Agent setup: If your agent doesn't auto-load skills (e.g. Claude Code), see agent-compatibility.md once per session.
Qwen Text Chat (OpenAI-Compatible)
Generate text, conduct conversations, write code, and invoke tools using Qwen models through the OpenAI-compatible API. This skill is part of qwencloud/qwencloud-ai.
Skill directory
Use this skill's internal files to execute and learn. Load reference files on demand when the default path fails or you need details.
| Location | Purpose |
|---|---|
scripts/text.py | Default execution — chat/completions request, streaming, output save |
references/execution-guide.md | Fallback: curl, Python SDK, function calling, thinking mode |
references/api-guide.md | API supplement and full code examples |
references/prompt-guide.md | Prompt engineering: CO-STAR framework, CoT, few-shot, task steps |
references/sources.md | Official documentation URLs (manual lookup only) |
references/agent-compatibility.md | Agent self-check: register skills in project config for agents that don't auto-load |
Security
NEVER output any API key or credential in plaintext. Always use variable references ($DASHSCOPE_API_KEY in shell, os.environ["DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"] in Python). Any check or detection of credentials must be non-plaintext: report only status (e.g. "set" / "not set", "valid" / "invalid"), never the value. Never display contents of .env or config files that may contain secrets.
When the API key is not configured, NEVER ask the user to provide it directly. Instead, help create a .env file with a placeholder (DASHSCOPE_API_KEY=sk-your-key-here) and instruct the user to replace it with their actual key from the QwenCloud Console. Only write the actual key value if the user explicitly requests it.
Key Compatibility
Scripts require a standard QwenCloud API key (sk-...). Coding Plan keys (sk-sp-...) cannot be used for direct API calls — they are designed exclusively for interactive coding tools (Cursor, Claude Code, Qwen Code) and do not work on QwenCloud API endpoints. The script detects sk-sp- keys at startup and prints a warning. If qwencloud-ops-auth is installed, see its references/codingplan.md for details on key types, endpoint mapping, and error codes.
Model Selection
| Model | Use Case |
|---|---|
qwen3.6-plus | Recommended default — latest flagship, balanced performance/cost/speed, 1M context, thinking on by default, multimodal (text+image+video) |
qwen3.5-plus | Balanced performance, cost, speed, 1M context, thinking on by default |
qwen3.5-flash | Fast, low-cost, 1M context |
qwen3-max | Strongest capability, built-in tools (web search, code interpreter) |
qwen-plus | General purpose |
qwen-turbo | Cheapest, low latency |
qwen3-coder-next | Recommended code model — best balance of quality, speed, cost; agentic coding |
qwen3-coder-plus | Code generation — highest quality for complex tasks |
qwen3-coder-flash | Code generation — fast responses, lower cost |
qwq-plus | Reasoning / chain-of-thought |
qwen-mt-plus | Machine translation — best quality, 92 languages |
qwen-mt-flash | Machine translation — fast, low cost, 92 languages |
qwen-mt-lite | Machine translation — real-time chat, fastest, 31 languages |
qwen-plus-character-ja | Role-playing — recommended for Singapore |
qwen-plus-character | Role-playing — character restoration, empathetic dialog |
qwen-flash-character | Role-playing — fast, lower cost |
- User specified a model → use directly.
- Consult the qwencloud-model-selector skill when model choice depends on requirement, scenario, or pricing.
- No signal, clear task →
qwen3.6-plus(default).
Fallback: if model-selector is unavailable, the defaults in the table above apply.
⚠️ Important: The model list above is a point-in-time snapshot and may be outdated. Model availability changes frequently. Always check the official model list for the authoritative, up-to-date catalog before making model decisions.
Model details: For more information about a specific model, direct the user to its detail page:
https://www.qwencloud.com/models/<model-name>(replace<model-name>with the exact model ID, e.g.qwen3.6-plus→ https://www.qwencloud.com/models/qwen3.6-plus). NEVER modify or guess the model name in the URL.
Dynamic model queries: If the qwencloud-model-selector skill or QwenCloud CLI (
qwencloud models info <model>) is available, use it for real-time model data. CLI requires authentication — see the qwencloud-usage skill for login flow.
