Claude Code Setup Guide

Claude Code is one of the best terminal coding tools to connect to Crazyrouter. It speaks the Anthropic Messages API directly and works especially well for code reading, editing, refactoring, command execution, tool use, and long-context repository analysis.

Overview

With a few environment variables, Claude Code can send Anthropic requests directly to Crazyrouter:

recommended protocol: Anthropic Messages API
base URL: https://crazyrouter.com
China-optimized base URL: https://cn.crazyrouter.com
auth variable: ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
recommended default model: claude-sonnet-4-6

Claude Code appends the Anthropic request path itself, so the base URL must stay at the site root: https://crazyrouter.com or https://cn.crazyrouter.com. Do not append /v1 or /v1/messages.

View the Claude Code one-click setup repository

If you want a script to install Claude Code and write the Crazyrouter environment variables for you, review the crazyrouter-claude-code repository.

Best For

developers who want Crazyrouter as the backend for Claude Code
users who want stable tool use, long context, and terminal-first coding workflows
teams that want Claude Code billed separately from Cursor, Codex, or Aider
cross-platform setups that need one consistent CLI configuration

Protocol Used

Recommended protocol: Anthropic Messages API Use:

ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://crazyrouter.com

For the China-optimized API route, use:

ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://cn.crazyrouter.com

Do not use:

https://crazyrouter.com/v1
https://crazyrouter.com/v1/messages
https://crazyrouter.com/v1/complete
https://cn.crazyrouter.com/v1
https://cn.crazyrouter.com/v1/messages

System Requirements And Prerequisites

Item	Notes
Crazyrouter account	Create one at crazyrouter.com
Crazyrouter token	Create a dedicated `sk-...` token for Claude Code
Git	`git 2.23+` is recommended for reviewing and rolling back AI edits
Node.js	`Node.js 18+` is recommended
Claude Code	Use a current stable release
Claude model access	Allow at least `claude-sonnet-4-6` on the token

Suggested starter allowlist:

claude-sonnet-4-6
claude-opus-4-6

Full Install Paths By OS

Recommended Windows path

On Windows, the safest path is: Git + Node.js + npm global install for Claude Code + PowerShell for environment variables. Recommended order:

Install Git
Install Node.js LTS
Install Claude Code with npm
Set temporary variables in PowerShell
Persist user-level variables in PowerShell

Recommended verification:

git --version
node -v
npm -v
claude --version
where.exe git
where.exe node
where.exe claude

If claude --version is still not found, close and reopen PowerShell before retrying.

Recommended macOS path

On macOS, the smoothest path is usually: Xcode Command Line Tools + Homebrew + Git + Node.js + npm global install for Claude Code + ~/.zshrc for persistent environment variables. Recommended order:

Install Xcode Command Line Tools
Install Homebrew if needed
Install Git and Node.js
Install Claude Code with npm
Persist variables in ~/.zshrc
Open a fresh terminal and verify the binary path

Recommended verification:

git --version
node -v
npm -v
claude --version
which git
which node
which claude

Why you should not append API paths manually

Claude Code uses the Anthropic-native protocol. You only provide the site root:

ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://crazyrouter.com

The China-optimized route also uses only the site root:

ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://cn.crazyrouter.com

Do not append /v1, /v1/messages, or any specific API path the way you would with an OpenAI-compatible client. If you prefer a script that installs Claude Code and writes the Crazyrouter-related environment variables automatically, see crazyrouter-claude-code. That repository provides one-click setup scripts for Windows, macOS, and Linux; this guide keeps the full manual path so you can audit each setting.

Full Setup From Scratch

Step 1: Install Git

If Git is not installed yet, install it first before touching Claude Code.

Windows PowerShell
macOS
Ubuntu / Debian

winget install --id Git.Git -e --source winget
git --version

xcode-select --install
git --version

If you already use Homebrew, you can also run:

brew install git
git --version

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y git
git --version

After installation, set your global identity once:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
git config --global init.defaultBranch main

Step 2: Install Node.js 18+

Claude Code depends on Node.js. Verify the installed version before going further.

Windows PowerShell
macOS
Ubuntu / Debian

winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS
node -v
npm -v

brew install node
node -v
npm -v

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y nodejs npm
node -v
npm -v

If node -v is still below 18 after installation, upgrade through nvm or the official Node installer before continuing.

