> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.portkey.ai/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Beta Features > Opt into early-access Portkey gateway capabilities using the x-portkey-beta header. Portkey ships certain new gateway capabilities as **opt-in beta features** before they are promoted to stable APIs. To activate a beta feature, include the `x-portkey-beta` header (or the equivalent SDK parameter) in your request with the feature's version string. ``` x-portkey-beta: ``` To enable **multiple beta features** at once, pass a comma-separated list: ``` x-portkey-beta: feature-one-2026-01-01, feature-two-2026-06-01 ``` Once a feature is promoted to stable, the header becomes a no-op and can be safely removed. *** ## Currently Available Beta Features ### Use Responses API for Messages Transforms **Header value:** `use-responses-api-2026-07-30` Disables the automatic transformation of `/v1/messages` requests to Chat Completions format for providers that don't natively support the Messages API. When this flag is set, requests are routed through the Responses API adapter instead. **When to use it** * You want to use the Responses API format internally while still calling the `/v1/messages` endpoint * You need consistency with Responses API behavior across all your requests * You're migrating from Messages API to Responses API and want to test the behavior without changing endpoints **How it works** By default, when you send a `/v1/messages` request to a provider that doesn't natively support Anthropic's Messages format (like OpenAI, Gemini, Bedrock, etc.), Portkey automatically transforms it to the Chat Completions format. With this beta flag enabled, that transformation is skipped and the request is handled by the Responses API adapter instead. **How to send the header** ```bash cURL theme={"system"} curl https://api.portkey.ai/v1/messages \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "x-portkey-api-key: $PORTKEY_API_KEY" \ -H "x-portkey-beta: use-responses-api-2026-07-30" \ -d '{ "model": "@openai-provider/gpt-4.1", "max_tokens": 1024, "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}] }' ``` ```python Anthropic Python SDK theme={"system"} import anthropic client = anthropic.Anthropic( api_key="PORTKEY_API_KEY", base_url="https://api.portkey.ai", default_headers={ "x-portkey-beta": "use-responses-api-2026-07-30" } ) message = client.messages.create( model="@openai-provider/gpt-4.1", max_tokens=1024, messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}] ) ``` ```typescript Anthropic Node SDK theme={"system"} import Anthropic from '@anthropic-ai/sdk'; const client = new Anthropic({ apiKey: "PORTKEY_API_KEY", baseURL: "https://api.portkey.ai", defaultHeaders: { "x-portkey-beta": "use-responses-api-2026-07-30" } }); const message = await client.messages.create({ model: "@openai-provider/gpt-4.1", max_tokens: 1024, messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Hello!" }] }); ``` See the [Messages API guide](/docs/product/ai-gateway/messages-api) for more on using the Messages format across providers, and the [Responses API guide](/docs/product/ai-gateway/responses-api) for the Responses API specification. *** ### Server-Side MCP Execution **Header value:** `server-side-mcp-2026-06-01` Enables Portkey to fetch and execute MCP tools on your behalf — directly inside the gateway — rather than delegating execution to the upstream provider. This is required whenever you use the `@portkey-mcp` prefix in the Responses API or Messages API. **When to use it** * You are routing through a provider that does **not** natively support remote MCP tool execution (e.g. AWS Bedrock, Google Vertex AI). * You want MCP credentials and tool invocations to stay within **your own VPC** and never touch provider infrastructure. * You need per-user attribution, audit logs, and full observability over every MCP tool call. **How to send the header** ```bash cURL theme={"system"} curl https://api.portkey.ai/v1/responses \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "x-portkey-api-key: $PORTKEY_API_KEY" \ -H "x-portkey-beta: server-side-mcp-2026-06-01" \ -d '{ "model": "@your-provider-slug/your-model", "tools": [ { "type": "mcp", "server_label": "@portkey-mcp/your-mcp-server-label" } ], "input": "your prompt here" }' ``` ```javascript OpenAI Node SDK theme={"system"} import OpenAI from "openai"; import { PORTKEY_GATEWAY_URL, createHeaders } from "portkey-ai"; const client = new OpenAI({ apiKey: "PORTKEY_API_KEY", baseURL: PORTKEY_GATEWAY_URL, defaultHeaders: createHeaders({ provider: "@your-provider-slug", portkeyBeta: "server-side-mcp-2026-06-01", }), }); ``` ```python OpenAI Python SDK theme={"system"} from openai import OpenAI from portkey_ai import PORTKEY_GATEWAY_URL, createHeaders client = OpenAI( api_key="PORTKEY_API_KEY", base_url=PORTKEY_GATEWAY_URL, default_headers=createHeaders( provider="@your-provider-slug", portkey_beta="server-side-mcp-2026-06-01", ) ) ``` ```typescript Portkey Node SDK theme={"system"} import Portkey from "portkey-ai"; const portkey = new Portkey({ apiKey: "PORTKEY_API_KEY", provider: "@your-provider-slug", portkeyBeta: "server-side-mcp-2026-06-01", }); ``` ```python Portkey Python SDK theme={"system"} from portkey_ai import Portkey portkey = Portkey( api_key="PORTKEY_API_KEY", provider="@your-provider-slug", portkey_beta="server-side-mcp-2026-06-01", ) ``` See the full [Remote MCP guide](/docs/product/ai-gateway/remote-mcp) for complete request examples, authentication options, and a comparison of Portkey-side vs provider-side MCP execution. *** ## SDK Parameter Reference The `x-portkey-beta` HTTP header maps to the following SDK parameters: | SDK | Parameter name | | --------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | | Portkey Node SDK | `portkeyBeta` | | Portkey Python SDK | `portkey_beta` | | OpenAI Node SDK (via `createHeaders`) | `portkeyBeta` | | OpenAI Python SDK (via `createHeaders`) | `portkey_beta` | | Anthropic Node SDK | `defaultHeaders: {"x-portkey-beta": "..."}` | | Anthropic Python SDK | `default_headers={"x-portkey-beta": "..."}` | | cURL / raw HTTP | `x-portkey-beta` header | *** Beta features may change before they are promoted to stable. Breaking changes within the same beta version string will not be made, but the stable API may look different. Check the [changelog](/docs/changelog) for updates.