API endpoint https://northerninference.ca/v1 Use this as the base URL in every integration.
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Claude Code

Run Claude Code through Northern Inference using your NI API key.

Quick setup

export NI_API_KEY=ni_live_YOUR_KEY_HERE
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://northerninference.ca/v1
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="$NI_API_KEY"

claude --model anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5 --effort xhigh

Use ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN so Claude Code sends Bearer auth to NI. If your Claude Code version ignores ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN, set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY to the same NI key. If either variable is already set to a direct Anthropic key in the same shell, unset it before launching Claude Code through NI.

Model selection

Set the model when launching Claude Code: 

claude --model anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5

You can also change it inside Claude Code with /model. When ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL points at NI, Claude Code can list models from NI's /v1/models endpoint. Use exact route IDs from /models when you want explicit residency or provider selection.

Thinking level

Claude Code calls this effort. Set it at launch: 

claude --model anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5 --effort low
claude --model anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5 --effort medium
claude --model anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5 --effort high
claude --model anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5 --effort xhigh
claude --model anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5 --effort max

In an active Claude Code session, use /effort to change the level without restarting.

One-shot check

claude -p "Reply with NI ok." \
  --model anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5 \
  --effort medium \
  --tools ""

The request should appear in portal Usage within a few seconds. The response headers include the NI request ID, resolved route, resolved jurisdiction, and custody path.

Troubleshooting

Requests do not appear in Usage. Claude Code did not use the NI endpoint or token from this shell. Check ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL and ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN.

401 from NI. Confirm the token is an NI API key and the environment variable is ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN.

Unknown request parameter: output_config. The gateway is running an older build without Claude Code effort support. Current Claude Code releases use this field for effort.

Anything not working as expected? Open a ticket. Include the X-NI-Request-ID if one was returned.