Responses API vs Chat API Comparison

https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/responses-vs-chat-completions

1. Introduction

In the OpenAI ecosystem, developers can interact with models through two primary APIs: Responses API and Chat Completions API. This tutorial will provide an in-depth exploration of the differences between these two, their applicable use cases, and how to choose the API that best suits your project requirements.

2. Overview Comparison

Responses API
· Positioning: The latest core API, a proxy-type API primitive
· Features: Combines the simplicity of Chat Completions with the capability to handle more agentic tasks
· Recommended for: New users
· Built-in tools: Web search, file search, computer use

Chat Completions API
· Positioning: Industry standard for building AI applications
· Features: Stable, widely used
· Future plans: OpenAI plans to support it indefinitely

What Scenarios Require Using Responses API

Responses API is our latest core API and also a proxy API primitive that combines the simplicity of chat completions with the capability to execute more agentic tasks. As model capabilities continue to evolve, Responses API will become a flexible foundation for building action-oriented applications, with the following built-in tools:

1. Introduction#

2. Overview Comparison#

What Scenarios Require Using Responses API#

1. Introduction

2. Overview Comparison

What Scenarios Require Using Responses API