Changing the base URL is the easy part of an OpenAI-compatible migration. The real migration starts when the first request has to be explained.
If a team moves from one AI provider, gateway, or proxy to another, a passing response is only one checkpoint. Before moving production traffic, the team should prove that the new path preserves the practical details that make debugging and billing possible.
The six checks before traffic
Before a migration is considered ready, run one tiny representative request and verify:
The API key belongs to the right project or environment.
