--- title: "/assistants" url: "/docs/assistants" canonical_url: "https://docs.litellm.ai/docs/assistants" type: "docs" last_updated: "2026-10-03" summary: "OpenAI has deprecated the Assistants API. It will shut down on August 26, 2026." related: - "/docs/supported_endpoints" - "/docs/audio_transcription" --- # /assistants > Index of all LiteLLM docs: https://docs.litellm.ai/llms.txt :::warning[Deprecation Notice] OpenAI has deprecated the Assistants API. It will shut down on **August 26, 2026**. Consider migrating to the [Responses API](/docs/response_api) instead. See [OpenAI's migration guide](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/responses-vs-assistants) for details. ::: Covers Threads, Messages, Assistants. LiteLLM currently covers: - Create Assistants - Delete Assistants - Get Assistants - Create Thread - Get Thread - Add Messages - Get Messages - Run Thread ## **Supported Providers**: - [OpenAI](#quick-start) - [Azure OpenAI](#azure-openai) - [OpenAI-Compatible APIs](#openai-compatible-apis) ## Quick Start Call an existing Assistant. - Get the Assistant - Create a Thread when a user starts a conversation. - Add Messages to the Thread as the user asks questions. - Run the Assistant on the Thread to generate a response by calling the model and the tools. ### SDK + PROXY **SDK** **Create an Assistant** ```python import litellm import os # setup env os.environ["OPENAI_API_KEY"] = "sk-.." assistant = litellm.create_assistants( custom_llm_provider="openai", model="gpt-5.6-terra", instructions="You are a personal math tutor. When asked a question, write and run Python code to answer the question.", name="Math Tutor", tools=[{"type": "code_interpreter"}], ) ### ASYNC USAGE ### # assistant = await litellm.acreate_assistants( # custom_llm_provider="openai", # model="gpt-5.6-terra", # instructions="You are a personal math tutor. When asked a question, write and run Python code to answer the question.", # name="Math Tutor", # tools=[{"type": "code_interpreter"}], # ) ``` **Get the Assistant** ```python from litellm import get_assistants, aget_assistants import os # setup env os.environ["OPENAI_API_KEY"] = "sk-.." assistants = get_assistants(custom_llm_provider="openai") ### ASYNC USAGE ### # assistants = await aget_assistants(custom_llm_provider="openai") ``` **Create a Thread** ```python from litellm import create_thread, acreate_thread import os os.environ["OPENAI_API_KEY"] = "sk-.." new_thread = create_thread( custom_llm_provider="openai", messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hey, how's it going?"}], # type: ignore ) ### ASYNC USAGE ### # new_thread = await acreate_thread(custom_llm_provider="openai",messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hey, how's it going?"}]) ``` **Add Messages to the Thread** ```python from litellm import create_thread, get_thread, aget_thread, add_message, a_add_message import os os.environ["OPENAI_API_KEY"] = "sk-.." ## CREATE A THREAD _new_thread = create_thread( custom_llm_provider="openai", messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hey, how's it going?"}], # type: ignore ) ## OR retrieve existing thread received_thread = get_thread( custom_llm_provider="openai", thread_id=_new_thread.id, ) ### ASYNC USAGE ### # received_thread = await aget_thread(custom_llm_provider="openai", thread_id=_new_thread.id,) ## ADD MESSAGE TO THREAD message = {"role": "user", "content": "Hey, how's it going?"} added_message = add_message( thread_id=_new_thread.id, custom_llm_provider="openai", **message ) ### ASYNC USAGE ### # added_message = await a_add_message(thread_id=_new_thread.id, custom_llm_provider="openai", **message) ``` **Run the Assistant on the Thread** ```python from litellm import get_assistants, create_thread, add_message, run_thread, arun_thread import os os.environ["OPENAI_API_KEY"] = "sk-.." assistants = get_assistants(custom_llm_provider="openai") ## get the first assistant ### assistant_id = assistants.data[0].id ## GET A THREAD _new_thread = create_thread( custom_llm_provider="openai", messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hey, how's it going?"}], # type: ignore ) ## ADD MESSAGE message = {"role": "user", "content": "Hey, how's it going?"