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FAQ

Get answers to the most common questions about the Swarms API platform.
The Swarms API is a comprehensive platform for building and orchestrating AI agents and multi-agent systems. It enables developers to create individual intelligent agents or coordinate thousands of agents in complex workflows, allowing them to communicate, collaborate, and solve problems together.Key Benefits:
  • Agent Orchestration: Create and manage AI agents that can work independently or collaborate
  • Multi-Agent Communication: Enable agents to communicate and share information seamlessly
  • Flexible Workflows: Support for sequential, concurrent, hierarchical, and other workflow patterns
  • Enterprise Scale: Handle up to 10,000+ agents working together
  • Multi-Model Support: Integration with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Groq models
The Swarms API is designed for developers who need more than just a simple AI completion endpoint. Here’s why you should choose Swarms:
  • Complete Agent Ecosystem: Full ecosystem for building, deploying, and scaling intelligent AI systems
  • Advanced Multi-Agent Architectures: Build complex hierarchical, sequential, and parallel agent collaboration systems
  • Agent-to-Agent Communication: Advanced communication protocols enable seamless agent interaction
  • Ultra-Optimized Runtime: High-performance runtime with built-in optimization for concurrent operations
  • Enterprise-Ready: Built-in security, governance, and compliance features
Agent orchestration in the Swarms API allows you to:
  • Create Individual Agents: Deploy single agents for specific tasks
  • Coordinate Multiple Agents: Build swarms where agents work together
  • Define Workflow Patterns: Choose from sequential, concurrent, hierarchical, and other patterns
  • Enable Communication: Agents can share information and collaborate
  • Scale Dynamically: Add or remove agents based on workload
Example Use Cases:
  • Research teams with multiple agents researching different aspects
  • Medical analysis with lab analyzer and clinical specialist working together
  • Financial analysis with market analyst and economic forecaster collaborating
  • Content creation with writer, editor, and fact-checker in sequence
The Swarms API supports multiple workflow patterns:
Workflow TypeDescriptionBest For
SequentialAgents work in order, each building on the previous outputStep-by-step processes, analysis pipelines
ConcurrentAgents work simultaneously on the same taskParallel processing, multiple perspectives
HierarchicalStructured multi-level approach with clear authorityComplex decision-making, management structures
Multi-Agent RouterIntelligent task distribution based on capabilitiesLoad balancing, specialized task routing
Mixture of AgentsDiverse teams with specialized skillsComplex problems requiring multiple expertise
Majority VotingConsensus-based decision makingVerification, quality assurance
Agent RearrangeDynamic agent reconfigurationAdaptive systems, optimization
The Swarms API supports multiple AI model providers:OpenAI Models:
  • gpt-4: High-quality reasoning and complex task handling
  • gpt-4o: Optimized version with improved performance
  • gpt-4o-mini: Lightweight version for faster responses
Anthropic Models:
  • claude-sonnet-4-20250514-20240620: Balanced performance and reasoning
  • claude-3-7-sonnet-latest: Latest Claude model with enhanced capabilities
Groq Models:
  • groq/llama3-70b-8192: High-performance open-source model
  • groq/deepseek-r1-distill-llama-70b: Specialized reasoning model
The Swarms API uses a transparent, usage-based pricing model:
ItemStandard CostFlex CostNotes
Base cost per agent$0.01 per agent$0.01 per agentCharged for each agent in a swarm
Input tokens (swarm)$3.00 per 1M tokens$0.75 per 1M tokens75% discount in Flex mode
Output tokens (swarm)$15.00 per 1M tokens$3.75 per 1M tokens75% discount in Flex mode
Input tokens (agent)$2.00 per 1M tokensN/AFor single agent completions
Output tokens (agent)$4.50 per 1M tokensN/AFor single agent completions
MCP cost$0.10 per call$0.10 per callCharged if an agent uses an MCP URL
Image cost$0.25 per image$0.25 per imageCharged for each image processed
Night-time discount75% off token costs75% off token costs8pm–6am California time
Flex Tier Benefits:
  • 75% discount on token costs
  • May have higher latency or retries
  • Ideal for cost-sensitive applications
Rate limits are tier-based to ensure fair usage:
Rate Limit TypeFree TierPremium TierTime Window
Requests per Minute1002,0001 minute
Requests per Hour5010,0001 hour
Requests per Day1,200100,00024 hours
Tokens per Agent200,0002,000,000Per request
Prompt Length200,000200,000Per request
Batch Size1010Per request
Premium Tier Benefits:
  • 20x more requests per minute (2,000 vs 100)
  • 200x more requests per hour (10,000 vs 50)
  • 83x more requests per day (100,000 vs 1,200)
  • 10x more tokens per agent (2M vs 200K)
1. Get Your API Key Visit Swarms Platform to get your free API key.2. Install Client Libraries
# Python
pip install swarms-client

