Test chat prompts

Vertex AI lets you use Vertex AI Studio to test prompts in the Google Cloud console, the Vertex AI API, and the Vertex AI SDK for Python. This page shows you how to test chat prompts by using any of these interfaces.

To learn more about how to design chat prompts, see Chat prompts.

Test chat prompts

To test chat prompts, choose one of the following methods.

REST

To test a text prompt by using the Vertex AI API, send a POST request to the publisher model endpoint.

Before using any of the request data, make the following replacements:

  • PROJECT_ID: Your project ID.
  • CONTEXT: Optional. Context can be instructions that you give to the model on how it should respond or information that it uses or references to generate a response. Add contextual information in your prompt when you need to give information to the model, or restrict the boundaries of the responses to only what's within the context.
  • Optional examples: Examples are a list of structured messages to the model to learn how to respond to the conversation.
    • EXAMPLE_INPUT: Example of a message.
    • EXAMPLE_OUTPUT: Example of the ideal response.
  • Messages: Conversation history provided to the model in a structured alternate-author form. Messages appear in chronological order: oldest first, newest last. When the history of messages causes the input to exceed the maximum length, the oldest messages are removed until the entire prompt is within the allowed limit. There must be an odd number of messages (AUTHOR-CONTENT pairs) for the model to generate a response.
    • AUTHOR: The author of the message.
    • CONTENT: The content of the message.
  • TEMPERATURE: The temperature is used for sampling during response generation, which occurs when topP and topK are applied. Temperature controls the degree of randomness in token selection. Lower temperatures are good for prompts that require a less open-ended or creative response, while higher temperatures can lead to more diverse or creative results. A temperature of 0 means that the highest probability tokens are always selected. In this case, responses for a given prompt are mostly deterministic, but a small amount of variation is still possible.

    If the model returns a response that's too generic, too short, or the model gives a fallback response, try increasing the temperature.

  • MAX_OUTPUT_TOKENS: Maximum number of tokens that can be generated in the response. A token is approximately four characters. 100 tokens correspond to roughly 60-80 words.

    Specify a lower value for shorter responses and a higher value for potentially longer responses.

  • TOP_P: Top-P changes how the model selects tokens for output. Tokens are selected from the most (see top-K) to least probable until the sum of their probabilities equals the top-P value. For example, if tokens A, B, and C have a probability of 0.3, 0.2, and 0.1 and the top-P value is 0.5, then the model will select either A or B as the next token by using temperature and excludes C as a candidate.

    Specify a lower value for less random responses and a higher value for more random responses.

  • TOP_K: Top-K changes how the model selects tokens for output. A top-K of 1 means the next selected token is the most probable among all tokens in the model's vocabulary (also called greedy decoding), while a top-K of 3 means that the next token is selected from among the three most probable tokens by using temperature.

    For each token selection step, the top-K tokens with the highest probabilities are sampled. Then tokens are further filtered based on top-P with the final token selected using temperature sampling.

    Specify a lower value for less random responses and a higher value for more random responses.

HTTP method and URL: 

POST https://us-central1-aiplatform.googleapis.com/v1/projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/chat-bison:predict

Request JSON body: 

{
  "instances": [{
      "context":  "CONTEXT",
      "examples": [
       { 
          "input": {"content": "EXAMPLE_INPUT"},
          "output": {"content": "EXAMPLE_OUTPUT"}
       }],
      "messages": [
       { 
          "author": "AUTHOR",
          "content": "CONTENT",
       }],
   }],
  "parameters": {
    "temperature": TEMPERATURE,
    "maxOutputTokens": MAX_OUTPUT_TOKENS,
    "topP": TOP_P,
    "topK": TOP_K
  }
}

To send your request, choose one of these options:

curl

Save the request body in a file named request.json, and execute the following command: 

curl -X POST \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer $(gcloud auth print-access-token)" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8" \
     -d @request.json \
     "https://us-central1-aiplatform.googleapis.com/v1/projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/chat-bison:predict"

PowerShell

Save the request body in a file named request.json, and execute the following command: 

$cred = gcloud auth print-access-token
$headers = @{ "Authorization" = "Bearer $cred" }

Invoke-WebRequest `
    -Method POST `
    -Headers $headers `
    -ContentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8" `
    -InFile request.json `
    -Uri "https://us-central1-aiplatform.googleapis.com/v1/projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/chat-bison:predict" | Select-Object -Expand Content

You should receive a JSON response similar to the following.

