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Text is the simplest and most portable output format. When you do not set responseFormat, Polyglot asks the provider for a normal text response. Every provider supports this shape, making it the safest default for any use case.

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Basic Usage

A minimal text request requires nothing more than a message: 
<?php

use Cognesy\Messages\Messages;
use Cognesy\Polyglot\Inference\Inference;

$text = Inference::using('openai')
    ->withMessages(Messages::fromString('What is the single responsibility principle?'))
    ->get();
// @doctest id="b2b7"
The get() method returns the raw string content from the model’s response. There is no JSON parsing, no schema validation — just the text the model produced.

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When to Use Text Mode

Plain text is ideal for:
  • Simple question answering
  • Creative content generation (stories, poems, copy)
  • Conversational interactions and chat
  • Summaries and paraphrasing
  • Any use case where structured data is not required

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Working Across Providers

Text mode works consistently across all providers, making it the most portable option. You can swap providers without changing anything else about your request: 
<?php

use Cognesy\Messages\Messages;
use Cognesy\Polyglot\Inference\Inference;

// Using OpenAI
$response = Inference::using('openai')
    ->withMessages(Messages::fromString('Write a short poem about the ocean.'))
    ->get();

// Using Anthropic -- same API, same result shape
$response = Inference::using('anthropic')
    ->withMessages(Messages::fromString('Write a short poem about the ocean.'))
    ->get();
// @doctest id="bdf9"

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Using the with() Method

You can also use the with() method to pass messages alongside other parameters. Since text is the default, there is no need to specify a response format: 
<?php

use Cognesy\Messages\Messages;
use Cognesy\Polyglot\Inference\Inference;

$response = Inference::using('openai')
    ->with(
        messages: Messages::fromString('Explain the SOLID principles in one paragraph.'),
        options: ['temperature' => 0.3],
    )
    ->get();
// @doctest id="f677"

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Streaming Text Responses

For long-form content, you may want to stream the response so your application can display output as it arrives: 
<?php

use Cognesy\Messages\Messages;
use Cognesy\Polyglot\Inference\Inference;

$stream = Inference::using('openai')
    ->withMessages(Messages::fromString('Write a short essay about renewable energy.'))
    ->stream();

foreach ($stream->deltas() as $delta) {
    echo $delta->contentDelta;
}
// @doctest id="be24"
Each delta contains a contentDelta with the next chunk of text from the model. Streaming works with all providers that support it.

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Accessing the Full Response

If you need metadata beyond the raw text — such as token usage or the finish reason — use the response() method instead of get(): 
<?php

use Cognesy\Messages\Messages;
use Cognesy\Polyglot\Inference\Inference;

$response = Inference::using('openai')
    ->withMessages(Messages::fromString('What is photosynthesis?'))
    ->response();

$text = $response->content();
$usage = $response->usage();
$reason = $response->finishReason();
// @doctest id="2509"