# JavaScript/TypeScript
npm install axios dotenv
3. Make Your First API Call
import os
from swarms_client import SwarmsClient
from dotenv import load_dotenv

load_dotenv()

client = SwarmsClient(
    api_key=os.getenv("SWARMS_API_KEY"),
)

result = client.agent.run(
    agent_config={
        "agent_name": "My First Agent",
        "system_prompt": "You are a helpful assistant.",
        "model_name": "gpt-4o-mini",
        "max_tokens": 1000,
        "temperature": 0.7,
    },
    task="Hello, world!"
)

print(result)
Built-in Tools:
  • Search Capabilities: Web search integration for research tasks
  • MCP Integration: Model Context Protocol for enhanced interactions
  • Custom Tools: Define your own function tools for specific needs
MCP (Model Context Protocol) Integration:
  • Connect to external data sources
  • Integrate with databases and APIs
  • Enable real-time data access for agents
Custom Tool Development: Create specialized tools using OpenAPI-style function specifications for enhanced agent capabilities.
Common Issues and Solutions:Authentication Errors:
  • Verify your API key is correct and active
  • Check that the x-api-key header is properly set
  • Ensure your API key has the necessary permissions
Rate Limit Exceeded:
  • Implement exponential backoff for failed requests
  • Monitor your API usage to stay within limits
  • Consider upgrading to Premium for higher limits
Timeout Issues:
  • Increase request timeout values
  • Consider breaking complex tasks into smaller chunks
  • Use batch processing for multiple operations
Model Availability:
  • Check if your requested model is currently available
  • Have fallback models configured
  • Monitor model status through the health endpoint
Enterprise Security:
  • API Key Authentication: Secure authentication for all requests
  • Rate Limiting: Prevents abuse and ensures fair usage
  • Data Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit and at rest
  • Access Controls: Granular permissions and access management
Best Practices:
  • Never commit API keys to version control
  • Use environment variables for all sensitive configuration
  • Implement proper access controls in production environments
  • Regularly rotate API keys
Community Resources:Professional Support:Stay Updated:
Yes! The Swarms API is designed for production use with:
  • High Availability: 99.9% uptime SLA
  • Scalability: Handle thousands of concurrent agents
  • Enterprise Features: Security, compliance, and governance
  • Monitoring: Comprehensive logging and analytics
  • Support: Professional support for production deployments
Production Best Practices:
  • Implement proper error handling and retry logic
  • Monitor API usage and costs
  • Use appropriate rate limiting strategies
  • Test thoroughly before deployment
  • Keep API keys secure and rotate regularly
Single Agents:
  • Purpose: Focused tasks that don’t require collaboration
  • Use Cases: Simple Q&A, content generation, data analysis
  • Benefits: Fast, simple, cost-effective
  • Limitations: Limited to single perspective, no collaboration
Multi-Agent Swarms:
  • Purpose: Complex tasks requiring multiple perspectives or specialized skills
  • Use Cases: Research teams, medical analysis, financial forecasting
  • Benefits: Multiple perspectives, specialized expertise, parallel processing
  • Complexity: Higher setup and coordination requirements
Model Selection Guidelines:For Complex Analysis:
  • Use GPT-4 or Claude-3.5-Sonnet for tasks requiring deep reasoning
  • Higher token limits for comprehensive analysis
For Fast Responses:
  • Choose GPT-4o-mini for quick, straightforward tasks
  • Lower costs for high-volume applications
For Creative Tasks:
  • Higher temperature settings (0.7-0.9) work better
  • GPT-4 or Claude models for creative content
For Factual Tasks:
  • Lower temperature settings (0.1-0.3) provide more consistent responses
  • Any model can work well with proper prompting
Yes! The Swarms API is designed for easy integration:Integration Options:
  • REST API: Standard HTTP endpoints for any language
  • Client Libraries: Official SDKs for Python, TypeScript, Go, Java
  • Webhooks: Real-time notifications for long-running tasks
  • Batch Processing: Process multiple requests efficiently
Common Integration Patterns:
  • Microservices: Deploy as independent services
  • API Gateway: Integrate with existing API infrastructure
  • Event-Driven: Trigger agents based on system events
  • Scheduled Tasks: Run agents on regular schedules

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