Python SDK:

bash
pip install --upgrade openai

Save the example as quickstart.py:

Create and run tree.py

python
from openai import OpenAI

with OpenAI() as client:
    with client.beta.agents.sessions.create(
        agent={
            "model": "gpt-6-astra",
            "instructions": "Write clean code, run it, and report the actual output.",
        },
        environment={"type": "openai_hosted"},
        input="Create tree.py, a Python script that prints a readable tree of the files in the current directory. Run it and show me the output.",
        stream=True,
    ) as events:
        for event in events:
            print(event.to_json(indent=None), flush=True)

Run it from your terminal:

bash
python quickstart.py

JavaScript

Install the JavaScript SDK:

bash
npm install openai

Save the example as quickstart.mjs:

Create and run tree.py

javascript
import OpenAI from "openai";

const client = new OpenAI();
const events = await client.beta.agents.sessions.create({
  agent: {
    model: "gpt-6-astra",
    instructions: "Write clean code, run it, and report the actual output.",
  },
  environment: { type: "openai_hosted" },
  input:
    "Create tree.py, a Python script that prints a readable tree of the files in the current directory. Run it and show me the output.",
  stream: true,
});
try {
  for await (const event of events) {
    console.log(JSON.stringify(event));
  }
} finally {
  events.controller.abort();
}

Run it from your terminal:

bash
node quickstart.mjs

Go

In a new directory, create a Go module and install the SDK:

bash
go mod init agents-quickstart
go get github.com/openai/openai-go/v3@latest

Save the example as main.go:

Create and run tree.py

go
import (
	"context"
	"fmt"

	"github.com/openai/openai-go/v3"
)

ctx := context.Background()
client := openai.NewClient()
events := client.Beta.Agents.Sessions.NewStreaming(ctx, openai.BetaAgentSessionNewParams{
	Agent: openai.BetaAgentSessionNewParamsAgent{
		Model:        openai.String("gpt-6-astra"),
		Instructions: openai.String("Write clean code, run it, and report the actual output."),
	},
	Environment: openai.EnvironmentParamUnion{OfParamOpenAIHosted: &openai.EnvironmentParamOpenAIHosted{}},
	Input: openai.BetaAgentSessionNewParamsInputUnion{
		OfString: openai.String("Create tree.py, a Python script that prints a readable tree of the files in the current directory. Run it and show me the output."),
	},
})
defer events.Close()
if events.Err() != nil {
	panic(events.Err())
}
for events.Next() {
	event := events.Current()
	fmt.Println(event.RawJSON())
}
if err := events.Err(); err != nil {
	panic(err)
}

Run it from your terminal:

bash
go run .

Java

Add the OpenAI SDK to your Maven project's pom.xml:

xml
<dependency>
  <groupId>com.openai</groupId>
  <artifactId>openai-java</artifactId>
  <version>${apiReferencePackageVersions.java}</version>
</dependency>

Save the example as src/main/java/AgentsApiSessionsStreamConversationExample.java:

Create and run tree.py

java
import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.json.JsonMapper;
import com.openai.client.OpenAIClient;
import com.openai.client.okhttp.OpenAIOkHttpClient;
import com.openai.core.http.StreamResponse;
import com.openai.models.beta.agents.AgentSessionEvent;
import com.openai.models.beta.agents.EnvironmentParam;
import com.openai.models.beta.agents.sessions.SessionCreateParams;

OpenAIClient client = OpenAIOkHttpClient.fromEnv();
var json = new JsonMapper();
try (StreamResponse<AgentSessionEvent> events =
    client
        .beta()
        .agents()
        .sessions()
        .createStreaming(
            SessionCreateParams.builder()
                .agent(
                    SessionCreateParams.Agent.builder()
                        .model("gpt-6-astra")
                        .instructions("Write clean code, run it, and report the actual output.")
                        .build())
                .environment(EnvironmentParam.OpenAIHosted.builder().build())
                .input(
                    "Create tree.py, a Python script that prints a readable tree of the files"
                        + " in the current directory. Run it and show me the output.")
                .build())) {
  var iterator = events.stream().iterator();
  while (iterator.hasNext()) {
    var event = iterator.next();
    System.out.println(json.writeValueAsString(event));
  }
}

Run it from your terminal:

bash
mvn compile exec:java -Dexec.mainClass=AgentsApiSessionsStreamConversationExample

Ruby

Install the Ruby SDK:

bash
gem install openai

Save the example as quickstart.rb:

