qianwen-ai Qwen Text Chat (OpenAI-Compatible)
Generate text, conduct conversations, write code, and invoke tools using Qwen models through the OpenAI-compatible API. This skill is part of QianWen-AI/qianwen-ai.
Skill directory
Use this skill's internal files to execute and learn. Load reference files on demand when the default path fails or you need details.
| Location | Purpose |
|---|---|
scripts/text.py |
Default execution — chat/completions request, streaming, output save |
references/execution-guide.md |
Fallback: curl, Python SDK, function calling, thinking mode |
references/api-guide.md |
API supplement and full code examples |
references/prompt-guide.md |
Prompt engineering: CO-STAR framework, CoT, few-shot, task steps |
references/sources.md |
Official documentation URLs (manual lookup only) |
Security
NEVER output any API key or credential in plaintext. Always use variable references ($DASHSCOPE_API_KEY in shell,
os.environ["DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"] in Python). Any check or detection of credentials must be non-plaintext: report
only status (e.g. "set" / "not set", "valid" / "invalid"), never the value. Never display contents of .env or config
files that may contain secrets.
When the API key is not configured, NEVER ask the user to provide it directly. Instead, help create a .env file with a placeholder (DASHSCOPE_API_KEY=sk-your-key-here) and instruct the user to replace it with their actual key from the QianWen Console. Only write the actual key value if the user explicitly requests it.
Key Compatibility
Both PAYG (sk-ws-...; legacy sk-...) and Token Plan (sk-sp-...) keys are supported. Detect
the API key type without exposing the Key:
python3 -c "
import sys; sys.path.insert(0, 'scripts')
from qianwen_lib import detect_api_key_type
print(detect_api_key_type('scripts/qianwen_lib.py'))
"
| Output | Meaning |
|---|---|
token-plan |
Token Plan key — use only models from the Token Plan list below. |
payg |
Pay-as-you-go key — full model catalog available. |
not-set |
No key configured. |
For Token Plan, use an exact model from qianwen-model-selector, or consult
qianwen-ops-auth/references/tokenplan.md. If unavailable, use:
- Personal: https://platform.qianwenai.com/docs/token-plan/personal/token-plan-personal-overview.md
- Team: https://platform.qianwenai.com/docs/token-plan/team/token-plan-team-overview.md
Token Plan supports only specific models — use exactly a model from the references above; do not guess or probe model availability. For PAYG, continue below.
Model Selection
| Model | Use Case |
|---|---|
qwen3.8-max |
Strongest flagship — 2.4T MoE, native vision-language, hybrid thinking (on by default), 1M context, built-in tools. Best for complex reasoning & coding. |
qwen3.8-flash |
Fast Qwen3.8 — multimodal (text+image+video), hybrid thinking (on by default), 1M context. Fast, cost-effective. |
qwen3.7-max |
Flagship agent model — 1M context, thinking mode, function calling, built-in tools, structured output. |
qwen3.7-plus |
Recommended default — multimodal vision-language, enhanced Agent execution & coding, 1M context, thinking on by default. |
qwen3.7-flash |
Next-gen lightweight — multimodal (text+image+video), 1M context, full features at lower cost. |
qwen3.6-plus |
Multimodal (text+image+video), 1M context, thinking on by default, strong coding & universal recognition |
qwen3.5-plus |
Balanced performance, cost, speed, 1M context, thinking on by default |
qwen3.5-flash |
Fast, low-cost, 1M context |
qwen3-max |
Legacy strongest capability, built-in tools (web search, code interpreter) |
qwen-plus |
General purpose |
qwen-turbo |
Cheap, low latency |
qwen3-coder-next |
Recommended code model — best balance of quality, speed, cost; agentic coding |
qwen3-coder-plus |
Code generation — highest quality for complex tasks |
qwen3-coder-flash |
Code generation — fast responses, lower cost |
qwq-plus |
Reasoning / chain-of-thought |
qwen-mt-plus |
Machine translation — best quality, 92 languages |
qwen-mt-flash |
Machine translation — fast, low cost, 92 languages |
qwen-mt-lite |
Machine translation — real-time chat, fastest, 31 languages |
qwen-plus-character |
Role-playing — character restoration, empathetic dialog |
qwen-flash-character |
Role-playing — fast, lower cost |
- User specified a model → use directly.
- Consult the qianwen-model-selector skill when model choice depends on requirement, scenario, or pricing.
- No signal, clear task →
qwen3.7-plus(default). For strongest reasoning/coding →qwen3.8-max.
Fallback: if model-selector is unavailable, the defaults in the table above apply.
⚠️ Important: The model list above is a point-in-time snapshot and may be outdated. Model availability changes frequently. Always check the official model list for the authoritative, up-to-date catalog before making model decisions.
