> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.aptible.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Secure Claude Code with the LLM Gateway

> Route Claude Code through Aptible's LLM Gateway for a compliant, audited path to Claude.

## Overview

This guide walks through creating an LLM Key and pointing [Claude Code](https://docs.claude.com/en/docs/claude-code) at Aptible's LLM Gateway, so every request Claude Code makes is authenticated, audited, and covered by your organization's [Model Access Policy](https://www.aptible.com/docs/llm-gateway/model-access-policies.md) and [Spend Limit](https://www.aptible.com/docs/llm-gateway/cost-control.md).

## Create an LLM Key

**1. Start your trial or sign in**

[Sign up](https://app.aptible.com/signup) for or [sign in](https://app.aptible.com/login) to your Aptible account. Then navigate to [LLM Gateway](https://app.aptible.com/llm-gateway) to activate your trial. If you signed up with a business email, you'll receive \$100 of LLM credits to get started. You can use them with any models your organization allows.

> [!WARNING]
>
> **For those processing PHI:** you'll need to execute a BAA before you can start processing PHI using the LLM Gateway. Go to **Settings > [Agreements](https://app.aptible.com/settings/legal/agreements)** to execute one.

**2. Create an LLM key**

Click **Create Key** on the [LLM Gateway](https://app.aptible.com/llm-gateway) page and give it a descriptive name so you can identify its usage later when reviewing costs and request history.

LLM Keys are scoped to your whole organization — any member can create and manage them, and a single key gives you access to every model your organization's [model access policy](https://www.aptible.com/docs/llm-gateway/model-access-policies.md) allows.

Once created, copy the key's token and endpoint URL. You won't be able to see the token again after you close this window.

> [!TIP]
>
> If a key's token is ever lost or compromised, revoke it from [LLM Gateway](https://app.aptible.com/llm-gateway) and create a new one — see [LLM Keys](https://www.aptible.com/docs/llm-gateway/llm-keys.md) for details.

## Configure Claude Code

The LLM Gateway provides a dedicated base URL for Claude Code under `/harness/claude-code` — set it once and you won't need to change it again, even if the endpoints behind it change.

**1. Set the gateway base URL**

Claude Code reads its API base URL from the `ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL` environment variable:

```bash theme={null}
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://llm-gateway.aptible.com/harness/claude-code"
```

**2. Set your LLM Key**

Claude Code authenticates with either `ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN` or `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` — both work against the LLM Gateway, but `ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN` is preferred since it's sent as a standard bearer token:

```bash theme={null}
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="<YOUR_LLM_KEY>"
```

**3. Persist your configuration (optional)**

To avoid setting these every session, add them to your shell profile (`~/.zshrc`, `~/.bashrc`, etc.), or add them to a project's `.claude/settings.json`:

```json .claude/settings.json theme={null}
{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://llm-gateway.aptible.com/harness/claude-code",
    "ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN": "<YOUR_LLM_KEY>"
  }
}
```

> [!WARNING]
>
> Don't commit a real LLM Key into a shared `.claude/settings.json`. Use `.claude/settings.local.json` (gitignored by default) for personal credentials, or keep the key in your shell environment instead.

**4. Choose a model (optional)**

By default, Claude Code uses its usual model selection. To pin it to a specific model available through your organization's [Model Access Policy](https://www.aptible.com/docs/llm-gateway/model-access-policies.md), set:

```bash theme={null}
export ANTHROPIC_MODEL="claude-sonnet-5"
```

See [Supported Models](https://www.aptible.com/docs/llm-gateway/supported-models.md) for the full list of model IDs, and [Supported APIs](https://www.aptible.com/docs/llm-gateway/supported-apis.md) for how model selection works.

**5. Verify it's working**

Start Claude Code and send a simple smoke-test prompt:

```bash theme={null}
claude
```

```text theme={null}
> Tell me a joke about cloud security
```

If you get a response back, requests are flowing through the LLM Gateway. You can confirm this by checking the key’s request history in [LLM Gateway](https://app.aptible.com/llm-gateway) to confirm, or see [Audit Logging](https://www.aptible.com/docs/llm-gateway/audit-logging.md) for more ways to review your request.

## Troubleshooting

> [accordion] 401 Unauthorized
>
> Double-check `ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN` (or `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`) is set to a valid, unrevoked LLM Key, and that `ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL` points at `https://llm-gateway.aptible.com/harness/claude-code` with no trailing path.

> [accordion] 400 for an unrecognized or blocked model
>
> Check that the model you're requesting (via `ANTHROPIC_MODEL` or `/model`) is a valid model ID from [Supported Models](https://www.aptible.com/docs/llm-gateway/supported-models.md), and that it's allowed by your organization's [Model Access Policy](https://www.aptible.com/docs/llm-gateway/model-access-policies.md).

> [accordion] 402 Payment Required
>
> Your organization has reached its monthly spend limit. See [Cost Visibility & Control](https://www.aptible.com/docs/llm-gateway/cost-control.md).