Troubleshooting Guide

Find solutions to common issues and learn best practices for using DeepSeek API.

Common Issues

Authentication Issues

Invalid API Key

  1. Check API Key Format
    • Ensure your API key is correctly formatted
    • Verify the Bearer prefix is included in the Authorization header
  2. Verify API Key Status
    • Check if your API key is active in the dashboard
    • Ensure you haven't exceeded your API key's rate limits
  3. Common Solutions
    • Generate a new API key if needed
    • Check for leading/trailing whitespace in your API key

API Errors

Error CodeDescriptionSolution
401UnauthorizedCheck your API key and authentication headers
429Too Many RequestsReduce request rate or upgrade your plan
500Server ErrorRetry the request after a short delay
503Service UnavailableCheck our status page

Performance Optimization

Request Optimization

  1. Token Management
    • Keep messages concise
    • Use appropriate context lengths
    • Monitor token usage
  2. Rate Limiting
    • Implement exponential backoff
    • Use request queuing
    • Monitor rate limits
  3. Error Handling
    • Implement proper retry logic
    • Handle timeouts gracefully
    • Log errors for debugging

Billing & Usage

Monitoring Usage

  1. Track Consumption
    • Monitor token usage in real-time
    • Set up usage alerts
    • Review billing reports regularly
  2. Optimize Costs
    • Choose appropriate models for your use case
    • Implement caching where possible
    • Use batch requests when appropriate

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