Model details: For more information about a specific model, direct the user to its detail page:
https://www.qianwenai.com/models/<model-name>(replace<model-name>with the exact model ID, e.g.qwen3.6-plus→ https://www.qianwenai.com/models/qwen3.6-plus). NEVER modify or guess the model name in the URL.
Dynamic model queries: If the qianwen-model-selector skill or QianWen CLI (
qianwen models info <model>) is available, use it for real-time model data. CLI requires authentication — see the qianwen-usage skill for login flow.
Execution
Prerequisites
- API Key: Use the non-plaintext detector in Key Compatibility; do not replace it with a
variable-presence check. If no Key is found, use qianwen-ops-auth when available or guide the user
to configure
DASHSCOPE_API_KEY/QIANWEN_API_KEYin.env. Skills may be installed independently. - Python 3.9+ (stdlib only, no pip install needed for script execution)
Environment Check
Before first execution, verify Python is available:
python3 --version # must be 3.9+
If python3 is not found, try python --version or py -3 --version. If Python is unavailable or below 3.9, skip to *
Path 2 (curl)* in execution-guide.md.
Default: Run Script
Script path: Scripts are in the scripts/ subdirectory of this skill's directory (the directory containing this
SKILL.md). You MUST first locate this skill's installation directory, then ALWAYS use the full absolute path to execute
scripts. Do NOT assume scripts are in the current working directory. Do NOT use cd to switch directories before
execution.
Execution note: Run all scripts in the foreground — wait for stdout; do not background.
Discovery: Run python3 <this-skill-dir>/scripts/text.py --help first to see all available arguments.
python3 <this-skill-dir>/scripts/text.py \
--request '{"messages":[{"role":"user","content":"Hello!"}],"model":"qwen3.7-plus"}' \
--output output/qianwen-text/ --print-response
For streaming (recommended for interactive use):
python3 <this-skill-dir>/scripts/text.py \
--request '{"messages":[{"role":"user","content":"Write a poem about the sea"}],"model":"qwen3.7-plus"}' \
--stream --print-response
| Argument | Description |
|---|---|
--request '{...}' |
JSON request body |
--file path.json |
Load request from file (alternative to --request) |
--stream |
Enable streaming output |
--output path |
Save response JSON to path (file if .json suffix, otherwise directory); use distinct filenames across calls to avoid overwriting |
--print-response |
Print response to stdout |
--model ID |
Override model (also settable in request JSON) |
Model priority:
--modelCLI flag >"model"field in--requestJSON > built-in default.
Verify Result
- Exit code
0+ output contains valid JSON withchoicesfield → success - Non-zero exit, HTTP error, empty response, or JSON with
"code"/"message"error → fail - If agent cannot read exit codes, scan output for error patterns (
Error,Traceback,401,403) - Post-execution check: When
--outputis used, verify the response JSON file exists and containschoices - MANDATORY — stderr signal check: After confirming the result, scan the command's stderr output for
[ACTION_REQUIRED]or[UPDATE_AVAILABLE]. If either signal is present, you MUST follow the instructions in Update Check below before responding to the user.
On Failure
If the script fails, match the error output against the diagnostic table below to determine the resolution. If no match, read execution-guide.md for alternative paths: curl commands (Path 2), Python SDK code generation (Path 3), and autonomous resolution (Path 5).
If Python is not available at all → skip directly to Path 2 (curl) in execution-guide.md.
| Error Pattern | Diagnosis | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
command not found: python3 |
Python not on PATH | Try python or py -3; install Python 3.9+ if missing |
Python 3.9+ required |
Script version check failed | Upgrade Python to 3.9+ |
SyntaxError near type hints |
Python < 3.9 | Upgrade Python to 3.9+ |
QIANWEN_API_KEY/DASHSCOPE_API_KEY not found |
Missing API key | Obtain key from QianWen Console; add to .env: echo 'DASHSCOPE_API_KEY=sk-...' >> .env; or run qianwen-ops-auth if available |
HTTP 401 |
Invalid or mismatched key | Run qianwen-ops-auth (non-plaintext check only); verify key is valid |
SSL: CERTIFICATE_VERIFY_FAILED |
SSL cert issue (proxy/corporate) | macOS: run Install Certificates.command; else set SSL_CERT_FILE env var |
URLError / ConnectionError |
Network unreachable | Check internet; set HTTPS_PROXY if behind proxy |
HTTP 429 |
Rate limited | Wait and retry with backoff |
HTTP 5xx |
Server error | Retry with backoff |
PermissionError |
Can't write output | Use --output to specify writable directory |
Quick Reference
Request Fields
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
prompt / messages |
string | array | User input or message list |
model |
string | Model ID (e.g. qwen3.7-plus) |
system |
string | System prompt (optional) |
temperature |
float | 0–2, controls randomness |
max_tokens |
int | Max output tokens |
tools |
array | Function definitions for tool calling |
stream |
bool | Enable streaming (recommended for interactive use) |
enable_thinking |
bool | Enable thinking mode. Model defaults apply: qwen3.8-max/qwen3.8-flash/qwen3.7-max/qwen3.7-plus/qwen3.7-flash/qwen3.6-plus/qwen3.6-flash/qwen3.5-plus/qwen3.5-flash have thinking ON by default. Only set explicitly when user requests deep thinking or needs to disable for flash models. Adds latency for real-time tasks. |
Response Fields
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
text |
Generated text content |
model |
Model used |
usage |
Token usage (prompt_tokens, completion_tokens) |
tool_calls |
Function call requests (if tools used) |
Advanced Features
These are API-level features supported through request parameters. All use the same chat/completions endpoint.
