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docs/core-concepts/LLMs.md

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+# Large Language Models (LLMs) in crewAI
+
+## Introduction
+Large Language Models (LLMs) are the backbone of intelligent agents in the crewAI framework. This guide will help you understand, configure, and optimize LLM usage for your crewAI projects.
+
+## Table of Contents
+- [Key Concepts](#key-concepts)
+- [Configuring LLMs for Agents](#configuring-llms-for-agents)
+  - [1. Default Configuration](#1-default-configuration)
+  - [2. String Identifier](#2-string-identifier)
+  - [3. LLM Instance](#3-llm-instance)
+  - [4. Custom LLM Objects](#4-custom-llm-objects)
+- [Connecting to OpenAI-Compatible LLMs](#connecting-to-openai-compatible-llms)
+- [LLM Configuration Options](#llm-configuration-options)
+- [Using Ollama (Local LLMs)](#using-ollama-local-llms)
+- [Changing the Base API URL](#changing-the-base-api-url)
+- [Best Practices](#best-practices)
+- [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
+
+## Key Concepts
+- **LLM**: Large Language Model, the AI powering agent intelligence
+- **Agent**: A crewAI entity that uses an LLM to perform tasks
+- **Provider**: A service that offers LLM capabilities (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, [more providers](https://docs.litellm.ai/docs/providers))
+
+## Configuring LLMs for Agents
+
+crewAI offers flexible options for setting up LLMs:
+
+### 1. Default Configuration
+By default, crewAI uses the `gpt-4o-mini` model. It uses environment variables if no LLM is specified:
+- `OPENAI_MODEL_NAME` (defaults to "gpt-4o-mini" if not set)
+- `OPENAI_API_BASE`
+- `OPENAI_API_KEY`
+
+### 2. String Identifier
+```python
+agent = Agent(llm="gpt-4o", ...)
+```
+
+### 3. LLM Instance
+List of [more providers](https://docs.litellm.ai/docs/providers).
+```python
+from crewai import LLM
+
+llm = LLM(model="gpt-4", temperature=0.7)
+agent = Agent(llm=llm, ...)
+```
+
+### 4. Custom LLM Objects
+Pass a custom LLM implementation or object from another library.
+
+## Connecting to OpenAI-Compatible LLMs
+
+You can connect to OpenAI-compatible LLMs using either environment variables or by setting specific attributes on the LLM class:
+
+1. Using environment variables:
+```python
+import os
+
+os.environ["OPENAI_API_KEY"] = "your-api-key"
+os.environ["OPENAI_API_BASE"] = "https://api.your-provider.com/v1"
+```
+
+2. Using LLM class attributes:
+```python
+llm = LLM(
+    model="custom-model-name",
+    api_key="your-api-key",
+    base_url="https://api.your-provider.com/v1"
+)
+agent = Agent(llm=llm, ...)
+```
+
+## LLM Configuration Options
+
+When configuring an LLM for your agent, you have access to a wide range of parameters:
+
+| Parameter | Type | Description |
+|-----------|------|-------------|
+| `model` | str | The name of the model to use (e.g., "gpt-4", "gpt-3.5-turbo", "ollama/llama3.1", [more providers](https://docs.litellm.ai/docs/providers)) |
+| `timeout` | float, int | Maximum time (in seconds) to wait for a response |
+| `temperature` | float | Controls randomness in output (0.0 to 1.0) |
+| `top_p` | float | Controls diversity of output (0.0 to 1.0) |
+| `n` | int | Number of completions to generate |
+| `stop` | str, List[str] | Sequence(s) to stop generation |
+| `max_tokens` | int | Maximum number of tokens to generate |
+| `presence_penalty` | float | Penalizes new tokens based on their presence in the text so far |
+| `frequency_penalty` | float | Penalizes new tokens based on their frequency in the text so far |
+| `logit_bias` | Dict[int, float] | Modifies likelihood of specified tokens appearing in the completion |
+| `response_format` | Dict[str, Any] | Specifies the format of the response (e.g., {"type": "json_object"}) |
+| `seed` | int | Sets a random seed for deterministic results |
+| `logprobs` | bool | Whether to return log probabilities of the output tokens |
+| `top_logprobs` | int | Number of most likely tokens to return the log probabilities for |
+| `base_url` | str | The base URL for the API endpoint |
+| `api_version` | str | The version of the API to use |
+| `api_key` | str | Your API key for authentication |
+
+Example:
+```python
+llm = LLM(
+    model="gpt-4",
+    temperature=0.8,
+    max_tokens=150,
+    top_p=0.9,
+    frequency_penalty=0.1,
+    presence_penalty=0.1,
+    stop=["END"],
+    seed=42,
+    base_url="https://api.openai.com/v1",
+    api_key="your-api-key-here"
+)
+agent = Agent(llm=llm, ...)
+```
+
+## Using Ollama (Local LLMs)
+
+crewAI supports using Ollama for running open-source models locally:
+
+1. Install Ollama: [ollama.ai](https://ollama.ai/)
+2. Run a model: `ollama run llama2`
+3. Configure agent:
+```python
+agent = Agent(
+    llm=LLM(model="ollama/llama3.1", base_url="http://localhost:11434"),
+    ...
+)
+```
+
+## Changing the Base API URL
+
+You can change the base API URL for any LLM provider by setting the `base_url` parameter:
+
+```python
+llm = LLM(
+    model="custom-model-name",
+    base_url="https://api.your-provider.com/v1",
+    api_key="your-api-key"
+)
+agent = Agent(llm=llm, ...)
+```
+
+This is particularly useful when working with OpenAI-compatible APIs or when you need to specify a different endpoint for your chosen provider.
+
+## Best Practices
+1. **Choose the right model**: Balance capability and cost.
+2. **Optimize prompts**: Clear, concise instructions improve output.
+3. **Manage tokens**: Monitor and limit token usage for efficiency.
+4. **Use appropriate temperature**: Lower for factual tasks, higher for creative ones.
+5. **Implement error handling**: Gracefully manage API errors and rate limits.
+
+## Troubleshooting
+- **API Errors**: Check your API key, network connection, and rate limits.
+- **Unexpected Outputs**: Refine your prompts and adjust temperature or top_p.
+- **Performance Issues**: Consider using a more powerful model or optimizing your queries.
+- **Timeout Errors**: Increase the `timeout` parameter or optimize your input.