How can I resolve the 401 AxiosError when calling the OpenAI API with Node.js?

Below is a list of troubleshooting steps you can take:

---

1. Verify the API Key Value

Even if you think the key is correct, check that it’s being correctly loaded from your environment. Logging it (removing or masking sensitive parts) can help:

JAVASCRIPTCopied
console.log('YOUR API KEY:', openai_api_key);

Make sure that:

• Your .env file is in the correct directory.
• The variable is defined properly, e.g.,
  OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-... (without quotes or spaces).

---

2. Check for Extra Characters or Typos

A common issue is a hidden extra space or typo. Ensure the key is an exact match to what the dashboard provides.

---

3. Confirm Endpoint and API Version

The endpoint you're using is a legacy one (/v1/engines/davinci/completions). Consider switching to the newer endpoint if possible. The updated endpoint might look like this:

JAVASCRIPTCopied
axios.post('https://api.openai.com/v1/completions', {
    model: 'text-davinci-003', // specify the model
    prompt: prompt,
    max_tokens: 1024,
    temperature: 0.5
  },
  {
    headers: {
      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      'Authorization': `Bearer ${openai_api_key}`
    }
  }
)

Using the updated URL and including the model parameter can sometimes help if the legacy endpoint has issues or different privileges.

---

4. Organization and Permissions

Review your OpenAI dashboard to ensure:

• Your account is part of an organization (if required).
• The API key has not been revoked or deactivated.

If necessary, try generating a new API key and update your code.

---

5. Additional Debugging Tips

• Environment Variables: Ensure the environment variable is correctly loaded by dotenv. For example, you can also check:

  JAVASCRIPTCopied
  if (!openai_api_key) {
      console.error('OPENAI_API_KEY is not defined!');
      process.exit(1);
  }

• Cache Issues: Although less common in Node.js, if you recently changed your API key or environment, you might want to clear any local caches or restart your terminal session.

---

Following these steps should help resolve the 401 error by ensuring that the authentication header is set up correctly with a valid API key, proper endpoint, and necessary permissions.