Many first-time users treat these as if they were the same thing:
- the official website
- the chat entry
- the API docs
- the raw API endpoint
That leads to predictable confusion:
- general users end up in developer docs instead of the product entry
- developers stay on the homepage and never reach the actual API usage details
- third-party pages get mistaken for official entry points
1. What the website is for
The official website is usually where you:
- confirm the official domain
- find navigation into the product
- access official public-facing pages
If your question is "where do I start?", the website is step one.
2. What the chat entry is for
The chat entry is best for:
- interactive Q&A
- prompt testing
- summaries and rewrites
- verifying whether a task is worth integrating later
If you are not writing code yet, this is the fastest route.
3. What the API docs are for
The API docs are for developers. They explain:
- model names
- parameters
- Thinking mode
- Tool Calls
- JSON Output
- response structure
If you are integrating DeepSeek, the docs matter more than the marketing homepage.
4. What the API endpoint is for
The endpoint is the address your code sends requests to.
It is not a page you visit to "use the product".
This is one of the most common sources of confusion.
5. The right path for each kind of user
General users
- confirm the official website
- open the chat entry
- test a real task
- decide whether deeper usage is worth it
Developers
- confirm the official docs
- get an API key
- run a minimal request
- then test Thinking, Tool Calls, and structured output
6. Why this distinction matters
Entry confusion causes capability confusion:
- you may think a feature is unavailable when you are simply in the wrong place
- you may assume a capability is officially open when you are reading a third-party summary
- you may think the API is unstable when the path or parameters are wrong
Bottom line
- Want to try the product? Start with the official website and chat entry.
- Want to build with it? Start with the API docs and request examples.
Get the route right first. Everything else becomes easier after that.