Step 3: Install Claude Code

Windows PowerShell
macOS

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
claude --version
where.exe claude

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
claude --version
which claude

Do not use sudo npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code. If global npm permissions are broken, fix the npm/Node environment first instead of forcing a privileged install.

Step 4: Create a dedicated Crazyrouter token for Claude Code

Log in to Crazyrouter and create a separate token named something obvious like claude-code.For the first pass, allow only:

claude-sonnet-4-6
claude-opus-4-6

Give it its own budget so it does not share spend with Cursor, Codex, or OpenClaw.

Step 5: Set temporary environment variables in the current terminal

Start with a temporary setup first. Once validation succeeds, make it persistent.

macOS / Linux
Windows PowerShell

export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://crazyrouter.com
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-xxx
echo $ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL
echo $ANTHROPIC_API_KEY

$env:ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL = "https://crazyrouter.com"
$env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY = "sk-xxx"
echo $env:ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL
echo $env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY

If you use the China-optimized route, set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL to the root domain https://cn.crazyrouter.com, not https://cn.crazyrouter.com/v1.

Step 6: Persist the environment variables

Temporary variables disappear after the shell closes. For regular use, write them to your shell profile.

Linux Bash
macOS / Zsh
Windows PowerShell

echo 'export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://crazyrouter.com' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-xxx' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

echo 'export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://crazyrouter.com' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-xxx' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL", "https://crazyrouter.com", "User")
[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("ANTHROPIC_API_KEY", "sk-xxx", "User")

$env:ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL = "https://crazyrouter.com"
$env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY = "sk-xxx"

If you use the China-optimized route, persist ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL as https://cn.crazyrouter.com.Then open a fresh terminal and re-check:

macOS / Linux
Windows PowerShell

claude --version
echo $ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL

claude --version
echo $env:ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL

Step 7: Prepare your Git repository

Claude Code can edit files and run commands. For the first validation, use a repo you know well.If the current folder is not a Git repo yet:

git init
git add .
git commit -m "chore: initial snapshot before Claude Code"

If it is already an existing repo, at least confirm the current state first:

git status

Step 8: Launch Claude Code and complete the first validation

Enter the project directory and run:

cd /path/to/your/project
claude

For the first validation, use this order:

Reply with only OK
Read the current repository structure only. Do not modify any files.
Find obvious typos in the README, but do not edit files yet.

If all three work and Crazyrouter logs show matching requests, the setup is good.

Recommended Model Setup

Use case	Recommended model	Why
default daily driver	`claude-sonnet-4-6`	best balance of quality, speed, and cost for most coding tasks
difficult refactors	`claude-opus-4-6`	stronger complex reasoning, planning, and code understanding
long-context repo analysis	`claude-sonnet-4-6`	stable and strong for long sessions
cost-sensitive first validation	`claude-sonnet-4-6`	first get the main path working reliably

Recommended rollout: stabilize normal work on claude-sonnet-4-6, then switch to claude-opus-4-6 only for genuinely heavier tasks.

Using Non-Claude Models in Claude Code

Beyond the native Claude family, Crazyrouter exposes several third-party models through the Anthropic Messages protocol. You can use them in Claude Code simply by switching the model name. The list below has been end-to-end verified (text / system / tool use / streaming SSE all pass).

Verified working models

Model ID	Provider	Tool Use	Streaming	Thinking	Best For
`deepseek-v4-pro`	DeepSeek	✅	✅	—	General coding & refactors, best price/perf
`deepseek-v4-flash`	DeepSeek	✅	✅	✅ native	Reasoning with visible thinking blocks
`deepseek-reasoner`	DeepSeek	✅	✅	reasoning	Math / complex logic
`deepseek-chat` / `deepseek-v3` / `deepseek-v3.2` / `deepseek-r1`	DeepSeek	✅	✅	—	General text tasks
`MiniMax-M2.7`	MiniMax	✅	✅	⚠️ inside text block as `<think>` tags	Long-context CN tasks
`MiniMax-M2.5`	MiniMax	✅	✅	⚠️ inside text block	General chat
`MiniMax-M2.1`	MiniMax	✅	✅	—	No thinking, cleanest output
`kimi-k2.5` / `kimi-k2` / `kimi-k2-instruct`	Moonshot Kimi	✅	✅	—	Long-context, CN-heavy work
`kimi-k2-thinking`	Moonshot Kimi	✅	✅	reasoning	Complex reasoning
`kimi-k2-0711-preview` / `kimi-k2-0905-preview`	Moonshot Kimi	✅	✅	—	Snapshot versions

Tested against https://crazyrouter.com/v1/messages with anthropic-version: 2023-06-01 using a standard Anthropic Messages payload.

