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Dimitar Dimitrov edited this page Nov 22, 2025 · 2 revisions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Common questions and answers about Agentic-Writer.

General Questions

What is Agentic-Writer?

Agentic-Writer is an AI-powered automated content creation system that uses specialized agents to handle the entire content lifecycle—from research to publication. It's built with LangChain and powered by OpenAI's GPT models.

Is Agentic-Writer free to use?

Yes, Agentic-Writer itself is free and open source (MIT License). However, it requires an OpenAI API key which is a paid service. You pay for the API usage based on OpenAI's pricing.

What are the costs?

Agentic-Writer: Free (open source)

OpenAI API (required):

  • GPT-4 Turbo: ~$0.10-$0.30 per article
  • GPT-4: ~$0.30-$0.60 per article
  • GPT-3.5 Turbo: ~$0.01-$0.05 per article

Optional APIs:

  • Unsplash: Free (50 requests/hour)
  • Medium: Free API access

Can I use it without an OpenAI API key?

No, an OpenAI API key is required as the system relies on GPT models for all content generation. However, we plan to add support for other LLM providers in the future (see Roadmap).

What languages are supported?

Currently, the system primarily generates content in English. Multi-language support is planned for a future release (see Roadmap).

Installation & Setup

What are the system requirements?

  • Python 3.8 or higher
  • 512 MB RAM (1 GB recommended)
  • Internet connection
  • OpenAI API key

See Installation Guide for details.

How do I get an OpenAI API key?

  1. Visit OpenAI Platform
  2. Sign up or log in
  3. Go to API Keys
  4. Create a new secret key
  5. Copy and save it securely

Why am I getting "No module named 'langchain'" error?

You need to install the dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

If you're using a virtual environment, make sure it's activated first.

Can I use this on Windows?

Yes! Agentic-Writer works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. See Installation Guide for platform-specific instructions.

Usage

How long does it take to create an article?

Typically 2-5 minutes:

  • Research: 10-30 seconds
  • Writing: 30-60 seconds
  • Images: 5-15 seconds
  • Publishing: <5 seconds

Time varies based on topic complexity and API response times.

Can I customize the article length?

The system generates articles of 1200-1500 words by default. This is currently not configurable via CLI but can be adjusted in the code. We plan to add this as a configuration option in a future release.

What writing styles are available?

Current styles:

  • professional - Formal, business-appropriate
  • casual - Conversational, friendly
  • technical - Detailed, expert-focused
  • accessible - Simple, beginner-friendly

You can also define custom styles using the Python API.

Can I specify my target audience?

Yes! Use the --audience parameter:

python main.py create "Your Topic" --audience "software developers"

Be specific for best results: "small business owners", "college students studying CS", etc.

Where are the generated articles saved?

By default, articles are saved in the output/ directory as:

  • article_title.md - Markdown file
  • article_title_metadata.json - Metadata file

You can specify a custom directory with --output-dir.

Can I publish directly to Medium?

Yes, if you have a Medium API token:

  1. Add MEDIUM_ACCESS_TOKEN to your .env file
  2. Use --platform medium when creating content

Note: Medium API support is prepared but requires testing with a valid token.

Does it support images?

Yes! The system searches Unsplash for relevant images. You need an Unsplash API key for this feature. Without it, the system will still work but won't include images.

Features & Capabilities

What topics can I write about?

Almost anything! The system works best with:

  • Technology topics
  • Business and entrepreneurship
  • Education and tutorials
  • Science and research
  • Health and wellness
  • Personal development

Avoid:

  • Topics requiring very recent information (within last 24 hours)
  • Highly specialized niche topics with limited web information
  • Illegal or harmful content

Can it write in multiple languages?

Currently, it primarily generates English content. The system can attempt other languages, but quality may vary. Multi-language support is planned for future releases.

Does it check for plagiarism?

No, the system does not currently include plagiarism checking. However, content is original as it's generated by AI based on research synthesis. Plagiarism detection is planned for a future release (see Roadmap).

Can I use this for commercial purposes?

Yes! Agentic-Writer is licensed under MIT License, which allows commercial use. However:

  • Review generated content before publishing
  • Ensure compliance with your industry regulations
  • Follow OpenAI's usage policies
  • Respect copyright and attribution

Does it do SEO optimization?

Basic SEO features are included:

  • Meta descriptions
  • Relevant tags
  • Proper heading structure

Advanced SEO features (keyword optimization, readability scores, etc.) are planned for future releases.

Technical Questions

Can I use a different AI model?

Yes! Set the model in your .env file:

OPENAI_MODEL=gpt-4-turbo-preview
# or
OPENAI_MODEL=gpt-3.5-turbo

Support for other providers (Claude, Gemini, local models) is planned.

Can I run this offline?

No, internet connection is required for:

  • OpenAI API calls
  • Web research (DuckDuckGo)
  • Image search (Unsplash)

However, local LLM support is planned for future releases.

Is there a rate limit?

