Setting Up Claude Code - Domestic Provider Configuration Guide

Claude Code is a powerful AI-assisted programming tool that can significantly improve development efficiency and code quality. This guide will help you install Claude Code and select a suitable domestic model provider.

Installing Claude Code

Why NPM Installation is Recommended

Claude Code provides two official installation methods:

• Native Installation: Requires downloading binary files from GitHub Releases
• Official Script Installation: Requires running the official installation script

Due to network restrictions, the above methods may not work properly in mainland China. Therefore, we recommend using the NPM installation method, which is more stable and performs better in mainland China network environments.

Installing via NPM

Installing Claude Code via NPM is very convenient. Make sure you have Node.js installed.

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

After installation, verify the installation was successful:

claude --version

Configuring Model Providers

Claude Code supports two configuration methods:

• Recommended: Using settings.json configuration file
• Legacy: Using environment variables (still works)

Tip

Benefits of using settings.json configuration file:

• Persistent configuration, no need to set environment variables each startup
• Can configure multiple model provider mappings
• Clearer and easier to manage

Configuration File Location

The location of Claude Code’s settings.json file varies by operating system:

Windows

C:\Users\<Your Username>\.claude\settings.json

macOS

~/.claude/settings.json

Linux

~/.claude/settings.json

Choose a subscription website first

If you have not decided which provider to buy yet, start with AI Service Subscriptions. The new chapter gathers the currently recommended subscription entry points into one top-level section, so you can compare first and then return here to finish Claude Code configuration.

View the subscription overview Compare ZAI, MiniMax, Alibaba Cloud DashScope, and Volcengine Coding Plan from one place.

Open a provider detail page If you already lean toward a provider, open its dedicated page first and then come back here for the exact Claude Code setup steps.

Zhipu AI (ZAI) [Recommended]

Zhipu AI provides GLM Coding Plan, specifically designed for AI programming tools like Claude Code. It offers good value and supports various advanced features.

Purchasing a Subscription

To use ZAI, you need to purchase a subscription and get an API Key. For code writing, we recommend purchasing the Coding Plan for daily use, as it is more cost-effective.

Purchase through the following link for exclusive discounts: https://www.bigmodel.cn/claude-code?ic=14BY54APZA

Zhipu GLM Coding: 20+ Programming Tools Seamless Support

Claude Code, Cline, and 20+ other programming tools seamlessly supported, maximizing your coding productivity!

• World-class Programming Models: GLM-5 achieves SOTA performance in reasoning, code, and agent capabilities among open-source models when released
• Larger Capacity, Lower Price: 1/3 the price of Claude Code, 3x the usage, as low as 49 RMB per month
• Free Exclusive MCP: Includes image/video understanding, web search, web page reading, open-source repository MCP

Tip

For first-time trial, you can purchase the lite version at a lower price.

Method One: Using settings.json Configuration File [Recommended]

Add the following configuration to your settings.json file:

{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN": "your-api-key",
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://open.bigmodel.cn/api/anthropic",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL": "glm-4.5-air",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL": "glm-5",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL": "glm-4.7"
  }
}

Method Two: Using Environment Variables

# Set API Key
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=your-api-key-here

# Set API URL
export ANTHROPIC_API_URL=https://open.bigmodel.cn/api/anthropic

Method Three: Using the coding-helper Tool

ZAI provides a simple command-line tool coding-helper to help you configure Claude Code.

# Enter the command line interface and run the Coding Tool Helper
npx @z_ai/coding-helper

After running, you will enter an interactive command-line interface. Follow the prompts to enter your API Key and select Claude Code to complete the configuration.

Model Mapping

Zhipu AI provides multiple model options, with the following mapping to Claude model tiers:

Claude Tier	ZAI Model
Sonnet	glm-4.7
Opus	glm-5
Haiku	glm-4.5-air

MiniMax

MiniMax provides Claude API-compatible service using a unified MiniMax-M2.5 model for all tiers.

Getting an API Key

Get your API Key through the following link: https://platform.minimaxi.com/subscribe/coding-plan?code=8wNck4etDM&source=link

MiniMax Claude API Compatible Service

MiniMax provides Claude API-compatible service with support for multiple model integrations, stable and reliable.

Method One: Using settings.json Configuration File [Recommended]

Add the following configuration to your settings.json file:

{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN": "your-api-key",
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://api.minimaxi.com/anthropic",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL": "MiniMax-M2.5",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL": "MiniMax-M2.5",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL": "MiniMax-M2.5"
  }
}

Method Two: Using Environment Variables

# Set API Key
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=your-api-key-here

# Set API URL
export ANTHROPIC_API_URL=https://api.minimaxi.com/anthropic

Model Mapping

MiniMax uses a unified model for all tiers:

Claude Tier	MiniMax Model
Sonnet	MiniMax-M2.5
Opus	MiniMax-M2.5
Haiku	MiniMax-M2.5

Alibaba Cloud DashScope

Alibaba Cloud’s DashScope platform provides Claude API-compatible service using a unified glm-4.7 model for all tiers.

Activating the Service

Activate the service through the following link: https://www.aliyun.com/benefit/ai/aistar?userCode=vmx5szbq&clubBiz=subTask..12384055..10263..

Alibaba Cloud Qianwen Coding Plan Launched

Alibaba Cloud Qianwen Coding Plan is now available to meet daily development needs. Recommended + Hagicode, perfect for achieving various needs during development.

After successful activation, you can create an API Key in the Alibaba Cloud console.

Method One: Using settings.json Configuration File [Recommended]

Add the following configuration to your settings.json file:

{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN": "your-api-key",
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://coding.dashscope.aliyuncs.com/apps/anthropic",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL": "glm-4.7",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL": "glm-4.7",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL": "glm-4.7"
  }
}

Method Two: Using Environment Variables

# Set API Key
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=your-api-key-here

# Set API URL
export ANTHROPIC_API_URL=https://coding.dashscope.aliyuncs.com/apps/anthropic

Model Mapping

Alibaba Cloud uses a unified model for all tiers:

Claude Tier	Alibaba Cloud Model
Sonnet	glm-4.7
Opus	glm-4.7
Haiku	glm-4.7