Using ByteRouter with Claude Code

Prerequisites

Claude Code is a command-line AI programming assistant from Anthropic that supports direct conversation with AI, code generation, debugging, and more in your terminal. By integrating ByteRouter, you can access multiple AI models including GPT, Claude, and Gemini directly within Claude Code. Before getting started, ensure you have:

ByteRouter API Key Sign in to ByteRouter Console to get your API key

Tip: If you don’t have a ByteRouter account yet, register at ByteRouter first and obtain your API key.

Step 1: Install Claude Code

Choose one of the following installation methods:

macOS / Linux (Recommended)
Windows
NPM Installation

Install using the official script:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

Or install via Homebrew:

brew install --cask claude-code

If you encounter permission issues, prepend sudo to the command.

PowerShell:

irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

CMD:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

If you have Node.js 18 or later installed, you can install via npm:

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

Works on all operating systems.

Verify Installation

After installation, run the following command to confirm success:

claude --version

If a version number (e.g., 1.x.x) is displayed, the installation is successful.

Step 2: Configure ByteRouter API

Three configuration methods are available. Choose the one that suits your workflow.

Method 1: Edit settings.json (Recommended)

This is the most stable configuration method and works persistently after one-time setup. 1. Find the configuration directory:

Windows: Press Win + R, type %userprofile%\.claude
macOS: Press Command + Shift + G, type ~/.claude
Linux: Navigate to ~/.claude directory

If the directory doesn’t exist, run claude once in your terminal and press Ctrl + C to exit. The directory will be created automatically.

2. Create or edit the settings.json file:

{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://byterouter.ai/v1",
    "ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN": "your_api_key_here",
    "ANTHROPIC_MODEL": "claude-sonnet-4.6"
  }
}

Parameter	Description
`ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL`	ByteRouter API endpoint, fixed as `https://byterouter.ai/v1`
`ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN`	Your ByteRouter API key
`ANTHROPIC_MODEL`	Default model to use, choose from the list below

After saving, restart Claude Code for changes to take effect.

Method 2: Permanent Environment Variables

Configure at the system level so all terminal windows automatically load the settings.

macOS (zsh)
macOS / Linux (bash)
Windows

echo 'export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://byterouter.ai/v1"' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="your_api_key_here"' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'export ANTHROPIC_MODEL="claude-sonnet-4.6"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

echo 'export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://byterouter.ai/v1"' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="your_api_key_here"' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'export ANTHROPIC_MODEL="claude-sonnet-4.6"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Method A: GUI Settings

Right-click “This PC” → “Properties” → “Advanced system settings” → “Environment Variables”
Under “User variables”, create new variables:
- ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL = https://byterouter.ai/v1
- ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN = your_api_key_here
- ANTHROPIC_MODEL = claude-sonnet-4.6
Restart your terminal window

Method B: PowerShell Command

[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL', 'https://byterouter.ai/v1', 'User')
[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN', 'your_api_key_here', 'User')
[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('ANTHROPIC_MODEL', 'claude-sonnet-4.6', 'User')

Method 3: Temporary Environment Variables

Suitable for temporary testing. Configuration will be lost when you close the terminal.

macOS / Linux
Windows (PowerShell)
Windows (CMD)

export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="your_api_key_here"
export ANTHROPIC_MODEL="claude-sonnet-4.6"
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://byterouter.ai/v1"
claude

$env:ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="your_api_key_here"
$env:ANTHROPIC_MODEL="claude-sonnet-4.6"
$env:ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://byterouter.ai/v1"
claude

set ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=your_api_key_here
set ANTHROPIC_MODEL=claude-sonnet-4.6
set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://byterouter.ai/v1
claude

Temporary environment variables only work in the current terminal window. You’ll need to reconfigure them after opening a new terminal or restarting.

Step 3: Get Started

Verify Configuration

Start Claude Code and send a simple message to confirm configuration:

claude "Hello"

If you receive an AI response, the configuration is successful. If you encounter errors, refer to the troubleshooting section below.

