Why am I getting different completions on Playground vs. the API?

If your temperature is set above 0, the model will generate outputs with some randomness, so seeing different completions is expected. When you want consistent, repeatable results, use temperature = 0.

If temperature is already 0 and results still differ, here are the most common causes:

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Prompt differences

Check that the prompt is exactly the same in both environments. Even a single extra space, newline, or hidden character can cause a different output.

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Parameter mismatches

Ensure that all relevant parameters match between Playground and API requests:

• temperature

• top_p

• max_tokens

• frequency_penalty

• presence_penalty

Also confirm that the model name is identical. Different models will naturally produce different outputs, even with the same prompt and settings.

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Playground presets vs. API defaults

Playground may apply certain default settings. In the API, if you omit a parameter, it will use its own default, which might not match Playground behavior. To ensure consistency, explicitly set all parameters in your API request.

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Formatting or encoding differences

Ensure that the request you send to the API is identical to the prompt in Playground. Differences can occur from:

• JSON escaping

• Line endings or indentation

• Extra whitespace

If you've double-checked all of these things and are still seeing discrepancies, ask for help on the Community Forum, where users may have experienced similar issues or may be able to assist in troubleshooting your specific case.