Create and run tree.py

ruby
require "openai"
require "json"

client = OpenAI::Client.new
events = client.beta.agents.sessions.create_streaming(
  agent: {
    model: "gpt-6-astra",
    instructions: "Write clean code, run it, and report the actual output."
  },
  environment: { type: "openai_hosted" },
  input: "Create tree.py, a Python script that prints a readable tree of the files in the current directory. Run it and show me the output."
)
begin
  events.each do |event|
    puts JSON.generate(event.to_h)
  end
ensure
  events.close
end

Run it from your terminal:

bash
ruby quickstart.rb

cURL

Use cURL from your terminal; no SDK installation is needed:

Create and run tree.py

bash
curl --no-buffer --fail-with-body https://api.openai.com/v1/agents/sessions \\\n  -H "OpenAI-Beta: agents=v1" \\\n  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENAI_API_KEY" \\\n  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \\\n  -d \'{\n    "agent": {\n      "model": "gpt-6-astra",\n      "instructions": "Write clean code, run it, and report the actual output."\n    },\n    "environment": { "type": "openai_hosted" },\n    "input": "Create tree.py, a Python script that prints a readable tree of the files in the current directory. Run it and show me the output.",\n    "stream": true\n  }\'

Don't need a sandbox? Set environment.type to none for agents that answer questions or call external tools without running commands or working with local files. Learn more.

# 2. Follow progress

The terminal shows streamed events. The SDK examples print JSON; cURL shows the raw event stream. On a successful run, the agent creates tree.py, executes it, and reports a directory tree containing that file. Other files and output depend on the sandbox.

Look for agent.session.turn.completed, then check the agent's reported execution result. A completed turn does not guarantee every tool succeeded. Events ending in turn.failed, turn.cancelled, or session.failed indicate failure or cancellation; agent.session.idle alone does not mean success. If the stream disconnects early, retrieve the session and its saved items before retrying.

# 3. Continue the session

Save the session_id from the events. Use it to send a follow-up such as “Add a maximum-depth option to tree.py, run it, and show me the output.” Open the event stream before sending follow-up input so you don't miss early events.

# 4. Clean up

Keep the session for more tasks, or delete it when you're done. Save any files you need first.

Replace the illustrative sess_123 value in the example with the session ID you saved.

Python

Delete the session
python
# Replace the illustrative IDs and URLs below with your own resource values.

from openai import OpenAI


def delete_session(client: OpenAI, session_id: str):
    return client.beta.agents.sessions.delete(session_id)


if __name__ == "__main__":
    result = delete_session(OpenAI(), "sess_123")
    print(result.to_json())

JavaScript

Delete the session
javascript
// Replace the illustrative IDs and URLs below with your own resource values.
import OpenAI from "openai";

async function deleteSession(client, sessionId) {
  return client.beta.agents.sessions.delete(sessionId);
}

const result = await deleteSession(new OpenAI(), "sess_123");
console.log(result);

Go

Delete the session
go
// Replace the illustrative IDs and URLs below with your own resource values.
package main

import (
	"context"
	"fmt"

	"github.com/openai/openai-go/v3"
)

func deleteSession(ctx context.Context, client *openai.Client, sessionID string) (*openai.AgentSessionDeleted, error) {
	return client.Beta.Agents.Sessions.Delete(ctx, sessionID)
}

func main() {
	client := openai.NewClient()
	result, err := deleteSession(context.Background(), &client, "sess_123")
	if err != nil {
		panic(err)
	}
	fmt.Println(result)
}

Java

Delete the session
java
// Replace the illustrative IDs and URLs below with your own resource values.
import com.openai.client.OpenAIClient;
import com.openai.client.okhttp.OpenAIOkHttpClient;
import com.openai.models.beta.agents.AgentSessionDeleted;
import com.openai.models.beta.agents.sessions.SessionDeleteParams;

public final class AgentsApiSessionsDeleteSessionExample {
  public static AgentSessionDeleted deleteSession(OpenAIClient client, String sessionId) {
    return client
        .beta()
        .agents()
        .sessions()
        .delete(SessionDeleteParams.builder().sessionId(sessionId).build());
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    var result = deleteSession(OpenAIOkHttpClient.fromEnv(), "sess_123");
    System.out.println(result);
  }
}

Ruby

Delete the session
ruby
# Replace the illustrative IDs and URLs below with your own resource values.
require "openai"

def delete_session(client, session_id)
  client.beta.agents.sessions.delete(session_id)
end

puts delete_session(OpenAI::Client.new, "sess_123")

cURL

Delete the session
bash
curl -X DELETE "https://api.openai.com/v1/agents/sessions/sess_123" \\\n  -H "OpenAI-Beta: agents=v1" \\\n  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENAI_API_KEY"

# Next steps

Files main
Menu

Theme
↑↓navigate ↵open escclose /⌘Kanywhere