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Prerequisites

Before getting started, make sure you have:
  1. Claude Code installed Install the Claude Code CLI via npm or pnpm: 
    # npm
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

# pnpm
pnpm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
    Or visit the Claude Code official docs for the latest installation instructions.
  2. A ToAPIs API key Sign in to the ToAPIs Console to obtain your API key (starts with sk-).
Note: If you don’t have a ToAPIs account yet, register at ToAPIs first.

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Configuration

Claude Code supports multiple ways to configure a custom API endpoint. You can point it to ToAPIs as a drop-in replacement for the Anthropic API. Claude Code uses two separate JSON files: onboarding state and environment variables must go in the correct file to take effect.

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Ensure onboarding is complete

In your home directory, set ~/.claude.json (create the file if it does not exist): 
{
  "hasCompletedOnboarding": true
}
This file is only for CLI state. Put your API token and base URL in settings.json below. Configure environment variables in ~/.claude/settings.json (global) or .claude/settings.json (project-level). No shell config changes required: 
{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN": "sk-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://toapis.com"
  }
}
Global config (applies to all projects — recommended): 
mkdir -p ~/.claude
Then write the JSON above into ~/.claude/settings.json. Project-level config (applies only to the current project): Create .claude/settings.json in your project root. Do not put your API key in project-level config; keep ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN in the global config and only set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL at the project level: 
{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://toapis.com"
  }
}
Note: Put hasCompletedOnboarding in ~/.claude.json and env in ~/.claude/settings.json or .claude/settings.json. Do not mix them in the same file.

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Option 2: Environment Variables

Best for temporary use or CI/CD pipelines.

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macOS / Linux

Set temporarily for the current session: 
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="sk-xxxxxxxxxxxx"
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://toapis.com"
claude
Set permanently by adding the following to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc: 
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="sk-xxxxxxxxxxxx"
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://toapis.com"
Then reload your shell: 
source ~/.zshrc  # or source ~/.bashrc

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Windows

Set temporarily in PowerShell: 
$env:ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN = "sk-xxxxxxxxxxxx"
$env:ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL = "https://toapis.com"
claude
Set permanently (user-level): 
[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN", "sk-xxxxxxxxxxxx", "User")
[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL", "https://toapis.com", "User")

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Option 3: .env File

Create a .env file in your project root: 
ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=sk-xxxxxxxxxxxx
ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://toapis.com
Important: Add .env to your .gitignore to avoid leaking your API key.

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Configuration Reference

VariableValue
ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKENYour ToAPIs API key (sk-xxxxxxxxxxxx)
ANTHROPIC_BASE_URLhttps://toapis.com

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Verify the Setup

Run the following to check your installation: 
claude --version
Then start Claude Code: 
claude
If configured correctly, Claude Code will connect through ToAPIs and respond normally. The following Claude models are available through ToAPIs:
Model NameModel IDDescription
Claude Opus 4.6claude-opus-4-6Most capable, best for complex tasks
Claude Sonnet 4.6claude-sonnet-4-6Balanced performance and speed — recommended for daily use
Claude Haiku 4.5claude-haiku-4-5-20251001Fastest, best for lightweight tasks
To switch models, use the /model command inside Claude Code, or pass --model at startup: 
claude --model claude-sonnet-4-6

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Troubleshooting

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Authentication error or 401 Unauthorized?

  1. Check that ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN is set correctly and starts with sk-
  2. Verify the key is active in the ToAPIs Console
  3. Ensure your account has sufficient balance

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Connection refused or unable to connect?

  1. Confirm ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL is set to https://toapis.com
  2. Check your network connection and ensure https://toapis.com is reachable

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Check current environment variables

echo $ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN
echo $ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL

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Common error codes

ErrorCauseFix
401 UnauthorizedInvalid or expired API tokenGenerate a new API key
429 Too Many RequestsRate limit exceededWait a moment and retry
500 Internal Server ErrorTemporary server issueRetry in a few minutes
insufficient_quotaInsufficient account balanceTop up in the console

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Tips

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1. Launch in a project directory

Navigate to your project folder and run claude — it will automatically pick up the project context: 
cd /your/project
claude

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2. Useful commands

CommandDescription
/helpShow help
/modelSwitch model
/clearClear the current conversation
/exit or Ctrl+CExit Claude Code

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3. Working with code

Claude Code can read and modify project files. Common use cases:
  • Code review — Ask Claude Code to review your code and suggest improvements
  • Code generation — Describe what you need; Claude Code writes it directly to files
  • Debugging — Paste error messages and get targeted fixes
  • Refactoring — Let Claude Code restructure and clean up your code

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Support

If you encounter any issues:
[## Get Started with ToAPIs Sign up for ToAPIs, get your API key, and supercharge your coding with Claude Code!](https://toapis.com)