Embeddings | Parasail
Generate vector embeddings for text using open-source embedding models. The API is OpenAI-compatible—use the same client.embeddings.create interface.
Endpoint
POST https://api.parasail.io/v1/embeddings
Authentication
Pass your API key in the Authorization header:
Authorization: Bearer <PARASAIL_API_KEY>
The OpenAI SDK reads this from the api_key argument. See Authentication for how to create and store a key.
Request
Python (OpenAI SDK)
import os
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(
base_url="https://api.parasail.io/v1",
api_key=os.environ["PARASAIL_API_KEY"],
)
response = client.embeddings.create(
model="parasail-ai/GritLM-7B-vllm",
input="Parasail provides affordable cloud GPUs for AI inference.",
encoding_format="base64"
)
print(response.data[0].embedding[:5])
cURL
curl https://api.parasail.io/v1/embeddings \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $PARASAIL_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "parasail-ai/GritLM-7B-vllm",
"input": "Parasail provides affordable cloud GPUs for AI inference.",
"encoding_format": "float"
}'
Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
model |
string | required | Embedding model ID (for example, parasail-ai/GritLM-7B-vllm) |
input |
string or array | required | Text to embed. Pass an array to embed multiple inputs in one request |
encoding_format |
string | "float" | Either "float" or "base64" (recommended for smaller payloads) |
These fields follow the OpenAI schema. For exhaustive field semantics, see the OpenAI embeddings reference.
Response
A successful request returns a list of embedding objects. With one input string, data contains a single embedding:
{
"object": "list",
"data": [
{
"object": "embedding",
"index": 0,
"embedding": [0.0023, -0.0091, 0.0145, "..."]
}
],
"model": "parasail-ai/GritLM-7B-vllm",
"usage": {
"prompt_tokens": 12,
"total_tokens": 12
}
}
Field Descriptions
data[].embedding- The vector (array of floats, or a base64 string whenencoding_format="base64")data[].index- Position of this embedding in the input arrayusage- Prompt and total token counts
When input is an array, data contains one object per input, ordered by index.
Available embedding models
| Model | HuggingFace ID |
|---|---|
| GritLM | parasail-ai/GritLM-7B-vllm |
| GTE-Qwen2-7B-Instruct | Alibaba-NLP/gte-Qwen2-7B-instruct |
Any embedding model on HuggingFace can be used with dedicated or batch endpoints.
Error responses
Errors use OpenAI-compatible status codes and a JSON body with an error object (message, type, code).
| Status Code | Description |
|---|---|
400 |
Malformed request—invalid JSON, missing input, or unsupported parameter value |
401 |
Missing or invalid API key |
403 |
API key lacks access to the requested model |
404 |
Model or endpoint not found |
429 |
Rate limit or quota exceeded—back off and retry |
500 |
Internal server error—retry with exponential backoff |
Tips
- Use
encoding_format="base64"to reduce output file sizes, especially for batch processing. - For large-scale embedding generation, use batch processing at 50% off serverless pricing.