The following models currently return get_channel_failed on the Anthropic protocol (an upstream channel availability issue, not a protocol incompatibility). Use them via /v1/chat/completions (OpenAI protocol) for now:

moonshot-v1-8k / moonshot-v1-32k / moonshot-v1-128k
kimi-k2-0905 (without the -preview suffix)

Channels such as grok-*, coze, jimeng, baidu, zhipu, tencent, xunfei, mistral, cohere, and palm do not implement Anthropic protocol conversion and cannot be used in Claude Code.

How to switch models

Claude Code picks the model from the ANTHROPIC_MODEL environment variable, or via the in-session /model command. Replace the value with any model ID from the table above.

macOS / Linux
Windows PowerShell

export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://crazyrouter.com
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-xxx

# Default to DeepSeek V4 Pro
export ANTHROPIC_MODEL=deepseek-v4-pro
claude

# Or one-off switch to Kimi thinking
ANTHROPIC_MODEL=kimi-k2-thinking claude

# Or one-off switch to MiniMax
ANTHROPIC_MODEL=MiniMax-M2.1 claude

$env:ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL = "https://crazyrouter.com"
$env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY  = "sk-xxx"

$env:ANTHROPIC_MODEL = "deepseek-v4-pro"
claude

# Or one-off switches
$env:ANTHROPIC_MODEL = "kimi-k2-thinking"; claude
$env:ANTHROPIC_MODEL = "MiniMax-M2.1"; claude

You can also switch inside a running Claude Code session:

/model deepseek-v4-pro
/model kimi-k2-thinking
/model MiniMax-M2.1

Usage notes and known differences

DeepSeek family: highest protocol fidelity. Tool calls, streaming, and stop_reason=tool_use all match Anthropic’s spec; deepseek-v4-flash returns native thinking blocks that Claude Code renders as a thinking pane. Recommended default: deepseek-v4-pro.
Kimi family: strong long-context behavior, tool calls work normally. kimi-k2-thinking includes a reasoning trace, useful for hard tasks.
MiniMax family: the only models whose pricing entry explicitly advertises anthropic in supported_endpoint_types, so the protocol layer is the most direct fit. However, M2.5 / M2.7 emit their reasoning as a regular text block wrapped in <think>...</think> tags — Claude Code will display them verbatim. Two ways to avoid this:
1. Use MiniMax-M2.1 (no thinking trace).
2. Add a system prompt: “Do not output <think> tags or your reasoning, only return the final answer.”
Token allowlist: if your Claude Code-dedicated token has model allowlisting enabled, add the models above to it in the Crazyrouter dashboard, otherwise you will get 403 model not allowed.
Thinking and billing: thinking-enabled models (-thinking, -flash, reasoner, MiniMax-M2.5/2.7) consume extra output tokens. Set a separate budget cap on the Claude Code token.

One-line check that a model works

curl -sS https://crazyrouter.com/v1/messages \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $ANTHROPIC_API_KEY" \
  -H "anthropic-version: 2023-06-01" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "deepseek-v4-pro",
    "max_tokens": 32,
    "messages": [{"role":"user","content":"reply OK"}]
  }'

A 200 response with non-empty content[].text means Claude Code can use this model.