Example curl command

MODEL_ID="chat-bison"
PROJECT_ID=PROJECT_ID

curl \
-X POST \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $(gcloud auth print-access-token)" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
https://us-central1-aiplatform.googleapis.com/v1/projects/${PROJECT_ID}/locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/${MODEL_ID}:predict -d \
'{
  "instances": [{
      "context":  "My name is Ned. You are my personal assistant. My favorite movies are Lord of the Rings and Hobbit.",
      "examples": [ {
          "input": {"content": "Who do you work for?"},
          "output": {"content": "I work for Ned."}
       },
       {
          "input": {"content": "What do I like?"},
          "output": {"content": "Ned likes watching movies."}
       }],
      "messages": [
       {
          "author": "user",
          "content": "Are my favorite movies based on a book series?",
       },
       {
          "author": "bot",
          "content": "Yes, your favorite movies, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, are based on book series by J.R.R. Tolkien.",
       },
       {
          "author": "user",
          "content": "When were these books published?",
       }],
   }],
  "parameters": {
    "temperature": 0.3,
    "maxOutputTokens": 200,
    "topP": 0.8,
    "topK": 40
  }
}'

Python

To learn how to install or update the Vertex AI SDK for Python, see Install the Vertex AI SDK for Python. For more information, see the Python API reference documentation. 

from vertexai.language_models import ChatModel, InputOutputTextPair

chat_model = ChatModel.from_pretrained("chat-bison@002")

parameters = {
    "temperature": 0.2,
    "max_output_tokens": 256,
    "top_p": 0.95,
    "top_k": 40,
}

chat_session = chat_model.start_chat(
    context="My name is Miles. You are an astronomer, knowledgeable about the solar system.",
    examples=[
        InputOutputTextPair(
            input_text="How many moons does Mars have?",
            output_text="The planet Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos.",
        ),
    ],
)

response = chat_session.send_message(
    "How many planets are there in the solar system?", **parameters
)
print(response.text)
# Example response:
# There are eight planets in the solar system:
# Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Node.js

Before trying this sample, follow the Node.js setup instructions in the Vertex AI quickstart using client libraries. For more information, see the Vertex AI Node.js API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Vertex AI, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment. 

/**
 * TODO(developer): Uncomment these variables before running the sample.\
 * (Not necessary if passing values as arguments)
 */
// const project = 'YOUR_PROJECT_ID';
// const location = 'YOUR_PROJECT_LOCATION';
const aiplatform = require('@google-cloud/aiplatform');

// Imports the Google Cloud Prediction service client
const {PredictionServiceClient} = aiplatform.v1;

// Import the helper module for converting arbitrary protobuf.Value objects.
const {helpers} = aiplatform;

// Specifies the location of the api endpoint
const clientOptions = {
  apiEndpoint: 'us-central1-aiplatform.googleapis.com',
};
const publisher = 'google';
const model = 'chat-bison@001';

// Instantiates a client
const predictionServiceClient = new PredictionServiceClient(clientOptions);

async function callPredict() {
  // Configure the parent resource
  const endpoint = `projects/${project}/locations/${location}/publishers/${publisher}/models/${model}`;

  const prompt = {
    context:
      'My name is Miles. You are an astronomer, knowledgeable about the solar system.',
    examples: [
      {
        input: {content: 'How many moons does Mars have?'},
        output: {
          content: 'The planet Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos.',
        },
      },
    ],
    messages: [
      {
        author: 'user',
        content: 'How many planets are there in the solar system?',
      },
    ],
  };
  const instanceValue = helpers.toValue(prompt);
  const instances = [instanceValue];

  const parameter = {
    temperature: 0.2,
    maxOutputTokens: 256,
    topP: 0.95,
    topK: 40,
  };
  const parameters = helpers.toValue(parameter);

  const request = {
    endpoint,
    instances,
    parameters,
  };

