anthropic-sdk-typescript

Anthropic TypeScript API Library

Overview

The Anthropic TypeScript API Library is a developer-friendly package designed to facilitate seamless interaction with the Anthropic REST API using server-side TypeScript or JavaScript. It provides a streamlined way to integrate the Anthropic API's functionality into applications, catering to both simple and advanced use cases.

Installation

Getting started with the Anthropic SDK is straightforward. Developers can add the library to their project by running the following command:

npm install @anthropic-ai/sdk

This command installs the SDK into the project's dependencies, allowing access to the full range of API functionalities.

Basic Usage

Once installed, the Anthropic SDK can be leveraged to execute various API operations. Here’s a quick example demonstrating how to send a message using the SDK:

import Anthropic from '@anthropic-ai/sdk';

const client = new Anthropic({
  apiKey: process.env['ANTHROPIC_API_KEY'],
});

async function main() {
  const message = await client.messages.create({
    max_tokens: 1024,
    messages: [{ role: 'user', content: 'Hello, Claude' }],
    model: 'claude-3-opus-20240229',
  });

  console.log(message.content);
}

main();

Advanced Features

Streaming Responses

The SDK supports streaming responses via Server Sent Events (SSE). This feature is useful for scenarios requiring real-time data processing. Developers can break from the stream when necessary or abort it using the provided controls.

Handling Errors

Error management is simplified in the SDK. When an API call fails, an appropriate subclass of APIError is thrown, allowing developers to catch and handle errors gracefully.

async function main() {
  const message = await client.messages
    .create({
      max_tokens: 1024,
      messages: [{ role: 'user', content: 'Hello, Claude' }],
      model: 'claude-3-opus-20240229',
    })
    .catch(async (err) => {
      if (err instanceof Anthropic.APIError) {
        console.log(err.status); // Error status code
      } else {
        throw err;
      }
    });
}

main();

Request & Response Types

Comprehensive TypeScript definitions are available for request parameters and response fields, enhancing type safety and autocompletion features in modern editors.

Additional Functionalities

The SDK includes several utility features:

• Counting Tokens: Developers can view token usage for requests directly.
• Streaming Helpers: Facilitates message streaming with event handlers.
• Message Batches: Supports batch processing of messages, allowing developers to handle multiple requests efficiently.

Configuration and Customization

Developers can customize the SDK's behavior extensively:

• Retries and Timeouts: Configure automatic retries and request timeouts to fit specific needs.
• HTTP(S) Agent Customization: Supports custom agents, which is particularly useful for environments requiring proxy settings.
• Advanced Logging: Developers can provide a custom fetch function to log requests and responses or modify them as needed.

Supported Environments

The SDK supports a wide range of modern JavaScript environments including:

• Node.js 18 LTS or later.
• Deno, Bun, Cloudflare Workers, and Vercel Edge Runtime.
• Popular testing environments such as Jest.

However, it is not currently supported in React Native environments. If needed, users are encouraged to open an issue on GitHub for additional environment support.

Contribution

The Anthropic SDK project welcomes contributions from the community. Those interested in contributing should refer to the contributing guidelines found in the project's repository.

With its comprehensive tooling and ease-of-use features, the Anthropic TypeScript API Library stands out as a robust solution for developers looking to integrate AI functionalities into their applications, offering both simplicity and flexibility.