} added_message = add_message( thread_id=_new_thread.id, custom_llm_provider="openai", **message ) ## 🚨 RUN THREAD response = run_thread( custom_llm_provider="openai", thread_id=thread_id, assistant_id=assistant_id ) ### ASYNC USAGE ### # response = await arun_thread(custom_llm_provider="openai", thread_id=thread_id, assistant_id=assistant_id) print(f"run_thread: {run_thread}") ``` **PROXY** ```yaml assistant_settings: custom_llm_provider: azure litellm_params: api_key: os.environ/AZURE_API_KEY api_base: os.environ/AZURE_API_BASE api_version: os.environ/AZURE_API_VERSION ``` ```bash $ litellm --config /path/to/config.yaml # RUNNING on http://0.0.0.0:4000 ``` **Create the Assistant** ```bash curl "http://localhost:4000/v1/assistants" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $LITELLM_API_KEY" \ -d '{ "instructions": "You are a personal math tutor. When asked a question, write and run Python code to answer the question.", "name": "Math Tutor", "tools": [{"type": "code_interpreter"}], "model": "gpt-5.6-terra" }' ``` **Get the Assistant** ```bash curl "http://0.0.0.0:4000/v1/assistants?order=desc&limit=20" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $LITELLM_API_KEY" ``` **Create a Thread** ```bash curl http://0.0.0.0:4000/v1/threads \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $LITELLM_API_KEY" \ -d '' ``` **Get a Thread** ```bash curl http://0.0.0.0:4000/v1/threads/{thread_id} \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $LITELLM_API_KEY" ``` **Add Messages to the Thread** ```bash curl http://0.0.0.0:4000/v1/threads/{thread_id}/messages \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $LITELLM_API_KEY" \ -d '{ "role": "user", "content": "How does AI work? Explain it in simple terms." }' ``` **Run the Assistant on the Thread** ```bash curl http://0.0.0.0:4000/v1/threads/thread_abc123/runs \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $LITELLM_API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "assistant_id": "asst_abc123" }' ``` ## Streaming **SDK** ```python from litellm import run_thread_stream import os os.environ["OPENAI_API_KEY"] = "sk-.." message = {"role": "user", "content": "Hey, how's it going?"} data = {"custom_llm_provider": "openai", "thread_id": _new_thread.id, "assistant_id": assistant_id, **message} run = run_thread_stream(**data) with run as run: assert isinstance(run, AssistantEventHandler) for chunk in run: print(f"chunk: {chunk}") run.until_done() ``` **PROXY** ```bash curl -X POST 'http://0.0.0.0:4000/threads/{thread_id}/runs' \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $LITELLM_API_KEY" \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -d '{ "assistant_id": "asst_6xVZQFFy1Kw87NbnYeNebxTf", "stream": true }' ``` ## [👉 Proxy API Reference](https://docs.litellm.ai/api-reference/#/assistants) ## Azure OpenAI **config** ```yaml assistant_settings: custom_llm_provider: azure litellm_params: api_key: os.environ/AZURE_API_KEY api_base: os.environ/AZURE_API_BASE ``` **curl** ```bash curl -X POST "http://localhost:4000/v1/assistants" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $LITELLM_API_KEY" \ -d '{ "instructions": "You are a personal math tutor. When asked a question, write and run Python code to answer the question.", "name": "Math Tutor", "tools": [{"type": "code_interpreter"}], "model": "" }' ``` ## OpenAI-Compatible APIs To call openai-compatible Assistants API's (eg. Astra Assistants API), just add `openai/` to the model name: **config** ```yaml assistant_settings: custom_llm_provider: openai litellm_params: api_key: os.environ/ASTRA_API_KEY api_base: os.environ/ASTRA_API_BASE ``` **curl** ```bash curl -X POST "http://localhost:4000/v1/assistants" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $LITELLM_API_KEY" \ -d '{ "instructions": "You are a personal math tutor. When asked a question, write and run Python code to answer the question.", "name": "Math Tutor", "tools": [{"type": "code_interpreter"}], "model": "openai/" }' ``` ## Related pages - [Supported Endpoints](https://docs.litellm.ai/docs/supported_endpoints.md) - [/audio/transcriptions](https://docs.litellm.ai/docs/audio_transcription.md)