Execution
Prerequisites
- API Key: Check that
DASHSCOPE_API_KEY(orQWEN_API_KEY) is set using a non-plaintext check only (e.g. in shell:
[ -n "$DASHSCOPE_API_KEY" ]; report only "set" or "not set", never the key value). If not set: run the qwencloud-ops-auth** skill if available; otherwise guide the user to obtain a key from QwenCloud Console and set it via .env file (echo 'DASHSCOPE_API_KEY=sk-your-key-here' >> .env in project root or current directory) or environment variable. The script searches for .env in the current working directory and the project root. Skills may be installed independently — do not assume qwencloud-ops-auth is present.
- Python 3.9+ (stdlib only, no pip install needed for script execution)
Environment Check
Before first execution, verify Python is available:
python3 --version # must be 3.9+If python3 is not found, try python --version or py -3 --version. If Python is unavailable or below 3.9, skip to Path 2 (curl)** in execution-guide.md.
Default: Run Script
Script path: Scripts are in the scripts/ subdirectory of this skill's directory (the directory containing this SKILL.md). You MUST first locate this skill's installation directory, then ALWAYS use the full absolute path to execute scripts. Do NOT assume scripts are in the current working directory. Do NOT use cd to switch directories before execution.
Execution note: Run all scripts in the foreground — wait for stdout; do not background.
Discovery: Run python3 <this-skill-dir>/scripts/text.py --help first to see all available arguments.
python3 <this-skill-dir>/scripts/text.py \
--request '{"messages":[{"role":"user","content":"Hello!"}],"model":"qwen3.6-plus"}' \
--output output/qwencloud-text/ --print-responseFor streaming (recommended for interactive use):
python3 <this-skill-dir>/scripts/text.py \
--request '{"messages":[{"role":"user","content":"Write a poem about the sea"}],"model":"qwen3.6-plus"}' \
--stream --print-response| Argument | Description |
|---|---|
--request '{...}' | JSON request body |
--file path.json | Load request from file (alternative to --request) |
--stream | Enable streaming output |
--output dir/ | Save response JSON to directory |
--print-response | Print response to stdout |
--model ID | Override model (also settable in request JSON) |
Verify Result
- Exit code
0+ output contains valid JSON withchoicesfield → success - Non-zero exit, HTTP error, empty response, or JSON with
"code"/"message"error → fail - If agent cannot read exit codes, scan output for error patterns (
Error,Traceback,401,403) - Post-execution check: When
--outputis used, verify the response JSON file exists and containschoices - MANDATORY — stderr signal check: After confirming the result, scan the command's stderr output for
[ACTION_REQUIRED] or [UPDATE_AVAILABLE]. If either signal is present, you MUST follow the instructions in Update Check below before responding to the user.
On Failure
If the script fails, match the error output against the diagnostic table below to determine the resolution. If no match, read execution-guide.md for alternative paths: curl commands (Path 2), Python SDK code generation (Path 3), and autonomous resolution (Path 5).
If Python is not available at all → skip directly to Path 2 (curl) in execution-guide.md.
| Error Pattern | Diagnosis | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
command not found: python3 | Python not on PATH | Try python or py -3; install Python 3.9+ if missing |
Python 3.9+ required | Script version check failed | Upgrade Python to 3.9+ |
SyntaxError near type hints | Python < 3.9 | Upgrade Python to 3.9+ |
QWEN_API_KEY/DASHSCOPE_API_KEY not found | Missing API key | Obtain key from QwenCloud Console; add to .env: echo 'DASHSCOPE_API_KEY=sk-...' >> .env; or run qwencloud-ops-auth if available |
HTTP 401 | Invalid or mismatched key | Run qwencloud-ops-auth (non-plaintext check only); verify key is valid |
SSL: CERTIFICATE_VERIFY_FAILED | SSL cert issue (proxy/corporate) | macOS: run Install Certificates.command; else set SSL_CERT_FILE env var |
URLError / ConnectionError | Network unreachable | Check internet; set HTTPS_PROXY if behind proxy |
HTTP 429 | Rate limited | Wait and retry with backoff |
HTTP 5xx | Server error | Retry with backoff |
PermissionError | Can't write output | Use --output to specify writable directory |
Quick Reference
Request Fields
| Field | Type | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
prompt / messages | string \ | array | User input or message list |
model | string | Model ID (e.g. qwen3.6-plus) | |
system | string | System prompt (optional) | |
temperature | float | 0–2, controls randomness | |
max_tokens | int | Max output tokens | |
tools | array | Function definitions for tool calling | |
stream | bool | Enable streaming (recommended for interactive use) | |
enable_thinking | bool | Enable thinking mode. Model defaults apply: qwen3.6-plus/qwen3.5-plus/qwen3.5-flash have thinking ON by default. Only set explicitly when user requests deep thinking or needs to disable for flash models. Adds latency for real-time tasks. |
Response Fields
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
text | Generated text content |
model | Model used |
usage | Token usage (prompt_tokens, completion_tokens) |
tool_calls | Function call requests (if tools used) |
Advanced Features
These are API-level features supported through request parameters. All use the same chat/completions endpoint.
