Moonshot AI has rapidly evolved from a promising Chinese AI lab into one of the most important model providers in the global market. With the release of Kimi K3 in July 2026 -- a 2.8-trillion-parameter open-weight model leading on agentic benchmarks -- understanding the Moonshot API ecosystem has become essential for any developer working with AI.
This guide covers everything you need to know: the evolution from K2 to K3, API setup and authentication, model selection, pricing, rate limits, code examples, and how to integrate Moonshot models into your application.
The Kimi Model Family: K2 Through K3
Moonshot's model lineup has evolved through several generations. Understanding the differences helps you choose the right model for your task and budget.
Kimi K2.5
