API Documentation

NovAI provides an OpenAI-compatible REST API. If you've used OpenAI's API before, you already know how to use NovAI — just change the base URL and API key.

Overview

NovAI is an AI API gateway based in Hong Kong, offering low-latency access to Chinese AI models through a unified, OpenAI-compatible interface.

Authentication

All API requests require an API key passed via the Authorization header:

Authorization: Bearer nvai-your-api-key-here

Get your API key by signing up at aiapi-pro.com. Registration requires only an email address.

Base URL

https://aiapi-pro.com/v1

Replace https://api.openai.com/v1 with the URL above in any existing OpenAI integration.

Available Models

Chat Models

Quick Start Example

curl https://aiapi-pro.com/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer nvai-your-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "glm-4.6v-flash",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]
  }'

API Playground TRY FREE — NO SIGNUP

Test the API right here in your browser. Uses the free GLM-4.6V-Flash model — no API key required.

Chat Completions

POST /v1/chat/completions

Creates a model response for the given conversation.

Request Body

Message Object

Example Request

curl https://aiapi-pro.com/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer nvai-your-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "glm-5",
    "messages": [
      {"role": "system", "content": "You are a helpful assistant."},
      {"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}
    ],
    "temperature": 0.7,
    "max_tokens": 500
  }'

Example Response

{
  "id": "chatcmpl-abc123",
  "object": "chat.completion",
  "created": 1709942400,
  "model": "glm-5",
  "choices": [
    {
      "index": 0,
      "message": {
        "role": "assistant",
        "content": "Hello! How can I help you today?"
      },
      "finish_reason": "stop"
    }
  ],
  "usage": {
    "prompt_tokens": 20,
    "completion_tokens": 9,
    "total_tokens": 29
  }
}

Responses API NEW — EXCLUSIVE

POST /v1/responses

NovAI is the first and only API platform supporting OpenAI's new Responses API for Chinese AI models. This enables tools like Open Cowork, OpenAI Agents SDK, and any Responses API-based application to use GLM-5, MiniMax, and more China-exclusive models.

Request Body

Example: Simple Request

curl https://aiapi-pro.com/v1/responses \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer nvai-your-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "glm-5",
    "input": "Explain quantum computing simply.",
    "stream": false
  }'

Example: Conversation with Instructions

curl https://aiapi-pro.com/v1/responses \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer nvai-your-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "glm-5",
    "instructions": "You are a senior code reviewer.",
    "input": [
      {"role": "user", "content": "Review: def add(a,b): return a+b"}
    ],
    "stream": true
  }'

Example Response

{
  "id": "resp_abc123...",
  "object": "response",
  "status": "completed",
  "model": "glm-5",
  "output": [
    {
      "type": "message",
      "role": "assistant",
      "content": [
        {"type": "output_text", "text": "Quantum computing uses..."}
      ]
    }
  ],
  "usage": {
    "input_tokens": 12,
    "output_tokens": 150,
    "total_tokens": 162
  }
}

Compatible Tools

The following tools work out of the box with NovAI's Responses API endpoint:

• Open Cowork — Set Base URL to https://aiapi-pro.com/v1
• OpenAI Agents SDK — Pass NovAI client to Runner
• OpenAI Python SDK (responses mode) — Set base_url
• Any custom application using POST /v1/responses

Read the full guide: Responses API for Chinese Models →

Streaming

Set "stream": true to receive responses as Server-Sent Events (SSE):

curl https://aiapi-pro.com/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer nvai-your-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "glm-5",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}],
    "stream": true
  }'

Each SSE event contains a JSON chunk with delta.content for the new token. The stream ends with [DONE].

List Models

GET /v1/models

Returns a list of all available models.

curl https://aiapi-pro.com/v1/models \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer nvai-your-key"

Error Codes

Rate Limits

Current rate limits per API key:

• Free models (glm-4.6v-flash): 30 requests/minute
• Paid models: 60 requests/minute

SDKs & Libraries

NovAI works with any OpenAI-compatible SDK. Just set the base URL:

Python

pip install openai

from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(api_key="nvai-...", base_url="https://aiapi-pro.com/v1")

Node.js

npm install openai

import OpenAI from 'openai';
const client = new OpenAI({ apiKey: 'nvai-...', baseURL: 'https://aiapi-pro.com/v1' });

LangChain

from langchain_openai import ChatOpenAI
llm = ChatOpenAI(model="glm-5", openai_api_key="nvai-...", openai_api_base="https://aiapi-pro.com/v1")

Cursor IDE / Continue

Set base URL to https://aiapi-pro.com/v1 in your IDE settings. See our Cursor setup guide.

More examples: GitHub Repository | Blog & Tutorials

Supported Email Providers

Due to bot attacks targeting our free welcome credit, NovAI restricts new account registration to major email providers. This policy applies to new registrations only — all existing accounts are fully unaffected.

If your email provider is not listed below, please contact [email protected] for manual approval.

Note: Custom domain emails, dynamic DNS addresses, and temporary/disposable email services are not accepted. This restriction was introduced on June 24, 2026 to combat bot abuse. All 3,000+ users registered before this date are fully unaffected.