# Llama 3.1 8B Instruct - Core.Today AI API

> Meta's Llama 3.1 8B instruction-tuned model served through OpenRouter - a fast, efficient small open-weight model with 131K-token context for high-volume, low-cost workloads. This id replaces the retired direct llama-3.1-8b-instant route. Billed at OpenRouter's actual usage cost.

- **Provider**: Meta
- **Model ID**: meta-llama/llama-3.1-8b-instruct
- **Category**: LLM
- **Credits**: 0.1 per 1K tokens (avg, estimate)
- **Speed**: Fast
- **Quality**: Standard

## Model Specifications
- **Context Window**: 131K tokens
- **Max Output**: 131K tokens
- **Training Cutoff**: 2023-12
- **Supported Formats**: text, json, markdown
- **Compatible SDK**: OpenAI

### Capabilities
- Function Calling
- Streaming
- JSON Mode
- System Prompt

### Token Pricing (per 1M tokens)
- **Input Tokens**: 92.9 credits ($0.06)
- **Output Tokens**: 148.64 credits ($0.10)
- **Cached Tokens**: 46.45 credits ($0.03)

## Features
- 131K-token context window
- Fast, efficient 8B open-weight model with very low per-token cost
- OpenAI-compatible API (chat completions) via /llm/openrouter/v1
- Tool calling and structured JSON output
- Billed at OpenRouter's actual usage.cost - listed rates are estimates

## Use Cases
- High-volume classification, extraction and routing
- Lightweight chatbots and FAQ assistants
- Cheap first-pass drafts and summaries

## API Endpoint

Base URL: https://api.core.today
Endpoint: POST /llm/openrouter/v1/chat/completions

## Authentication
Header: Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

Note: LLM endpoints use OpenAI-compatible format with Authorization Bearer token.

## Input Parameters

### Required
- **model**: string - Model ID in vendor/model form, e.g. "meta-llama/llama-3.1-8b-instruct".
- **messages**: array - Chat messages in OpenAI format (system/user/assistant roles).

### Optional
- **temperature**: number (default: 0.7) - Sampling temperature (0-2).
- **max_tokens**: integer (default: 2048) - Maximum completion tokens.
- **stream**: boolean (default: false) - Stream the response as server-sent events.

## Examples

### Chat completion
OpenAI-compatible chat completion request via OpenRouter
```json
{
  "model": "meta-llama/llama-3.1-8b-instruct",
  "messages": [
    {
      "role": "user",
      "content": "Summarize the attached report in 5 bullets."
    }
  ],
  "max_tokens": 1024
}
```

## Response Format
```json
{
  "id": "chatcmpl-abc123",
  "object": "chat.completion",
  "choices": [
    {
      "index": 0,
      "message": {
        "role": "assistant",
        "content": "Response text here"
      },
      "finish_reason": "stop"
    }
  ],
  "usage": {
    "prompt_tokens": 100,
    "completion_tokens": 50,
    "total_tokens": 150
  }
}
```

## Tips
- Works with the OpenAI SDK - set base_url to https://ai.api.core.today/llm/openrouter/v1
- Charged at OpenRouter's usage.cost x 1,858 credits/USD - the listed rates are estimates and may lag OpenRouter price changes
- Use this OpenRouter id instead of the direct route - the direct llama-3.1-8b-instant route (/llm/groq/v1) is retired and returns 503

## Documentation
https://openrouter.ai/meta-llama/llama-3.1-8b-instruct