Switch Claude Code API upstream without editing env vars
Save profiles with clovapi add, apply with switch — route Claude Code through the local proxy to DeepSeek, OpenRouter, and other third-party APIs.
When wiring Claude Code to a third-party API for the first time, many developers start by searching how to change ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL. Env vars can work once, but they do not scale for daily use: multiple upstreams, mixing official subscriptions with third-party keys, and team workflows all make manual env management fragile.
Recommended flow: add → switch
clovapi models upstreams as profiles with two commands:
npm i -g @clovapi/cli
clovapi add --name deepseek
clovapi switch --cli claude-code deepseek
add probes connectivity before saving; switch writes Claude Code config and routes traffic through the local proxy. The agent always talks to localhost — no need to memorize Anthropic env var combinations.
Common upstreams
| Scenario | During add |
After switch |
|---|---|---|
| DeepSeek | Base URL, model ID (e.g. deepseek-chat) | Claude Code speaks Messages; proxy transcodes to DeepSeek |
| OpenRouter | OpenRouter key and model slug | Same, routed via proxy |
| Official Claude subscription | Official profile type | Switches like any third-party profile |
Step-by-step guides: Claude Code + DeepSeek and OpenRouter.
Multiple profiles
Keep official, deepseek, and openrouter-prod side by side. To swap upstreams:
clovapi switch --cli claude-code openrouter-prod
No Claude Code reinstall, no shell export cleanup, no accidental keys in dotfiles.
clovapi vs cc-switch?
If you need MCP/Skills sync across CLIs or a heavier desktop ops panel, see clovapi vs cc-switch. If you want a light CLI + local proxy transcoding + fast switch, clovapi fits daily agent development better.
Try it
- Claude Code agent page
- All setup guides
- Desktop app: download on the home page