# Playground

Query data, chat with models, and try the runtime APIs from the browser

The **Playground** runs queries, searches, and model requests against a project from the browser, with no local setup. Open it by navigating to a project and clicking **Playground** in the project navigation bar.

Most of the Playground requires the project to have a spicepod. Until then, only **SQL Query** is available.

## Interactive tools

| Tool | Description |
| - | - |
| **SQL Query** | A SQL editor with table, column, and keyword suggestions. See [SQL Query](https://spice.ai/docs/cloud/portal/playground/sql-query-editor). |
| **Text-to-SQL** | Ask a question in natural language and review the SQL Spice generates. See [Text-to-SQL](https://spice.ai/docs/cloud/portal/playground/nsql-query). |
| **AI Chat** | Chat with a model configured in the project, with access to its datasets. See [AI Chat](https://spice.ai/docs/cloud/portal/playground/ai-chat). |
| **Decisions** | Paste text and ask questions about it, and a model returns an answer for each. See [Decisions API](https://spice.ai/docs/cloud/api/openai-api/decisions). |
| **Search** | Run search queries against the project's datasets. |

## APIs

The **APIs** section provides a console for each runtime API. Requests are built from the options on the page and sent to the project's own endpoint using its API key, and a matching `curl` command can be copied for use outside the Portal.

- **Query**: SQL over HTTP.
- **Search**: search over the project's datasets.
- **AI Completions** and **AI Responses**: model inference.
- **NSQL** and **NSQL Context**: natural-language querying, and the context block Spice supplies to the model. See [Text-to-SQL API](https://spice.ai/docs/cloud/api/nsql).
- **Metrics**: runtime metrics in Prometheus format. See [Metrics API](https://spice.ai/docs/cloud/api/metrics).
- **Control-Plane**: project and deployment operations.

See the [API Reference](https://spice.ai/docs/cloud/api) for the full contract behind each one.

## SDKs & CLI

The **SDKs & CLI** section generates connection snippets pre-filled with the project's endpoint, for **C#**, **Go**, **Java**, **Node.js**, **Python**, and **Rust**, plus the **Spice CLI** and **cURL**.

## Effort

AI Chat, Text-to-SQL, and Decisions have an **Effort** control next to the model picker. It sets how much the model reasons before it answers. The selected level applies to each request in the session until you change it. It starts at the level the spicepod sets for the model. If the spicepod sets no level, it starts at the default that the model provider documents. For a model with no documented default, the Playground picks a level and sends it with each request. The levels listed depend on the model, from **None**, **Minimal**, **Low**, **Medium**, **High**, and **xhigh**. The control is hidden for a model that takes no effort setting. Some models reject a higher effort when tools are on.