anthropic-expert

Claude's vision API accepts images as base64-encoded data or URLs in your Messages API calls. Structure your request with image content blocks, specify the model (Opus, Sonnet, or Haiku), and ask questions about the image content. The API returns analyzed results directly in the response.

Opus excels at complex reasoning and tasks requiring deep analysis. Sonnet balances intelligence and speed for most applications. Haiku prioritizes cost-efficiency and latency for simpler tasks. Choose based on task complexity, budget, and latency requirements.

Define tools in your API request with name, description, and input schema. Claude processes context and returns tool_use blocks indicating which functions to call. Parse these responses, execute the functions externally, and send results back via the API for continued reasoning.

Yes. Include XML tags in your system prompt to define output structure—Claude learns these patterns and follows them consistently. This technique improves parsing reliability and helps standardize responses across different prompts and use cases.

Combine clear system prompts defining Claude's role, use few-shot examples showing desired behavior, add XML tags for structured output, and iterate on results. Start with Sonnet for prototyping, then validate with your target model before production deployment.

Yes. Enable streaming in API requests to receive tokens incrementally, reducing perceived latency and enabling real-time output display. Streaming works with all Claude models and integrates seamlessly into web applications and command-line tools.