Claude Code API relay | OpenAI-compatible AI API relay

Endpoint

Base URL

Use an OpenAI-style base endpoint so existing SDKs can keep their request shape. In many cases, the cleanest test is to point your client to an OpenAI-compatible relay and keep model, auth, and timeout settings explicit.

OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://59api.com/v1

Criteria

A good Claude Code API relay should provide predictable latency, preserve request structure, and return readable errors. For developers in China, terms such as 国内直连Claude, API中转站, and Claude 转发API usually map to the same practical goal: stable access through one endpoint that works with common tools.

Smoke test

Start with a minimal prompt and a short timeout. Confirm that the response arrives, the content is not truncated, and the HTTP status is 200. Then repeat the call with a slightly longer message to confirm that the relay handles normal chat-size payloads.

Send one short request and verify auth succeeds.
Check that the response format matches your SDK expectation.
Retry once after a brief pause to spot transient failures.
Log latency and compare it against your baseline provider.

Example

A practical config example for a local shell profile or CI environment is below. Keep the environment variables in one place so the same settings can be reused by editors, agents, and command-line tools.

export OPENAI_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY" export OPENAI_BASE_URL="#/v1" export OPENAI_MODEL="claude-code"

After saving the config, run a tiny request first. If you are using a framework that accepts OpenAI-compatible settings, point it to the relay endpoint and confirm that the first token appears quickly. Once the basic call works, try a normal coding task such as summarizing a file, reviewing a diff, or generating a small refactor plan. That gives a better signal than a synthetic benchmark alone.

For an operations checklist, confirm TLS, key rotation behavior, request logging, and rate-limit messages. If the relay is intended for a team, document which model names are valid, what timeouts are recommended, and how errors should be surfaced to end users. Those details matter more than broad claims.

FAQ

Does a Claude Code API relay require code changes?

Usually not, if your client already supports OpenAI-compatible endpoints. In many setups, changing the base URL and API key is enough.

What should I test first?

Test authentication, response formatting, and one short prompt. Then verify a longer coding request to see whether the relay stays consistent under normal use.

When is a relay useful?

It is useful when you want a single integration point for development tools, automated checks, or internal applications that need a familiar API shape.