DeepSeek

DeepSeek provides powerful AI models with an OpenAI-compatible API.

Property	Value
Provider	`deepseek`
Auth	`DEEPSEEK_API_KEY`
API	OpenAI-compatible
Base URL	`https://api.deepseek.com`

Install plugin

Install the official plugin, then restart Gateway:

bash

openclaw plugins install @openclaw/deepseek-provider
openclaw gateway restart

Getting started

<Steps> <Step title="Get your API key"> Create an API key at [platform.deepseek.com](https://platform.deepseek.com/api_keys). </Step> <Step title="Run onboarding"> ```bash openclaw onboard --auth-choice deepseek-api-key ```

Prompts for your API key and sets `deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash` as the default model.

</Step> <Step title="Verify models are available"> ```bash openclaw models list --provider deepseek ```

To inspect the plugin's static catalog without a running Gateway:

```bash
openclaw models list --all --provider deepseek
```

</Step> </Steps> <AccordionGroup> <Accordion title="Non-interactive setup"> For scripted or headless installations, pass all flags directly:

```bash
openclaw onboard --non-interactive \
  --mode local \
  --auth-choice deepseek-api-key \
  --deepseek-api-key "$DEEPSEEK_API_KEY" \
  --skip-health \
  --accept-risk
```

</Accordion> </AccordionGroup> <Warning> If Gateway runs as a daemon (launchd/systemd), make sure `DEEPSEEK_API_KEY` is available to that process (for example, in `~/.openclaw/.env` or via `env.shellEnv`). </Warning>

Built-in catalog

Model ref	Name	Input	Context	Max output	Notes
`deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash`	DeepSeek V4 Flash	text	1,000,000	384,000	Default model; V4 thinking-capable surface
`deepseek/deepseek-v4-pro`	DeepSeek V4 Pro	text	1,000,000	384,000	V4 thinking-capable surface
`deepseek/deepseek-chat`	DeepSeek Chat	text	131,072	8,192	DeepSeek V3.2 non-thinking surface
`deepseek/deepseek-reasoner`	DeepSeek Reasoner	text	131,072	65,536	Reasoning-enabled V3.2 surface

<Tip> V4 models support DeepSeek's `thinking` control. OpenClaw also replays DeepSeek `reasoning_content` on follow-up turns so thinking sessions with tool calls can continue. Use `/think xhigh` or `/think max` with DeepSeek V4 models to request DeepSeek's maximum `reasoning_effort`; both map to `"max"`. </Tip>

Thinking and tools

DeepSeek V4 thinking sessions require replayed assistant messages from a thinking-enabled turn to include reasoning_content on follow-up requests. OpenClaw's DeepSeek plugin backfills that field automatically, so normal multi-turn tool use works on deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash and deepseek/deepseek-v4-pro even when history came from another OpenAI-compatible provider (no native reasoning_content) or from a plain assistant message. No /new required after switching providers mid-session.

When thinking is disabled (including the UI None selection), OpenClaw sends thinking: { type: "disabled" } and strips replayed reasoning_content from outgoing history, keeping the session on the non-thinking DeepSeek path.

Use deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash for the default fast path. Use deepseek/deepseek-v4-pro for the stronger model when you can accept higher cost or latency.

Live testing

To run only the DeepSeek V4 direct-model checks from the modern model live suite:

bash

OPENCLAW_LIVE_PROVIDERS=deepseek \
OPENCLAW_LIVE_MODELS="deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash,deepseek/deepseek-v4-pro" \
pnpm test:live src/agents/models.profiles.live.test.ts

Verifies both V4 models complete and that thinking/tool follow-up turns preserve the replay payload DeepSeek requires.

Config example

json5

{
  env: { DEEPSEEK_API_KEY: "sk-..." },
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      model: { primary: "deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash" },
    },
  },
}

<CardGroup cols={2}> <Card title="Model selection" href="/concepts/model-providers" icon="layers"> Choosing providers, model refs, and failover behavior. </Card> <Card title="Configuration reference" href="/gateway/configuration-reference" icon="gear"> Full config reference for agents, models, and providers. </Card> </CardGroup>