> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.helicone.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Prompt Management

> Deploy and iterate prompts through the AI Gateway without code changes

Helicone's AI Gateway integrates directly with our prompt management system without the need for custom packages or code changes.

This guide shows you how to integrate the AI Gateway with prompt management, not the actual prompt management itself. For creating and managing prompts, see [Prompt Management](/features/advanced-usage/prompts).

## Why Use Prompt Integration?

Instead of hardcoding prompts in your application, reference them by ID:

<CodeGroup>
  ```typescript Before theme={null}
  // ❌ Prompt hardcoded in your app
  const response = await client.chat.completions.create({
    model: "gpt-4o-mini",
    messages: [
      {
        role: "system", 
        content: "You are a helpful customer support agent for TechCorp. Be friendly and solution-oriented."
      },
      {
        role: "user",
        content: `Customer ${customerName} is asking about ${issueType}`
      }
    ]
  });
  ```

  ```typescript After theme={null}
  // ✅ Prompt managed in Helicone dashboard
  const response = await client.chat.completions.create({
    model: "gpt-4o-mini",
    prompt_id: "customer_support",
    inputs: {
      customer_name: customerName,
      issue_type: issueType
    }
  });
  // The prompt template lives in Helicone, not your code
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Gateway vs SDK Integration

Without the AI Gateway, using managed prompts requires multiple steps:

<CodeGroup>
  ```typescript SDK Approach (Complex) theme={null}
  // 1. Install package
  npm install @helicone/helpers

  // 2. Initialize prompt manager
  const promptManager = new HeliconePromptManager({
    apiKey: "your-helicone-api-key"
  });

  // 3. Fetch and compile prompt (separate API call)
  const { body, errors } = await promptManager.getPromptBody({
    prompt_id: "abc123",
    inputs: { customer_name: "John", ... }
  });

  // 4. Handle errors manually
  if (errors.length > 0) {
    console.warn("Validation errors:", errors);
  }

  // 5. Finally make the LLM call
  const response = await openai.chat.completions.create(body);
  ```

  ```typescript Gateway Approach (Simple) theme={null}
  // Just reference the prompt - gateway handles everything
  const response = await client.chat.completions.create({
    prompt_id: "abc123",
    inputs: { customer_name: "John", ... }
  });
  ```
</CodeGroup>

<Info>
  **Why the gateway is better:**

  * **No extra packages** - Works with your existing OpenAI SDK
  * **Single API call** - Gateway fetches and compiles automatically
  * **Lower latency** - Everything happens server-side in one request
  * **Automatic error handling** - Invalid inputs return clear error messages
  * **Cleaner code** - No prompt management logic in your application
</Info>

## Integration Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create prompts in Helicone">
    [Build and test prompts](/features/advanced-usage/prompts) with variables in the dashboard
  </Step>

  <Step title="Use prompt_id in your code">
    Replace `messages` with `prompt_id` and `inputs` in your gateway calls
  </Step>
</Steps>

## API Parameters

Use these parameters in your chat completions request to integrate with saved prompts:

<ParamField body="prompt_id" type="string" required>
  The ID of your saved prompt from the Helicone dashboard
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="environment" type="string" default="production">
  Which environment version to use: `development`, `staging`, or `production`
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="inputs" type="object" required>
  Variables to fill in your prompt template (e.g., `{"customer_name": "John", "issue_type": "billing"}`)
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="model" type="string" required>
  Any supported model - works with the unified gateway format
</ParamField>

## Example Usage

```typescript theme={null}
const response = await client.chat.completions.create({
  model: "gpt-4o-mini",
  prompt_id: "customer_support_v2",
  environment: "production",
  inputs: {
    customer_name: "Sarah Johnson",
    issue_type: "billing",
    customer_message: "I was charged twice this month"
  }
});
```

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create Your First Prompt" icon="pencil" href="/features/advanced-usage/prompts">
    Learn to build prompts with variables in the dashboard
  </Card>

  <Card title="Provider Routing" icon="route" href="/gateway/provider-routing">
    Combine prompts with automatic routing and fallbacks for reliability
  </Card>
</CardGroup>