AxAI Providers For Python

This skill helps an agent write Python code with the generated Ax package axllm. Use the generated package API, examples, and manifests; do not import TypeScript-only APIs unless you are editing the TypeScript package.

When To Use

• Create provider clients or normalize provider options.
• Choose between model-list routing, ordered failover, and adaptive operational routing.
• Use scripted transports for deterministic no-key examples.
• Use provider-api examples only when explicit provider credentials are available.

Package Facts

• Language: Python.
• Package: axllm.
• Package API docs: API.md and axir-api.json.
• Capability manifest: axir-capabilities.json.
• Runnable examples: examples/.
• Real network support: yes.
• Scripted no-key transport support: yes.
• Runtime profiles: javascript-quickjs, python-pyodide.

Core Pattern

python
import os
from axllm import ai

llm = ai("openai", api_key=os.environ["OPENAI_API_KEY"])

Vertex And Prompt Caching

• Configure Gemini or Anthropic Vertex mode with projectId / project_id and region; optionally select a Vertex endpoint with endpointId / endpoint_id.
• In Vertex mode, apiKey / api_key is a caller-supplied bearer access token. Generated clients may read GOOGLE_VERTEX_ACCESS_TOKEN, but automatic ADC and token refresh remain host-owned.
• Core resolves global, us, eu, and regional Vertex hosts. An explicit baseUrl / base_url takes precedence.
• OpenAI GPT-5.6 Chat explicit caching is opt-in through contextCache / context_cache or message/function cache flags. Use promptCacheKey / prompt_cache_key for stable affinity; sessionId / session_id is the fallback.
• Normalized usage separates uncached prompt, cache-read, and cache-creation tokens. get_model_cost / target equivalent uses the shared model catalog, including cache-write pricing and long-context thresholds.
• Start with the OpenAI prompt-caching and Vertex Gemini examples under examples/. Scripted AxAI fixtures verify routing without live credentials.

Routing And Balancing

• Use the multi-service router when a logical model key selects a configured service or concrete model. It combines model lists; it does not learn from outcomes.
• Use the default AxBalancer for deterministic ordered/metric failover with its existing retry policy.
• Opt into AxBalancerAdaptiveStrategy only for operational routing among application-approved equivalent aliases. It learns transient reliability and successful latency, combines them with estimated cost and a deadline, and explores with Thompson sampling.
• Put centralized decision state in an AxBalancerStatsStore. The routing-event callback is best-effort analytics and observability, not a state replication mechanism.
• Shared stores require non-empty, unique, stable route keys. Use slices to isolate workflows, tenants, or traffic classes without putting prompts, responses, raw errors, or sensitive identifiers in keys or events.
• Adaptive balancing does not measure answer quality or semantically choose a model. Only group routes that the application already accepts as substitutes.
• Generated streaming APIs are buffered: a provider error can fail over before the completed result is returned, and success latency is recorded after completion.
• Start with examples/adaptive_balancer_no_key for store/reducer syntax, then use the cataloged provider-backed adaptive-balancer example for a complete two-route setup.

Relevant API Surface

• AxAI: ai, OpenAICompatibleClient, OpenAIResponsesClient, GoogleGeminiClient, AnthropicClient, AxUsageContext, AxUsageEvent, AxUsageObserver, set_usage_observer, AxBalancer, AxBalancerAdaptiveStrategy, AxBalancerStatsStore, AxInMemoryBalancerStatsStore, create_balancer_route_stats, update_balancer_route_stats, sample_balancer_route_health, MultiServiceRouter, ProviderRouter

Guardrails

• Start from package examples for exact native syntax before inventing a new call shape.
• Use provider-api examples only when the user explicitly has provider credentials available.
• Use no-key examples for deterministic local checks and provider request mapping.
• Treat AxIR as the source of generated package truth: if package docs disagree with source code, update the compiler and regenerate packages.
• Do not copy repo-maintainer skills from tools/*/skills/ into user packages.