Migrate from PaLM API to Gemini API

This guide shows how to migrate your Python code from using the PaLM API to the Gemini API. You can generate both text and multi-turn conversations (chat) with Gemini but make sure to check your responses since they may be different from PaLM outputs.

Summary of API differences

  1. Method names have changed. Instead of having separate methods to generate text and chat, there's one method generate_content that can do both.
  2. Chat has a helper method start_chat that makes chatting simpler.
  3. Instead of stand alone functions, the new APIs are methods of the GenerativeModel class.
  4. Output response structure has changed.
  5. Safety setting categories have changed. Refer to the safety settings guide for details.

Text Generation: Basic

PaLM Gemini 
pip install google-generativeai

import google.generativeai as palm
import os

palm.configure(
    api_key=os.environ['API_KEY'])

response = palm.generate_text(
    prompt="The opposite of hot is")
print(response.result) #  'cold.'
        
pip install google-generativeai

import google.generativeai as genai
import os

genai.configure(
    api_key=os.environ['API_KEY'])
model = genai.GenerativeModel(
    model_name='gemini-pro')

response = model.generate_content(
          'The opposite of hot is')
print(response.text)
    #  The opposite of hot is cold.'

Text Generation: Optional parameters

PaLM Gemini 
pip install google-generativeai

import google.generativeai as palm
import os

palm.configure(
    api_key=os.environ['API_KEY'])

prompt = """
You are an expert at solving word
problems.

Solve the following problem:

I have three houses, each with three
cats. Each cat owns 4 mittens, and a hat.
Each mitten was knit from 7m of yarn,
each hat from 4m. How much yarn was
needed to make all the items?

Think about it step by step, and show
your work.
"""

completion = palm.generate_text(
    model=model,
    prompt=prompt,
    temperature=0,
    # The maximum length of response
    max_output_tokens=800,
)

print(completion.result)
        
pip install google-generativeai

import google.generativeai as genai
import os

genai.configure(
    api_key=os.environ['API_KEY'])
model = genai.GenerativeModel(
    model_name='gemini-pro')

prompt = """
You are an expert at solving word
problems.

Solve the following problem:

I have three houses, each with three
cats. Each cat owns 4 mittens, and a hat.
Each mitten was knit from 7m of yarn,
each hat from 4m. How much yarn was
needed to make all the items?

Think about it step by step, and show
your work.
"""

completion = model.generate_content(
    prompt,
    generation_config={
        'temperature': 0,
        'max_output_tokens': 800
    }
)

print(completion.text)

Chat: Basic

PaLM Gemini 
pip install google-generativeai

import google.generativeai as palm
import os

palm.configure(
    api_key=os.environ['API_KEY'])

chat = palm.chat(
    messages=["Hello."])
print(chat.last)
    #  'Hello! What can I help you with?'
chat = chat.reply(
    "Just chillin'")
print(chat.last)
    #  'That's great! ...'
        
pip install google-generativeai

import google.generativeai as genai
import os

genai.configure(
    api_key=os.environ['API_KEY'])
model = genai.GenerativeModel(
    model_name='gemini-pro')
chat = model.start_chat()

response = chat.send_message(
          "Hello.")
print(response.text)
response = chat.send_message(
          "Just chillin'")
print(response.text)

Chat: Conversation history

PaLM Gemini 
chat.messages

[{'author': '0', 'content': 'Hello'},
 {'author': '1', 'content': 'Hello! How can I help you today?'},
 {'author': '0', 'content': "Just chillin'"},
 {'author': '1',
  'content': "That's great! I'm glad you're able to relax and
      take some time for yourself. What are you up to today?"}]
        
chat.history

[parts {
   text: "Hello."
 }
 role: "user",
 parts {
   text: "Greetings! How may I assist you today?"
 }
 role: "assistant",
 parts {
   text: "Just chillin\'"
 }
 role: "user",
 parts {
   text: "That\'s great! I\'m glad to hear
   you\'re having a relaxing time.
   May I offer you any virtual entertainment
   or assistance? I can provide
   you with music recommendations, play
   games with you, or engage in a
   friendly conversation.\n\nAdditionally,
   I\'m capable of generating
   creative content, such as poems, stories,
   or even song lyrics.
   If you\'d like, I can surprise you with
   something unique.\n\nJust
   let me know what you\'re in the mood for,
   and I\'ll be happy to oblige."
 }
 role: "assistant"]

Chat: Temperature

PaLM Gemini 
# Setting temperature=1 usually produces more zany responses!
chat = palm.chat(messages="What should I eat for dinner tonight? List a few options", temperature=1)
chat.last

'Here are a few ideas ...
        
model = genai.GenerativeModel(model_name='gemini-pro')
chat = model.start_chat()

# Setting temperature=1 usually produces more zany responses!
response = chat.send_message(
        "What should I eat for dinner tonight? List a few options",
          generation_config={
          'temperature': 1.0
        })

print(response.text)

'1. Grilled Salmon with Roasted Vegetables: ...'

Next steps