Token Setup Best Practices

Setting	Recommendation	Notes
dedicated token	Required	Do not share Claude Code tokens with Cursor, Codex, or OpenClaw
model allowlist	Strongly recommended	Most Claude Code setups only need 1 to 2 Claude models
IP restriction	Recommended on fixed-egress environments	Be careful on laptops with changing IPs
quota cap	Strongly recommended	Long sessions and tool use can steadily consume budget
developer / host split	Recommended	Give each developer or shared host its own token
incident rotation	Required	If shell history, recordings, or shared terminals expose the token, rotate it immediately

Verification Checklist

Common Errors And Fixes

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
`claude: command not found`	Claude Code did not install cleanly, or the npm global path is not on PATH	reinstall and make sure the global npm bin directory is in PATH
Node version is too old	local Node.js version is below the requirement	upgrade to Node.js 18+ and reinstall Claude Code
`401 unauthorized`	invalid, expired, or badly pasted `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`	create a new token and set the variables again
`403` or `model not allowed`	the token does not allow the selected Claude model	allow the required model in Crazyrouter
`404`	base URL was set with `/v1` or `/v1/messages`	reset it to `https://crazyrouter.com` or `https://cn.crazyrouter.com`
logs show `/v1/v1/messages`, `/v1/v1/models`, or `/v1/messages/v1/messages`	Claude Code was given a base URL that already contains `/v1` or a full endpoint, then appended its own path	set `ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL` to the root domain with no path
Claude Code still uses old settings	new environment variables were not reloaded	reopen the terminal or run `source ~/.bashrc` / `source ~/.zshrc`
Git changes become messy	no repository snapshot was created before AI edits	commit an initial snapshot before larger changes
cost is higher than expected	long context, repeated tool use, and long sessions	shorten sessions, split tasks, and cap budget per token

Performance And Cost Tips

start with claude-sonnet-4-6
switch to claude-opus-4-6 only for hard architecture analysis or heavy refactors
validate first in a small repo, not a large production repo
check git status before each new task
watch Crazyrouter logs and quota more closely when tool use becomes frequent

FAQ

Which base URL should I use for Claude Code?

Use the site root: https://crazyrouter.com For the China-optimized route, use the site root: https://cn.crazyrouter.com

Why should I not include `/v1` here?

Because Claude Code appends the Anthropic Messages path itself. You only provide the site root.

What should I use on Windows?

If you mainly develop from the command line, prefer PowerShell or WSL2. In either case, make sure Git, Node.js, and Claude Code itself are installed correctly first.

On Windows, should I use PowerShell or Git Bash?

For first-time setup, prefer PowerShell. Environment-variable persistence, where.exe checks, and user-level configuration are all more direct there.

Why should I create a Git snapshot before the first real task?

Because Claude Code can edit files and run commands. A clean snapshot makes review and rollback much easier.

Which model should I try first?

Start with claude-sonnet-4-6. It is usually the safest baseline.

If your first priority is Claude-family models plus a terminal-first coding workflow, Claude Code should be near the front of your Crazyrouter integration order.

View the crazyrouter-claude-code repository

Review the one-click setup scripts, README, and latest usage notes.

Documentation Index

​Overview

View the Claude Code one-click setup repository

​Best For

​Protocol Used

​System Requirements And Prerequisites

​Full Install Paths By OS

​Recommended Windows path

​Recommended macOS path

​Why you should not append API paths manually

​Full Setup From Scratch

​Recommended Model Setup

​Using Non-Claude Models in Claude Code

​Verified working models

​How to switch models

​Usage notes and known differences

​One-line check that a model works

​Token Setup Best Practices

​Verification Checklist

​Common Errors And Fixes

​Performance And Cost Tips

​FAQ

​Which base URL should I use for Claude Code?

​Why should I not include /v1 here?

​What should I use on Windows?

​On Windows, should I use PowerShell or Git Bash?

​Why should I create a Git snapshot before the first real task?

​Which model should I try first?

View the crazyrouter-claude-code repository

Overview

Best For

Protocol Used

System Requirements And Prerequisites

Full Install Paths By OS

Recommended Windows path

Recommended macOS path

Why you should not append API paths manually

Full Setup From Scratch

Recommended Model Setup

Using Non-Claude Models in Claude Code

Verified working models

How to switch models

Usage notes and known differences

One-line check that a model works

Token Setup Best Practices

Verification Checklist

Common Errors And Fixes

Performance And Cost Tips

FAQ

Which base URL should I use for Claude Code?

Why should I not include `/v1` here?

What should I use on Windows?

On Windows, should I use PowerShell or Git Bash?

Why should I create a Git snapshot before the first real task?

Which model should I try first?