Usage Modes

Claude Code offers two interaction modes:

Interactive Mode: Run claude to enter continuous conversation, ideal for complex tasks
Single Command: Run claude "your question" to get a one-time response and exit, perfect for quick queries

Supported Models

ByteRouter supports various AI models that you can switch between based on your needs. See the Getting Started page for the complete model list.

Common Model Examples

Model Name	Characteristics
`claude-sonnet-4.6`	Balanced performance and speed
`claude-opus-4.5`	Strongest overall capability
`gpt-4.1`	Efficient GPT model
`gemini-2.0`	Google’s advanced model

Common Commands

Here are frequently used commands and shortcuts in Claude Code:

Command	Description
`claude`	Enter interactive mode
`claude "question"`	Ask a single question
`claude --version`	Check version number
`/model`	Switch model in interactive mode
`/help`	View help information
`Ctrl + C`	Exit interactive mode

Troubleshooting

If “Select login method” is displayed, the configuration hasn’t taken effect. Troubleshooting steps:

Using settings.json method: Verify the file path is correct
- Windows: C:\Users\<username>\.claude\settings.json
- macOS / Linux: ~/.claude/settings.json
Using environment variables: Ensure you started Claude Code in the same terminal window where you set the variables
Check JSON format: Make sure brackets, commas, and quotes are correct (don’t use Chinese quotes)

Q2: Authentication errors?

Error Message	Meaning	Solution
`401 Unauthorized`	Invalid API key	Check your key is correct, verify in ByteRouter Console
`403 Forbidden`	Insufficient permissions	Confirm your API key isn’t expired or disabled

Ensure ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL is set to https://byterouter.ai/v1.

Q3: “Unable to connect” error?

This means Claude Code cannot connect to the API service.

Check your network connection
Verify ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL is configured correctly
If using a proxy, ensure it allows access to byterouter.ai

Q4: How to switch models?

Two options:

In interactive mode: Type /model command to switch
Modify configuration: Change the ANTHROPIC_MODEL field in settings.json or environment variables, then restart Claude Code

Q5: Slow responses?

Try switching to a faster model
Shorten your questions to reduce context length
Check your local network status

Support & Help

If you encounter any issues:

📧 Technical Support: [email protected]

Getting started

Client Tools

Using ByteRouter with Claude Code

Prerequisites

Step 1: Install Claude Code

Verify Installation

Step 2: Configure ByteRouter API

Method 1: Edit settings.json (Recommended)

Method 2: Permanent Environment Variables

Method 3: Temporary Environment Variables

Step 3: Get Started

Verify Configuration

Usage Modes

Supported Models

Common Model Examples

Common Commands

Troubleshooting

Q2: Authentication errors?

Q3: “Unable to connect” error?

Q4: How to switch models?

Q5: Slow responses?

Support & Help

Get Started with ByteRouter

​Prerequisites

​Step 1: Install Claude Code

​Verify Installation

​Step 2: Configure ByteRouter API

​Method 1: Edit settings.json (Recommended)

​Method 2: Permanent Environment Variables

​Method 3: Temporary Environment Variables

​Step 3: Get Started

​Verify Configuration

​Usage Modes

​Supported Models

​Common Model Examples

​Common Commands

​Troubleshooting

​Q1: Login selection screen still appears after configuration?

​Q2: Authentication errors?

​Q3: “Unable to connect” error?

​Q4: How to switch models?

​Q5: Slow responses?

​Support & Help

Get Started with ByteRouter

Prerequisites

Step 1: Install Claude Code

Verify Installation

Step 2: Configure ByteRouter API

Method 1: Edit settings.json (Recommended)

Method 2: Permanent Environment Variables

Method 3: Temporary Environment Variables

Step 3: Get Started

Verify Configuration

Usage Modes

Supported Models

Common Model Examples

Common Commands

Troubleshooting

Q1: Login selection screen still appears after configuration?

Q2: Authentication errors?

Q3: “Unable to connect” error?

Q4: How to switch models?

Q5: Slow responses?

Support & Help