| name | multi-model-setup |
| description | Walk the user through running GPT, Grok, and other models INSIDE the Claude Code harness via CLIProxyAPI — install, OAuth account connect (ChatGPT/Codex, X Premium/Grok), launcher scripts, verification, and optional Orca multi-agent dispatch. Use when the user says "set up cli proxy", "run gpt in claude code", "use grok in claude", "multi-model claude", or "one harness every model".
|
Multi-Model Claude Code — CLIProxyAPI setup
You are walking the user through giving Claude Code extra brains: the same harness
(skills, hooks, subagents, MCP servers) driven by GPT or Grok models through their
EXISTING subscriptions — no API billing. Explain each phase in one plain sentence
before running it. Verify every phase with a real command before moving on.
The mental model (tell the user this first): Claude Code mails letters to
api.anthropic.com. CLIProxyAPI is a mailbox on their own machine that forwards
letters to OpenAI or xAI instead, signed in with their ChatGPT / X Premium
subscriptions. One launch word picks which brain answers.
Phase 0 — Preflight
claude --version
uname -s
ls ~/.local/bin 2>/dev/null | head -3
- Requires: Claude Code, plus at least one of a ChatGPT (Codex) subscription or
X Premium (Grok) subscription. A Claude subscription stays signed in for plain
claude.
mkdir -p ~/.local/bin ~/.cli-proxy-api and ensure ~/.local/bin is on PATH.
Phase 1 — Install the proxy binary
Download the latest release for the user's OS/arch from
https://github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/releases (asset naming:
CLIProxyAPI_<version>_<os>_<arch>.tar.gz; use gh release download -R router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI --pattern '*darwin_arm64*' when gh is available,
otherwise curl -L the asset URL). Then:
tar -xzf CLIProxyAPI_*.tar.gz
mv cli-proxy-api ~/.local/bin/ && chmod +x ~/.local/bin/cli-proxy-api
~/.local/bin/cli-proxy-api --help | head -3
Phase 2 — Config
Write ~/.cli-proxy-api/config.yaml:
host: "127.0.0.1"
port: 8317
auth-dir: "~/.cli-proxy-api"
api-keys:
- "sk-local-<GENERATE: openssl rand -hex 16>"
debug: false
Generate the key with openssl rand -hex 16 — this is a LOCAL password between
Claude Code and the proxy, not a vendor API key. chmod 600 the file.
Phase 3 — Connect accounts (OAuth, one browser tab each)
Run each login the user has a subscription for. Each opens a browser, the user
signs in, and a credential JSON lands in ~/.cli-proxy-api/:
~/.local/bin/cli-proxy-api -config ~/.cli-proxy-api/config.yaml -codex-login
~/.local/bin/cli-proxy-api -config ~/.cli-proxy-api/config.yaml -xai-login
Headless/SSH box: add -no-browser and open the printed URL manually.
Phase 4 — Run the daemon + verify
~/.local/bin/cli-proxy-api -config ~/.cli-proxy-api/config.yaml > ~/.cli-proxy-api/proxy.log 2>&1 &
sleep 2
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer <the sk-local key>" http://127.0.0.1:8317/v1/models | head -c 400
The models list must show entries from every provider they logged into. If they
want it always-on, offer a launchd LaunchAgent (macOS) / systemd user unit (Linux)
that runs the same command at login.
Phase 5 — Launcher scripts (NOT aliases — this matters)
One executable per brain, in ~/.local/bin. Template (claude-gpt shown; repeat
for each model the proxy lists, e.g. claude-grok with grok-4.5):
#!/bin/bash
export CLIPROXY_KEY="sk-local-<their key>"
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="http://127.0.0.1:8317"
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="$CLIPROXY_KEY"
MODEL="${CLIPROXY_MODEL:-gpt-5.6-sol}"
export ANTHROPIC_MODEL="$MODEL"
export ANTHROPIC_SMALL_FAST_MODEL="$MODEL"
exec claude --model "$MODEL" "$@"
chmod +x each. Why scripts, not aliases: many setups wrap claude in a
shell function (tmux relaunch, logging). An alias whose last word is claude
resolves into that wrapper, which respawns the process WITHOUT your env vars —
the model flag survives, the proxy redirect is silently lost, and the session
errors with "model may not exist". A script with exec claude bypasses shell
functions entirely.
Verify end-to-end (do not skip):
claude-gpt -p "Reply with exactly: PROXY OK"
The four rules to teach the user before you finish
- Engine is picked at launch. The proxy address is read once at startup —
/model can switch Claude tiers, never families. Different brain = new terminal.
- Never press Enter in
/model inside a proxy session. Enter saves the
custom model as the GLOBAL default and every plain claude after that errors.
Use s (this session only) or Esc. If it happens: fix the "model" key in
~/.claude/settings.json.
- The "claude.ai connectors are disabled" banner is expected in proxy
sessions — custom auth takes precedence over claude.ai login. Harmless.
- The proxy must be running. Quick check:
curl -s http://127.0.0.1:8317/v1/models.
Optional — Orca / multi-agent dispatch
If the user runs Orca (or any tmux-style agent cockpit): the launchers are
first-class worker seats. Orca's --agent flag only knows built-in ids, so
launch proxy seats by command:
orca worktree create --name <task> --json
orca terminal create --worktree <selector> --command "claude-gpt --dangerously-skip-permissions" --title "gpt:<task>"
orca terminal send --terminal <handle> --text "<the brief>" --enter
Suggested lane split to put in the project's AGENTS.md (adjust to taste):
| Lane | Seat |
|---|
| Planning, review, frontend/design taste | Claude (Opus/Sonnet via plain claude) |
| Hard implementation, adversarial review | claude-gpt (strong GPT tier) |
| Clear-spec implementation, bulk mechanical | claude-grok |
| Cross-model review of any diff | a DIFFERENT family than the author |
One harness, every brain — the user's skills, hooks, and MCP servers apply to
all of them identically.
