OpenAI SDK for .NET: Getting Started Tutorial

Introduction

This repository provides a simple introduction to using the OpenAI SDK for .NET through a console application. You will learn how to set up the OpenAI ChatClient, use the completitions API and implement chat history to recall context from previous turns.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

• .NET 8.0 SDK or later
• An API key from OpenAI. You can obtain this by creating an account at OpenAI's platform.

Installation

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/ndamulelonemakh/openai-net-starter.git

2. Install the OpenAI SDK for .NET using NuGet:

   cd openai-net-starter
   dotnet add package OpenAI

Environment Setup

To interact with OpenAI, you need an API key. Set it up in your environment as follows:

Windows

setx OPENAI_API_KEY "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"

Linux/macOS

export OPENAI_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"

Usage

2. How to Run

   • Open your terminal, navigate to the directory containing the project, and run:

     dotnet run

   • You will be prompted to enter a message. Enter any message you want, and the assistant will respond.

   • Type exit to end the session.

How It Works

• The application uses a ChatClient to interact with the OpenAI model (e.g., GPT-4).
• User input is taken from the console and added to a conversation history (chatHistory) to maintain context over multiple turns.
• Each input is passed to the OpenAI REST API, and the response is displayed back to the user.
• The conversation continues until the user types "exit".

Notes

• Remember to use a valid API key and handle your credentials securely.
• This project is intended as an introductory example, suitable for expanding into more sophisticated .NET applications.

Contributing

Feel free to open issues or pull requests for suggestions and improvements. Contributions are always welcome!

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Contact

If you have any questions, reach out via the Issues tab

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References

• Dotnet Scripted Install for Linux