
Operated by Meituan and offers...
Create a key on the key page and copy it immediately, because the full value is not shown again in the list. Chat completions and the messages API use two different addresses from the docs, and the paths should not be mixed. A request can ask for a stream. Mainland users follow the docs to verify identity and add balance first. Failed calls are not billed, and consumed amounts can be invoiced. When a rate-limit status appears, wait and retry as the docs describe. It fits developers who embed generative chat in their own app and pay down a balance by actual usage.
The LongCat open platform is operated by Meituan and offers a generative model API to individual and company developers. The quick start says it supports two common protocols, chat completions and messages, each with its own base address. You register, sign in, and create a key that is shown in full only at creation. Requests can stream or return once. The service terms say outputs may be text, tables, or code. The pay-as-you-go docs require mainland China users to verify identity and add balance first. Failed calls are not billed, and consumed amounts can be invoiced. When the rate limit is hit, the API returns a rate-limit error.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Two chat protocols
The platform offers chat completions and a messages API, with separate base addresses and samples for the matching official libraries.
Streaming and one-shot replies
The chat completions doc says a call can return the full result once or stream it in parts, controlled by a flag on the request.
Keys shown only once
Create the key manually on the key page. The full value is visible only then, must be recreated if lost, and is sent in the request header.
Balance billing and invoices
Mainland users verify identity and add balance first. Successful calls debit that balance, failed calls are not billed, and consumed amounts can be invoiced.
Embed chat in your own app
After creating a key, a developer uses chat completions or the messages API to return generated text, tables, or code to end users.
Control spend from the balance
A team with uneven usage adds balance, checks it in the billing center, is not charged for failed calls, and invoices the amount already consumed.
Keep an existing client library
A project that already uses one of the two common official libraries changes the base address and key to the values in the LongCat docs.
The quick start splits them into two protocols. Chat completions use one base address and the messages API uses another, with different library samples. Both send the key in the header. Pick the one that matches the client your code already uses, and do not copy a path from one sample onto the other address. Model names follow the current docs, and a key has to exist before a real call.
The pay-as-you-go docs say to register, create a key, complete identity verification, and add balance in the billing center. Only successful calls debit the balance. Consumed amounts can be invoiced, and payment methods are those listed in the billing center. If a key leaks, revoke it in the console. The terms place custody of the key on the developer.
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