  // Predict request
  const [response] = await predictionServiceClient.predict(request);
  console.log('Get chat prompt response');
  const predictions = response.predictions;
  console.log('\tPredictions :');
  for (const prediction of predictions) {
    console.log(`\t\tPrediction : ${JSON.stringify(prediction)}`);
  }
}

callPredict();

Java

Before trying this sample, follow the Java setup instructions in the Vertex AI quickstart using client libraries. For more information, see the Vertex AI Java API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Vertex AI, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment. 


import com.google.cloud.aiplatform.v1beta1.EndpointName;
import com.google.cloud.aiplatform.v1beta1.PredictResponse;
import com.google.cloud.aiplatform.v1beta1.PredictionServiceClient;
import com.google.cloud.aiplatform.v1beta1.PredictionServiceSettings;
import com.google.protobuf.Value;
import com.google.protobuf.util.JsonFormat;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

// Send a Predict request to a large language model to test a chat prompt
public class PredictChatPromptSample {

  public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
    // TODO(developer): Replace these variables before running the sample.
    String instance =
        "{\n"
            + "   \"context\":  \"My name is Ned. You are my personal assistant. My favorite movies"
            + " are Lord of the Rings and Hobbit.\",\n"
            + "   \"examples\": [ { \n"
            + "       \"input\": {\"content\": \"Who do you work for?\"},\n"
            + "       \"output\": {\"content\": \"I work for Ned.\"}\n"
            + "    },\n"
            + "    { \n"
            + "       \"input\": {\"content\": \"What do I like?\"},\n"
            + "       \"output\": {\"content\": \"Ned likes watching movies.\"}\n"
            + "    }],\n"
            + "   \"messages\": [\n"
            + "    { \n"
            + "       \"author\": \"user\",\n"
            + "       \"content\": \"Are my favorite movies based on a book series?\"\n"
            + "    }]\n"
            + "}";
    String parameters =
        "{\n"
            + "  \"temperature\": 0.3,\n"
            + "  \"maxDecodeSteps\": 200,\n"
            + "  \"topP\": 0.8,\n"
            + "  \"topK\": 40\n"
            + "}";
    String project = "YOUR_PROJECT_ID";
    String publisher = "google";
    String model = "chat-bison@001";

    predictChatPrompt(instance, parameters, project, publisher, model);
  }

  static void predictChatPrompt(
      String instance, String parameters, String project, String publisher, String model)
      throws IOException {
    PredictionServiceSettings predictionServiceSettings =
        PredictionServiceSettings.newBuilder()
            .setEndpoint("us-central1-aiplatform.googleapis.com:443")
            .build();

    // Initialize client that will be used to send requests. This client only needs to be created
    // once, and can be reused for multiple requests.
    try (PredictionServiceClient predictionServiceClient =
        PredictionServiceClient.create(predictionServiceSettings)) {
      String location = "us-central1";
      final EndpointName endpointName =
          EndpointName.ofProjectLocationPublisherModelName(project, location, publisher, model);

      Value.Builder instanceValue = Value.newBuilder();
      JsonFormat.parser().merge(instance, instanceValue);
      List<Value> instances = new ArrayList<>();
      instances.add(instanceValue.build());

      Value.Builder parameterValueBuilder = Value.newBuilder();
      JsonFormat.parser().merge(parameters, parameterValueBuilder);
      Value parameterValue = parameterValueBuilder.build();

      PredictResponse predictResponse =
          predictionServiceClient.predict(endpointName, instances, parameterValue);
      System.out.println("Predict Response");
    }
  }
}

C#

Before trying this sample, follow the C# setup instructions in the Vertex AI quickstart using client libraries. For more information, see the Vertex AI C# API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Vertex AI, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment. 


using Google.Cloud.AIPlatform.V1;
using Newtonsoft.Json;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using Value = Google.Protobuf.WellKnownTypes.Value;

public class PredictChatPromptSample
{
    public string PredictChatPrompt(
        string projectId = "your-project-id",
        string locationId = "us-central1",
        string publisher = "google",
        string model = "chat-bison@001"
    )
    {
        // Initialize client that will be used to send requests.
        // This client only needs to be created once,
        // and can be reused for multiple requests.
        var client = new PredictionServiceClientBuilder
        {
            Endpoint = $"{locationId}-aiplatform.googleapis.com"
        }.Build();

