Claude Code

Claude Code can use the Developer API as an Anthropic-compatible LLM gateway. This setup supports Claude model aliases only.

Supported by Triton AI

Triton AI has verified messages, streaming, and tool calls on the production gateway. Anthropic documents LiteLLM as a supported gateway pattern.

Before you start

Set the API key in your shell. Then choose a Claude model alias that supports tool use.

export TRITONAI_API_KEY="<YOUR_TRITON_AI_API_KEY>"

For one terminal session, set these values before you start Claude Code:

export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://tritonai-api.ucsd.edu"
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="$TRITONAI_API_KEY"
export ANTHROPIC_MODEL="<CLAUDE_MODEL_ALIAS>"

claude

For persistent user settings, use the file for your platform:

Platform	User settings file
macOS, Linux, or WSL	`~/.claude/settings.json`
Native Windows	`%USERPROFILE%\.claude\settings.json`

settings.json

{
  "model": "<CLAUDE_MODEL_ALIAS>",
  "apiKeyHelper": "printenv TRITONAI_API_KEY",
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://tritonai-api.ucsd.edu",
    "CLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_GATEWAY_MODEL_DISCOVERY": "1"
  }
}

Start Claude Code from an environment that contains TRITONAI_API_KEY. The shown helper requires printenv. Native Windows users can run it through Git Bash or use an approved credential helper.

Verify the connection

Ask Claude Code to identify the selected model and describe the current project without changing files. Confirm that the client shows the expected alias.

Configuration notes

Setting source	CLI	VS Code	Desktop app
Shell variables	Yes	Not reliable	No
User `settings.json`	Yes	Partial	No
VS Code user settings	No	Yes	No
Third-party inference form	No	No	Yes

Anthropic explains these differences in its gateway connection guide. See the gateway protocol reference for required routes and headers.

Use the host root

Set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL to https://tritonai-api.ucsd.edu. Adding /v1 creates an invalid /v1/v1/messages request path.

Before you start

Verify the connection

Configuration notes

On this page