Chatbot (Minimal, Memory-Only)

Beginner-friendly chatbot that talks via the OpenAI API and keeps short-term memory in-session (a simple message buffer). No databases and no RAG.

Quickstart

1. Python 3.10+ recommended. Create a venv: python -m venv .venv && source .venv/bin/activate # Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate

2. Install deps: pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Copy .env.example to .env and set your key: OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...

4. Launch Jupyter: python -m ipykernel install --user --name chatbot-minimal jupyter notebook # or VS Code / JupyterLab

5. Open notebooks/chatbot_memory.ipynb and run the cells.

Notes

• This demo uses the Responses API with a small, cost-effective model suited to learning and prototyping.
• Memory is kept in a Python list (last N turns). Close the notebook and it’s gone.
• Keep your API key safe; never commit .env.

Troubleshooting

• If you see “API key missing”, ensure your .env is loaded or your environment has OPENAI_API_KEY set.
• Network/proxy issues can prevent calls from completing; try again or check connectivity.