| Feature | How to Enable | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Structured output | response_format: {"type": "json_schema", "json_schema": {...}} |
Force JSON output conforming to schema |
| Web search | enable_search: true |
Real-time web search augmented responses |
| Deep thinking | enable_thinking: true |
Extended reasoning; only when user requests it |
| Function calling | tools: [...] |
Define functions for tool use |
| Context cache | Automatic for repeated prefixes; or explicit session-based | Reduces cost for repeated context |
| Partial mode | Last message: {"role": "assistant", "content": "prefix…", "partial": true} |
Continue/complete a prefix |
| Batch inference | Async batch API with JSONL input | 50% cost discount |
For detailed usage of each feature, see api-guide.md and sources.md.
Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
401 Unauthorized |
Invalid or missing API key | Run qianwen-ops-auth if available; else prompt user to set key (non-plaintext check only) |
429 Too Many Requests |
Rate limit exceeded | Retry with backoff |
500 / 502 / 503 |
Server error | Retry; check status page |
Invalid model |
Model ID not found | Verify model name against Model Selection table |
Invalid parameter |
Bad request body | Validate JSON and field types |
TypeError: ...proxies |
openai SDK vs httpx incompatibility | pip install --upgrade openai (>=1.55.0); or use script (pure stdlib) |
Usage & billing: Use the qianwen-usage skill to check usage, free tier quota, and billing directly. Alternatively, the user can visit the QianWen console: Usage Analytics | Pay-as-you-go Billing | Token Plan Subscription
NEVER fabricate, guess, or construct usage/billing/console URLs. Only provide the exact links listed in this skill. If a URL is not listed here, do not invent one.
Output Location
Prefer the current working directory for all outputs. Default subdirectory when --output is used:
./output/qianwen-text/.
Write prohibition: NEVER write output files into this skill's installation directory or any skills/ hierarchy. All generated content must go to output/ under the current working directory or a user-specified path.
Update Check (MANDATORY Post-Execution)
After script execution, check stderr for action signals. The script automatically detects update status and emits structured signals. You MUST act on them. This section also applies when the user explicitly asks to check for updates.
Signal: [ACTION_REQUIRED] qianwen-update-check skill is not installed
When stderr contains this signal, you MUST present the following options to the user and wait for their response before proceeding. Do NOT silently skip this.
The update-check skill is not installed. It keeps you informed about new QianWen-AI/qianwen-ai features and bug fixes.
- Install now — I'll run the install command for you
- Skip for now — do nothing this time
- Never remind me — permanently suppress this prompt
After the user responds:
- User chooses 1 → run:
npx skills add QianWen-AI/qianwen-ai --skill qianwen-update-check -y, then run:python3 <this-skill-scripts-dir>/gossamer.py --dismiss - User chooses 2 → run:
python3 <this-skill-scripts-dir>/gossamer.py --dismiss, then continue normally - User chooses 3 → run:
python3 <this-skill-scripts-dir>/gossamer.py --never-install, then continue normally
Signal: [UPDATE_AVAILABLE]
When stderr contains this signal, you MUST append a brief update notice to your response, including the version info and the update command shown in the stderr output.
No signal in stderr
If stderr contains neither [ACTION_REQUIRED] nor [UPDATE_AVAILABLE], no action is needed — the skill is installed
and up to date (or cached within 24h).
Explicit user request
When the user explicitly asks to check for updates (e.g. "check for updates", "check version"):
- Look for
qianwen-update-check/SKILL.mdin sibling skill directories. - If found — run:
python3 <qianwen-update-check-dir>/scripts/check_update.py --print-responseand report the result. - If not found — present the install options above.
References
- execution-guide.md — Fallback paths (curl, SDK, autonomous), function calling, thinking mode
- api-guide.md — API supplementary guide with full code examples
- sources.md — Official documentation URLs