How can I include Python code for functions in the Assistant API Playground?

Below is an explanation that focuses on the Playground’s current capabilities with respect to function definitions and Python code execution:

Functions in the Playground

• Function Description JSON:
  In the Playground, toggling “Functions” lets you provide a JSON description of the functions your assistant might call. This description is used for schema guidance and to help the assistant determine when to invoke a function, but it doesn’t include the actual implementation code.

• Implementing Actual Python Code:
  The Playground does not provide a field or mechanism to embed and execute Python code directly as part of the function definition. The intended workflow is that the function description serves as an interface contract—your actual function logic should be implemented externally (for example, in your backend or by using tools like Code Interpreter).

Code Interpreter vs. Functions

• Code Interpreter Capabilities:
  The Code Interpreter tool (now referred to as the advanced code execution environment) allows the assistant to write and run Python code in a sandboxed environment. However, its use is separate from the function JSON you configure in the Playground. The Code Interpreter is designed for ad-hoc calculations, file processing, and generating outputs like graphs; it is not used to host your custom function implementations.

• Current Flow:
  If you want your assistant to call a Python function, you need to implement that function separately. The Playground supports describing the function (via JSON) for clarity and guiding the function call, but the actual execution—whether via a Code Interpreter run or through a server-side process—remains external to the Playground.

Summary

At this point, while you can define a function’s interface in the Playground, there isn’t a built-in way to provide actual Python code for that function directly through the Playground UI. Instead, you must deploy and run your Python logic on your own infrastructure or use the Code Interpreter tool for code execution where appropriate.