Rate limits depend on your OpenAI account tier:

  • Free tier: Limited requests per minute
  • Pay-as-you-go: Higher limits
  • Enterprise: Custom limits

The system includes automatic retry logic to handle rate limits.

Can I run multiple instances simultaneously?

Yes, but be mindful of:

  • OpenAI rate limits
  • API costs
  • System resources

Each instance operates independently.

How do I update to the latest version?

cd agentic-writer
git pull origin main
pip install --upgrade -r requirements.txt

Can I contribute to the project?

Absolutely! See our Contributing Guide for how to get started.

Troubleshooting

"OPENAI_API_KEY is required but not set"

Add your API key to the .env file:

OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-your-key-here

"Rate limit exceeded"

You've hit your OpenAI rate limit. Solutions:

  • Wait a few minutes
  • Upgrade your OpenAI account
  • Use a slower model (gpt-3.5-turbo)

Generated content quality is poor

Try:

  • Use GPT-4 or GPT-4 Turbo
  • Increase temperature for creativity
  • Provide more specific topics
  • Define your audience clearly
  • Adjust writing style

Article is too short/long

Currently, length is fixed at 1200-1500 words. Configurable length is planned for a future release.

Images aren't being included

Possible causes:

  • No Unsplash API key configured
  • Network issues
  • API rate limit reached

The system continues without images if Unsplash fails.

It's taking too long

Normal! Content creation takes 2-5 minutes. If longer:

  • Check internet connection
  • Verify OpenAI API status
  • Try using gpt-3.5-turbo for speed
  • Reduce MAX_RESEARCH_SOURCES

For more troubleshooting, see our Troubleshooting Guide.

Security & Privacy

Is my data secure?

  • API keys stored locally in .env (not committed)
  • No data sent to third parties except APIs you configure
  • All code is open source for review
  • Regular security scans via CodeQL

What data is collected?

Agentic-Writer itself collects no data. However:

  • OpenAI may log API requests per their policy
  • Unsplash logs image searches
  • Medium logs publications

Can I use this for sensitive topics?

Use caution:

  • Don't include confidential information in topics
  • Review generated content before sharing
  • Be aware of API providers' data policies
  • Consider using local models for sensitive content

Is the code audited for security?

Yes:

  • Regular CodeQL security scans
  • Open source for community review
  • No known vulnerabilities
  • Active maintenance

Performance

Why is it slow?

Content creation involves multiple AI operations:

  • Topic analysis
  • Web research synthesis
  • Article writing
  • Metadata generation

Each requires API calls to OpenAI. Total time: 2-5 minutes.

Can I make it faster?

Yes:

  • Use gpt-3.5-turbo (faster but lower quality)
  • Reduce MAX_RESEARCH_SOURCES
  • Skip optional features (images)
  • Ensure good internet connection

Does it use a lot of resources?

No:

  • Memory: 100-200 MB
  • CPU: Low (mostly waiting for APIs)
  • Network: Moderate
  • Disk: Minimal

Can it handle batch processing?

Yes, you can process multiple topics:

topics = ["Topic 1", "Topic 2", "Topic 3"]
for topic in topics:
    results = orchestrator.create_content(topic, ...)

Be mindful of API rate limits and costs.

Support & Community

Where can I get help?

How do I report a bug?

  1. Check if it's already reported in Issues
  2. If not, create a new issue with:
    • Clear description
    • Steps to reproduce
    • Expected vs actual behavior
    • System info and logs

Can I request features?

Yes! Create an issue with the enhancement label:

  1. Describe the feature
  2. Explain the use case
  3. Suggest implementation (optional)

See our Roadmap for planned features.

How can I contribute?

See our Contributing Guide for:

  • Code contributions
  • Documentation improvements
  • Bug reports
  • Feature requests

Is there a community?

Join us on:

Comparison

How is this different from ChatGPT?

Agentic-Writer:

  • ✅ Automated research from web
  • ✅ Structured article format
  • ✅ Multi-agent collaboration
  • ✅ Direct publishing
  • ✅ Metadata generation
  • ✅ Image curation
  • ✅ Repeatable workflow

ChatGPT:

  • ✅ Interactive conversation
  • ✅ Real-time responses
  • ✅ Broader capabilities

How is this different from other content tools?

Agentic-Writer is:

  • Open Source - Full code access
  • Automated - End-to-end pipeline
  • AI-Powered - Latest GPT models
  • Extensible - Add your own agents
  • Free - No subscription (pay for APIs only)

Licensing

What license is it under?

MIT License - very permissive:

  • ✅ Commercial use
  • ✅ Modification
  • ✅ Distribution
  • ✅ Private use

See LICENSE file.

Can I use it in my product?

Yes! MIT License allows:

  • Integration into your product
  • Modification of the code
  • Commercial use
  • Closed-source derivatives

Just include the original license.

Can I sell content created with it?

Yes! You own the content generated. However:

  • Review content before selling
  • Ensure quality and accuracy
  • Follow your industry regulations
  • Be transparent about AI usage if required

Still Have Questions?

Can't find your answer? Ask in Discussions or open an issue.

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