# Streaming Chat API Contract This document defines the server-sent events (SSE) contract for chat completions. Endpoint: - `POST /v1/chat-completions/stream` Transport: - HTTP response uses `Content-Type: text/event-stream; charset=utf-8` - Events are emitted in SSE format (`event: ...`, `data: ...`) - Request body is JSON - Request body supports the same inline attachment schema and limits documented in `docs/api/rest.md`. Authentication: - Same as REST endpoints (`Authorization: Bearer ` when token mode is enabled) ## Request Body ```json { "chatId": "optional-chat-id", "provider": "openai|anthropic|xai", "model": "string", "messages": [ { "role": "system|user|assistant|tool", "content": "string", "name": "optional", "attachments": [ { "kind": "image", "id": "attachment-id", "filename": "photo.jpg", "mimeType": "image/jpeg", "sizeBytes": 12345, "dataUrl": "data:image/jpeg;base64,..." }, { "kind": "text", "id": "attachment-id", "filename": "notes.md", "mimeType": "text/markdown", "sizeBytes": 4567, "text": "# Notes\\n...", "truncated": false } ] } ], "temperature": 0.2, "maxTokens": 256 } ``` Notes: - If `chatId` is omitted, backend creates a new chat. - If `chatId` is provided, backend validates it exists. - Backend stores only new non-assistant input history rows to avoid duplicates. - Attachments are optional and are persisted under `message.metadata.attachments` on stored user messages. ## Event Stream Contract Event order: 1. Exactly one `meta` 2. Zero or more `tool_call` 3. Zero or more `delta` 4. Exactly one terminal event: `done` or `error` ### `meta` ```json { "type": "meta", "chatId": "chat-id", "callId": "llm-call-id", "provider": "openai", "model": "gpt-4.1-mini" } ``` ### `delta` ```json { "type": "delta", "text": "next chunk" } ``` `text` may contain partial words, punctuation, or whitespace. ### `tool_call` ```json { "toolCallId": "call_123", "name": "web_search", "status": "completed", "summary": "Performed web search for 'latest CPI release'.", "args": { "query": "latest CPI release" }, "startedAt": "2026-03-02T10:00:00.000Z", "completedAt": "2026-03-02T10:00:00.820Z", "durationMs": 820, "error": null, "resultPreview": "{\"ok\":true,...}" } ``` ### `done` ```json { "type": "done", "text": "full assistant response", "usage": { "inputTokens": 123, "outputTokens": 456, "totalTokens": 579 } } ``` `usage` may be omitted when provider does not expose final token accounting for stream mode. ### `error` ```json { "type": "error", "message": "provider timeout" } ``` ## Provider Streaming Behavior - `openai`/`xai`: backend may execute internal tool calls (`web_search`, `fetch_url`, optional `codex_exec`, and optional `shell_exec`) before producing final text. - `openai`: image attachments are sent as chat-completions content parts; text attachments are inlined as text parts. - `xai`: same attachment behavior as OpenAI. - `anthropic`: streamed via event stream; emits `delta` from `content_block_delta` with `text_delta`. Image attachments are sent as base64 `image` blocks and text attachments are appended as `text` blocks. - `web_search` uses `CHAT_WEB_SEARCH_ENGINE` (`exa` default, or `searxng` with `SEARXNG_BASE_URL` set). SearXNG mode requires the instance to allow `format=json`. This only affects chat-mode tool calls, not search-mode endpoints. - `codex_exec` is available only when `CHAT_CODEX_TOOL_ENABLED=true`. It SSHes to `CHAT_CODEX_REMOTE_HOST`, creates/uses `CHAT_CODEX_REMOTE_WORKDIR`, and runs `codex exec --skip-git-repo-check ` there with SSH stdin closed. Prefer `CHAT_CODEX_SSH_KEY_PATH` with a read-only mounted private key; `CHAT_CODEX_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY_B64` is also supported. - `shell_exec` is available only when `CHAT_SHELL_TOOL_ENABLED=true`. It uses the same devbox SSH configuration, starts in `CHAT_CODEX_REMOTE_WORKDIR`, and runs non-interactive shell commands there with SSH stdin closed, not inside the Sybil server container. - `CHAT_MAX_TOOL_ROUNDS` controls how many model/tool result cycles may occur before the backend returns a tool-call limit message; default is 8. Tool-enabled streaming notes (`openai`/`xai`): - Stream still emits standard `meta`, `delta`, `done|error` events. - Stream may emit `tool_call` events while tool calls are executed. - `delta` events stream incrementally as text is generated. ## Persistence + Consistency Model Backend database remains source of truth. During stream: - Client may optimistically render accumulated `delta` text. On successful completion: - Backend persists assistant `Message` and updates `LlmCall` usage/latency in a transaction. - Backend then emits `done`. On failure: - Backend records call error and emits `error`. Client recommendation (for iOS/web): 1. Render deltas in real time for UX. 2. On `done`, refresh chat detail from REST (`GET /v1/chats/:chatId`) and use DB-backed data as canonical. 3. On `error`, preserve user input and show retry affordance. ## SSE Parsing Rules - Concatenate multiple `data:` lines with newline before JSON parse. - Event completes on blank line. - Ignore unknown event names for forward compatibility. ## Example Stream ```text event: meta data: {"type":"meta","chatId":"c1","callId":"k1","provider":"openai","model":"gpt-4.1-mini"} event: delta data: {"type":"delta","text":"Hello"} event: delta data: {"type":"delta","text":" world"} event: done data: {"type":"done","text":"Hello world"} ```