AI SDK

What is AI SDK?

The AI SDK is a provider-agnostic TypeScript library for building AI applications and agents, created by the team behind Next.js. You install it from npm with Node.js 22 or newer and call a small set of functions, such as generateText for text, structured output with Zod schemas, and a ToolLoopAgent class for agents that use tools. A unified provider layer lets you switch between OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and other model providers by changing a model string, and by default requests go through the Vercel AI Gateway, which offers one key for hundreds of models with no markup on token prices. UI hooks work with React, Next.js, Svelte, Vue and Angular, so you can stream chat and generative interfaces to the browser. You can also install provider packages such as @ai-sdk/openai to connect directly. The library is free and open source, and a skill is available for coding agents like Claude Code and Cursor.

Use cases

• Build a streaming chatbot in Next.js
• Generate structured data from an LLM
• Create tool-using AI agents
• Switch between model providers in code
• Add generative UI to a React app
• Route model calls through an AI gateway

Who it's for

• TypeScript developers
• Full-stack engineers
• AI startups
• Agent builders

Why use AI SDK

• One code structure works across providers, so changing models means changing a string rather than rewriting calls.
• The library is free and open source, so you only pay for the model usage you consume.
• UI hooks for several frameworks handle streaming chat and generative interfaces.
• The AI Gateway option gives one key for many models with no markup on token prices and spend monitoring.
• Structured output with Zod schemas helps you get typed data back from a model.

AI SDK features

• Unified API for text generation across model providers
• Structured output with Zod schemas
• ToolLoopAgent for tool-calling agents
• UI hooks for React, Svelte, Vue and Angular
• Vercel AI Gateway access with a single key
• Direct provider packages such as @ai-sdk/openai and @ai-sdk/anthropic
• Streaming responses for chat interfaces
• Custom provider support
• Skill for coding agents such as Claude Code and Cursor

AI SDK integrations

• OpenAI
• Anthropic
• Google
• Vercel AI Gateway
• Next.js
• React
• Svelte
• Vue
• Angular
• Vercel Sandbox
• Claude Code
• Cursor

How to get started with AI SDK

1. Install the library with npm install ai on a machine running Node.js 22 or newer.
2. Pass a model string such as a provider and model name, or install a provider package to connect to a provider directly.
3. Call functions like generateText or the ToolLoopAgent class, with tools and a schema if you need structured output.
4. Add the UI package for your framework, such as @ai-sdk/react, and stream results into your interface.

AI SDK limitations

• Requires Node.js 22 or newer
• Model usage is billed by the provider or gateway you choose, not by the library
• Some providers need their own plan, for example the v0 API requires a Premium or Team plan with usage billing

AI SDK pricing

AI SDK is open source, so you can use and self-host it for free.

Prices can change and may vary by country or exclude tax. Check the official pricing page.

AI SDK alternatives

The main AI SDK alternatives listed on Debuly are LangChain, LlamaIndex, Mastra, LiteLLM, OpenAI Agents SDK and OmniRoute. The table compares pricing and platforms; order is A–Z.

1. 

   LangChain

   Open-source framework for building LLM agents, paired with LangSmith for tracing, evals and agent deployment.

   Developer platformsAutomation and agentsCoding
   FreemiumVisit LangChain (official site)
2. 

   LiteLLM

   Open-source AI gateway and Python SDK that gives one OpenAI-format API to 100+ LLM providers, with keys, budgets and cost tracking.

   Developer platformsCodingAutomation and agents
   Open sourceVisit LiteLLM (official site)
3. 

   LlamaIndex

   Open-source framework plus the LlamaParse platform for parsing, extracting and indexing documents so LLM apps can use them.

   Developer platformsResearch and searchAutomation and agents
   FreemiumVisit LlamaIndex (official site)
4. 

   Mastra

   Open source TypeScript framework for building AI agents and workflows, plus a hosted platform for Studio, Server, memory and observability.

   Developer platformsAutomation and agentsCoding
   Open sourceVisit Mastra (official site)
5. 

   OmniRoute

   Free open-source AI gateway that puts 352 providers behind one OpenAI-compatible endpoint with automatic fallback.

   Developer platformsCodingAutomation and agents
   Open sourceVisit OmniRoute (official site)
6. 

   OpenAI Agents SDK

   Open-source Python framework for building multi-agent workflows with tools, handoffs, guardrails, tracing, sandboxes and voice agents.

   Developer platformsAutomation and agentsCoding
   Open sourceVisit OpenAI Agents SDK (official site)

AI SDK FAQ

Sources & verification

Facts on this page come from the official sources below, each with the date we read it. Written by Debuly; the vendor did not review this page.

Image credits

• Logo: from ai-sdk.dev · fetched 23 Oct 2026 · Vendor trademark, used only to identify the product; removed on request
• Cover: none collected yet, so a generated tile is shown.

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