Set up with the Vercel CLI

Run the Vercel CLI setup command for Claude Code:

npx vercelai-gatewaysetup--agentclaude-code

The command:

1. Configure environment variablesFirst, log out if you're already logged in: claude /logoutNext, ensure you have your AI Gateway API key handy, and configure Claude Code to use the AI Gateway by adding this to your shell configuration file, for example in ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc: export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://ai-gateway.vercel.sh/claude-code" export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="your-ai-gateway-api-key" export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=""The base URL points at the Claude Code compatibility endpoint.

   

2. Run Claude CodeRun claude to start Claude Code with AI Gateway: claudeYour requests will now be routed through Vercel AI Gateway.

1. Set up environment variablesAdd the following to your shell configuration file (e.g., ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc): export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://ai-gateway.vercel.sh/claude-code" export ANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_HEADERS="x-ai-gateway-api-key: Bearer your-ai-gateway-api-key"Replace your-ai-gateway-api-key with your actual AI Gateway API key.
2. Start Claude CodeStart Claude Code: claude
3. Log in with your Claude subscriptionIf you're not already logged in, Claude Code will prompt you to authenticate. Choose Option 1 - Claude account with subscription and log in as normal with your Anthropic account.

   

{

"env": {

"CLAUDE_CODE_SKIP_FAST_MODE_ORG_CHECK":"1",

"CLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_OPUS_4_7_FAST_MODE":"1"

}

}

Then toggle fast mode on or off inside Claude Code by typing /fast.

Fast mode usage is billed at the fast tier rate for the model that was served. When you hit the fast mode rate limit, Claude Code automatically falls back to standard Opus speed and pricing. For current rates, see Fast Mode.

With the Claude Desktop app

The Claude Desktop app switches providers in its own settings, under Developer -> Configure Third-Party Inference. Point it at the same base URL and key.

Desktop records sessions per identity, so the sessions you created before the switch don't appear under the gateway identity. To bring them across, launch the desktop app once on the gateway provider, then re-run the Vercel CLI setup command:

vercel ai-gatewaysetup--agentclaude-code

The command copies each session record into the gateway identity and rewrites its model to the matching gateway ID. Your original sessions are left untouched, and re-running never duplicates a session it already copied. See session migration for details.

With the Claude Agent SDK

The Claude Agent SDK ( @anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk) lets you build AI agents that use the same tools and agentic loop that power Claude Code. You can route Agent SDK requests through AI Gateway by setting environment variables in the env option:

The Agent SDK spawns Claude Code as a subprocess, so the same environment variables apply. All requests, including messages and token counting, route through AI Gateway.

Claude Code compatibility endpoint

Point Claude Code and the Claude Agent SDK at Claude Code's own compatibility endpoint:

https://ai-gateway.vercel.sh/claude-code

Use it everywhere on this page. The URL takes no /v1 suffix, because the Anthropic SDK appends /v1/messages itself, so adding it yourself produces a 404. To call the gateway from your own code rather than through Claude Code, see the Anthropic Messages API instead.

On the /claude-code surface, gateway models are listed with a claude-code/ prefix, for example claude-code/anthropic/claude-opus-5, and models with a context window of 1M tokens or more carry a [1m] suffix. Those are display IDs for the picker. The gateway strips them before routing, so a request still bills and traces against the underlying model. Image generation models are filtered out, since Claude Code can't use them.