Use DeepSeek-R1 for Free: Here's Your Ultimate Guide!

If you’ve been keeping up with AI developments, you might have heard of DeepSeek-R1, the AI model that recently caused quite a stir, even affecting the US stock market. While DeepSeek is open-sourced and theoretically available for local deployment, most of us can't take advantage of it due to the model's massive size and high hardware requirements.

So, what can you do if you want to use DeepSeek-R1 without going through the hassle of local deployment? The answer is simple: use the free API provided by OpenRouter. Here’s how you can get started and use DeepSeek-R1 for free.

Why Can't We Use DeepSeek Locally?

There are two major reasons why local deployment isn't feasible for most users:

1. High Traffic on the DeepSeek Platform
   
   The immense popularity of DeepSeek has led to the platform being unresponsive, likely due to overwhelming traffic.

2. Massive GPU Requirements
   
   DeepSeek-R1 has a massive 671 billion parameters, making it extremely resource-intensive. The GPU requirements for running the model locally are simply too high for the average user to handle.

How to Use DeepSeek-R1 for Free via OpenRouter

Don’t worry! You can still access DeepSeek-R1 for free through OpenRouter. Just follow these simple steps to get started:

1. Visit OpenRouter

Go to OpenRouter and search for "DeepSeek-R1 (free)." Click on the listing to proceed.

2. Generate a Free API Key

Sign up for an OpenRouter account (if you don’t have one) and generate a free API key.

3. Test the APIs Using Apidog

Apidog is a user-friendly API management and testing tool that simplifies the process of managing, testing, and debugging APIs. If you prefer a GUI for testing your API requests, Apidog is an excellent choice. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to integrate the DeepSeek API with Apidog.

Step 1: Install Apidog

1. Visit the Apidog website and sign up for a free account.
2. Download and install Apidog on your computer.

Download and install Apidog

Step 2: Create a New API Request
Once Apidog is installed, follow these steps to test the DeepSeek API:

• Open Apidog and click on “Create New API Request.”
• Set the HTTP method to POST.
• In the URL field, enter the API endpoint: https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/chat/completions.

Step 3: Configure Headers
In the Headers section, add the following:

• **Authorization**: Bearer your_openrouter_api_key
• **Content-Type**: application/json

Step 4: Add the Request Body
In the Body section, select the JSON format and enter the following:

{
  "model": "deepseek/deepseek-chat:free",
  "messages": [
    {
      "role": "user",
      "content": "What life after death?"
    }
  ]
}

Step 5: Send the Request
Click the Send button to make the request. If your configuration is correct, you will receive a response from DeepSeek, and you can view and analyze the results directly within Apidog.

4. Use the API Key in Your Code

Once you have the API key, you can start using DeepSeek-R1 by integrating it into your code. Here’s an example in Python:

   from openai import OpenAI

   client = OpenAI(
     base_url="https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
     api_key="<OPENROUTER_API_KEY>",  # Replace with your actual API key
   )

   completion = client.chat.completions.create(
     extra_headers={
       "HTTP-Referer": "<YOUR_SITE_URL>",  # Optional. Your site URL for OpenRouter rankings.
       "X-Title": "<YOUR_SITE_NAME>",  # Optional. Your site name for OpenRouter rankings.
     },
     model="deepseek/deepseek-r1:free",
     messages=[
       {
         "role": "user",
         "content": "What is the meaning of life?"  # Example user prompt
       }
     ]
   )

   print(completion.choices[0].message.content)  # This will print the response from DeepSeek-R1

5. Enjoy the Power of DeepSeek-R1 for Free!
After running the code, you should see DeepSeek-R1’s response in no time. You’re all set to use the model without any cost, hassle-free!

Conclusion

Using DeepSeek-R1 doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Thanks to OpenRouter's free API access, you can leverage this powerful AI model with minimal effort. Simply follow the steps outlined above, and you’ll be able to integrate DeepSeek-R1 into your projects with ease!