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AI SDK 6: The Complete Guide to Building AI Apps

Vercel's AI SDK 6 is the standard for building AI-powered applications. Learn every feature from streaming to tool calling to structured outputs.

Leanne ThuongDec 19, 202520 min read

AI SDK 6 is the most comprehensive toolkit for building AI-powered applications in JavaScript and TypeScript.

Core Concepts

The SDK provides a unified interface for multiple AI providers: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and more. Switch providers by changing a single string.

Streaming

Use streamText for streaming text responses and streamObject for streaming structured data. Both work seamlessly with React Server Components.

Tool Calling

Define tools with Zod schemas and the AI will call them automatically. Tools can access databases, APIs, or any server-side resource.

Structured Outputs

With generateObject and a Zod schema, you get guaranteed type-safe responses from any AI model.

Multi-step Agents

Set maxSteps to allow the AI to call multiple tools in sequence, creating powerful agent workflows.

Best Practices

1. Always validate AI outputs

2. Implement proper error handling

3. Use streaming for better UX

4. Cache responses when appropriate