Choosing an AI API for coding

What coding needs

• Strong reasoning on large files
• A long enough context for the files you send
• Predictable cost per task

Models that fit

Somnus column uses the minimum 2× credit; larger top-ups go further.

Cost example

1,000 requests of about 1,500 input and 400 output tokens on DeepSeek V4 Pro cost about $1.78 at list price — roughly $0.89 with Somnus credit.

Tips

• Send only the files that matter; trim lockfiles and generated code.
• Ask for a diff instead of a full rewritten file to cut output tokens.
• Use a flagship model for planning and a cheaper one for boilerplate.

Common mistakes

• Asking for whole files back when a patch would do.
• Using a small model for multi-file refactors and paying for retries.

Example

from openai import OpenAI
import os

client = OpenAI(
    api_key=os.environ["SOMNUS_API_KEY"],
    base_url="https://gateway-production-c837.up.railway.app/v1",
)

resp = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="claude-sonnet-5",
    messages=[
      {"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert assistant. Be precise and concise."},
      {"role": "user", "content": "Write a function that removes duplicate emails from a list, case-insensitively."}
    ],
)
print(resp.choices[0].message.content)

Questions

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