Claude Code Installation and Usage Guide - AI Programming Assistant Setup

Claude Code is a powerful AI programming assistant that allows you to collaborate with AI directly in your terminal. This guide will walk you through the installation and configuration process.

System Requirements#

Before installing Claude Code, ensure your system meets these requirements:

• Node.js: Version 18.0 or higher
• Operating System: macOS, Linux, or Windows (WSL recommended)

Quick Start#

Step 1: Install Node.js#

If you already have Node.js 18.0 or higher installed, you can skip this step.

Ubuntu / Debian#

# Install Node.js LTS version
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Verify installation
node --version

macOS#

# Install Xcode command line tools
sudo xcode-select --install

# Install Homebrew (if not already installed)
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

# Install Node.js via Homebrew
brew install node

# Verify installation
node --version

Step 2: Install Claude Code#

Install Claude Code globally using npm:

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

# Verify installation
claude --version

Step 3: Configure API Access#

You need two configuration items to use Claude Code with Crazyrouter API:

Recommended token settings:

• Name: Any descriptive name
• Quota: Set to unlimited for development
• Group: Select "Claude Code" or "Official Claude 3+"
• Other options: Keep default settings

Step 4: Launch Claude Code#

Linux / macOS#

# Navigate to your project directory
cd your-project-folder

# Set environment variables
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=sk-your-token-here
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://crazyrouter.com/
export API_TIMEOUT_MS=300000

# Launch Claude Code
claude

Windows PowerShell#

# Navigate to your project directory
cd your-project-folder

# Set environment variables
$env:ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL = "https://crazyrouter.com/"
$env:ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN = "sk-your-token-here"
$env:API_TIMEOUT_MS = "300000"

# Launch Claude Code
claude

Windows CMD#

# Navigate to your project directory
cd your-project-folder

# Set environment variables
set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://crazyrouter.com/
set ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=sk-your-token-here
set API_TIMEOUT_MS=300000

# Launch Claude Code
claude

Step 5: First Run Configuration#

After launching Claude Code for the first time, you'll see these configuration steps:

1. Select Theme - Choose your preferred color theme and press Enter
2. Safety Notice - Review and confirm the safety notice
3. Terminal Configuration - Use default configuration or customize
4. Working Directory Trust - Trust the current directory to allow file access

Congratulations! You're now ready to start coding with your AI programming partner.

Permanent Configuration (Optional)#

To avoid setting environment variables every time, add them to your shell profile:

Bash (~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile)#

export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=sk-your-token-here
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://crazyrouter.com/
export API_TIMEOUT_MS=300000

Zsh (~/.zshrc)#

export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=sk-your-token-here
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://crazyrouter.com/
export API_TIMEOUT_MS=300000

After adding, reload your shell:

source ~/.bashrc  # or source ~/.zshrc

Frequently Asked Questions#

"Invalid API Key" Error#

If you see "Invalid API Key - Please run /login", check:

• ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN is set correctly (starts with sk-)
• ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL is set to https://crazyrouter.com/
• Restart your terminal after setting environment variables

"Offline" Status#

Claude Code checks network status by connecting to Google. Showing "offline" doesn't affect normal usage - it just indicates inability to connect to Google's servers.

Web Fetch Failures#

Claude Code performs security checks before accessing web pages. Ensure:

• Stable internet connection
• Use a global proxy if necessary

Persistent "Fetch Failed" Errors#

This may be caused by network issues. Try:

1. Exit Claude Code (Ctrl+C)
2. Re-run the claude command
3. If the problem persists, try again later

API Errors#

If you encounter API errors:

• Exit Claude Code (Ctrl+C)
• Wait a moment and restart
• Check your token quota on the dashboard

Important Notes#

• Crazyrouter provides direct forwarding to official Claude Code services
• Keep your API token secure and never share it publicly
• Monitor your usage on the dashboard to avoid unexpected charges

Pricing#

Claude Code uses Claude models with the following pricing on Crazyrouter:

All prices include a 45% discount compared to official rates.

Related Resources#

• Crazyrouter Pricing Page
• Claude Code Official Documentation
• Node.js Official Website

Need help? Contact support or check the Crazyrouter documentation for more information.