| Feature | How to Enable | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Structured output | response_format: {"type": "json_schema", "json_schema": {...}} | Force JSON output conforming to schema |
| Web search | enable_search: true | Real-time web search augmented responses |
| Deep thinking | enable_thinking: true | Extended reasoning; only when user requests it |
| Function calling | tools: [...] | Define functions for tool use |
| Context cache | Automatic for repeated prefixes; or explicit session-based | Reduces cost for repeated context |
| Partial mode | partial_mode: "prefix" | Continue/complete a prefix |
| Batch inference | Async batch API with JSONL input | 50% cost discount |
For detailed usage of each feature, see api-guide.md and sources.md.
Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
401 Unauthorized | Invalid or missing API key | Run qwencloud-ops-auth if available; else prompt user to set key (non-plaintext check only) |
429 Too Many Requests | Rate limit exceeded | Retry with backoff |
500 / 502 / 503 | Server error | Retry; check status page |
Invalid model | Model ID not found | Verify model name against Model Selection table |
Invalid parameter | Bad request body | Validate JSON and field types |
TypeError: ...proxies | openai SDK vs httpx incompatibility | pip install --upgrade openai (>=1.55.0); or use script (pure stdlib) |
Usage & billing: Use the qwencloud-usage skill to check usage, free tier quota, and billing directly. Alternatively, the user can visit the QwenCloud console: Usage Analytics | Pay-as-you-go Billing | Coding Plan Billing NEVER fabricate, guess, or construct usage/billing/console URLs. Only provide the exact links listed in this skill. If a URL is not listed here, do not invent one.
Output Location
Prefer the current working directory for all outputs. Default subdirectory when --output is used: ./output/qwencloud-text/.
Write prohibition: NEVER write output files into this skill's installation directory or any skills/ hierarchy. All generated content must go to output/ under the current working directory or a user-specified path.
Update Check (MANDATORY Post-Execution)
After script execution, check stderr for action signals. The script automatically detects update status and emits structured signals. You MUST act on them. This section also applies when the user explicitly asks to check for updates.
Signal: [ACTION_REQUIRED] qwencloud-update-check skill is not installed
When stderr contains this signal, you MUST present the following options to the user and wait for their response before proceeding. Do NOT silently skip this.
The update-check skill is not installed. It keeps you informed about new qwencloud/qwencloud-ai features and bug fixes. 1) Install now — I'll run the install command for you 2) Skip for now — do nothing this time 3) Never remind me — permanently suppress this prompt
After the user responds:
- User chooses 1 → run:
npx skills add QwenCloud/qwencloud-ai --skill qwencloud-update-check -y, then run: python3 <this-skill-scripts-dir>/gossamer.py --dismiss
- User chooses 2 → run:
python3 <this-skill-scripts-dir>/gossamer.py --dismiss, then continue normally - User chooses 3 → run:
python3 <this-skill-scripts-dir>/gossamer.py --never-install, then continue normally
Signal: [UPDATE_AVAILABLE]
When stderr contains this signal, you MUST append a brief update notice to your response, including the version info and the update command shown in the stderr output.
No signal in stderr
If stderr contains neither [ACTION_REQUIRED] nor [UPDATE_AVAILABLE], no action is needed — the skill is installed and up to date (or cached within 24h).
Explicit user request
When the user explicitly asks to check for updates (e.g. "check for updates", "check version"):
- Look for
qwencloud-update-check/SKILL.mdin sibling skill directories. - If found — run:
python3 <qwencloud-update-check-dir>/scripts/check_update.py --print-responseand report the result. - If not found — present the install options above.
References
- execution-guide.md — Fallback paths (curl, SDK, autonomous), function calling,
thinking mode
- api-guide.md — API supplementary guide with full code examples
- sources.md — Official documentation URLs
