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Quick Setup

Before you can use Claude Code with Costa, you need to install Claude Code. You can install it using NPM or native install methods. For detailed instructions, see the Claude Code Quickstart Guide. Claude Code works seamlessly with Costa using our native Claude Code configuration. Just create a settings file and you’re done.

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Step 1: Create Settings File

Create .claude/settings.json in your project directory: 
mkdir -p .claude

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Step 2: Configure Costa Integration

Add the Costa configuration to ~/.claude/settings.json:
~/.claude/settings.json
{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://ai.costa.app/api",
    "ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN": "REPLACE_WITH_YOUR_API_KEY",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL": "costa/auto",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL": "costa/auto",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL": "costa/auto",
    "CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL": "costa/auto",
    "DISABLE_PROMPT_CACHING": "true"
  },
  "model": "costa/auto",
  "alwaysThinkingEnabled": true
}

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Step 3: Start Coding

That’s it! Just run: 
claude
Your Claude Code instance is now connected to Costa’s secure infrastructure, unlocking powerful features:
  • Costa Auto Router intelligent model selection
  • Zero-trust security scanning all interactions
  • Enterprise compliance and audit logging
  • Performance analytics to track your coding efficiency and model performance

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Claude Code CLI

Claude Code works seamlessly with Costa Code in the CLI…
Claude Code CLI interface

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Claude Code VS Code Extension

… and also in Claude’s VS Code extension.
Claude Code in VS Code

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Unlock the power of Claude Code with any model

You can use any model with Claude Code, including costa/orbit, gpt-5, and others. If you love Claude Code, but have ever wondered whether it’s the IDE or models that give you that extra edge… with Costa Code you can break free from your IDE. Use any model you want and compare cross-model performance with Costa’s Analytics over time and find the combinations that are best for you. For a full list of available models, visit https://ai.costa.app/code/models.

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Alternative Setup Methods

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Environment Variables

Instead of the settings file, you can use environment variables: 
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://ai.costa.app/api
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=your_costa_token_here
export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL=costa/auto
export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL=costa/auto
export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL=costa/auto
export CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL=costa/auto
export DISABLE_PROMPT_CACHING=true
claude