        // Configure the parent resource.
        var endpoint = EndpointName.FromProjectLocationPublisherModel(projectId, locationId, publisher, model);

        // Initialize request argument(s).
        var prompt = "How many planets are there in the solar system?";

        // You can construct Protobuf from JSON.
        var instanceJson = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(new
        {
            context = "My name is Miles. You are an astronomer, knowledgeable about the solar system.",
            examples = new[]
            {
                new
                {
                    input = new { content = "How many moons does Mars have?" },
                    output = new { content = "The planet Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos." }
                }
            },
            messages = new[]
            {
                new
                {
                    author = "user",
                    content = prompt
                }
            }
        });
        var instance = Value.Parser.ParseJson(instanceJson);

        var instances = new List<Value>
        {
            instance
        };

        // You can construct Protobuf from JSON.
        var parametersJson = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(new
        {
            temperature = 0.3,
            maxDecodeSteps = 200,
            topP = 0.8,
            topK = 40
        });
        var parameters = Value.Parser.ParseJson(parametersJson);

        // Make the request.
        var response = client.Predict(endpoint, instances, parameters);

        // Parse the response and return the content.
        var content = response.Predictions.First().StructValue.Fields["candidates"].ListValue.Values[0].StructValue.Fields["content"].StringValue;
        Console.WriteLine($"Content: {content}");
        return content;
    }
}

Console

To use the Vertex AI Studio to test a chat prompt in the Google Cloud console, do the following:

  1. In the Vertex AI section of the Google Cloud console, go to the Vertex AI Studio page.

    Go to Vertex AI Studio

  2. Click the Get started tab.
  3. Click Text chat.

  4. Configure the prompt as follows:

    • Context: Enter instructions for the task that you want the model to perform and include any contextual information for the model to reference.
    • Examples: For few-shot prompts, add input-output examples that that exhibit the behavioral patterns for the model to imitate.

  5. Configure the model and parameters:

    • Model: Select the model that you want to use.

    • Temperature: Use the slider or textbox to enter a value for temperature.

      The temperature is used for sampling during response generation, which occurs when topP and topK are applied. Temperature controls the degree of randomness in token selection. Lower temperatures are good for prompts that require a less open-ended or creative response, while higher temperatures can lead to more diverse or creative results. A temperature of 0 means that the highest probability tokens are always selected. In this case, responses for a given prompt are mostly deterministic, but a small amount of variation is still possible.

      If the model returns a response that's too generic, too short, or the model gives a fallback response, try increasing the temperature.

    • Token limit: Use the slider or textbox to enter a value for the max output limit.

      Maximum number of tokens that can be generated in the response. A token is approximately four characters. 100 tokens correspond to roughly 60-80 words.

      Specify a lower value for shorter responses and a higher value for potentially longer responses.

    • Top-K: Use the slider or textbox to enter a value for top-K.

      Top-K changes how the model selects tokens for output. A top-K of 1 means the next selected token is the most probable among all tokens in the model's vocabulary (also called greedy decoding), while a top-K of 3 means that the next token is selected from among the three most probable tokens by using temperature.

      For each token selection step, the top-K tokens with the highest probabilities are sampled. Then tokens are further filtered based on top-P with the final token selected using temperature sampling.

      Specify a lower value for less random responses and a higher value for more random responses.

    • Top-P: Use the slider or textbox to enter a value for top-P. Tokens are selected from most probable to the least until the sum of their probabilities equals the value of top-P. For the least variable results, set top-P to 0.
  6. Enter a message in the message box to start a conversation with the chatbot. The chatbot uses the previous messages as context for new responses.
  7. Optional: To save your prompt to My prompts, click Save.
  8. Optional: To get the Python code or a curl command for your prompt, click View code.
  9. Optional: To clear all previous messages, click Clear conversation

Stream response from chat model

To view sample code requests and responses using the REST API, see Examples using the REST API.

To view sample code requests and responses using the Vertex AI SDK for Python, see Examples using Vertex AI SDK for Python.

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