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To use Claude Code with abliteration.ai, set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL to https://api.abliteration.ai and ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN to your ak_... key, then run claude. Same Claude Code binary, same workflow, routed through abliteration. Setup is three short steps: set the auth variables, pick how Claude Code should surface abliterated-model, then persist your config so you don’t re-export it in every terminal.

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Install

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

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Step 1 — Set the auth variables

These two variables route Claude Code to abliteration.ai and authenticate the session. Every setup below needs them.
VariableValueWhat it does
ANTHROPIC_BASE_URLhttps://api.abliteration.aiRoutes Claude Code to abliteration.ai instead of api.anthropic.com.
ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKENak_YOUR_API_KEYRecommended. Sends your abliteration.ai key as the bearer Authorization header. ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=ak_... also works (sent as x-api-key); pick whichever your environment already has wired.

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Step 2 — Surface abliterated-model in Claude Code

Claude Code’s model picker is built around Claude model IDs. Two variable sets let it surface abliterated-model — pick whichever fits your workflow.

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Replace the default Opus / Sonnet / Haiku models

Override the model ID Claude Code sends for each default tier so the existing picker just works. Plain claude launches into abliterated-model. 
export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL="abliterated-model"
export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL="abliterated-model"
export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL="abliterated-model"

claude

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Add abliterated-model to the picker

Keep the default Claude tiers intact and add abliterated-model as an extra picker entry you switch to explicitly. 
export ANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_MODEL_OPTION="abliterated-model"
export ANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_MODEL_OPTION_NAME="abliterated-model"

claude --model abliterated-model
You can also switch to it inside a session with /model.

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Step 3 — Persist your config

Exporting variables in every new terminal gets old. Pick one place to save them so Claude Code always picks them up.
LocationWhereUse when
Claude Code settings~/.claude/settings.jsonYou want the config scoped to Claude Code only.
Shell profile~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrcYou want the variables available to any Anthropic-compatible tool you run from the terminal.

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Option A — ~/.claude/settings.json

Claude Code reads an env block from its own settings file. Values here apply whenever you start claude. 
{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://api.abliteration.ai",
    "ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN": "ak_YOUR_API_KEY",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL": "abliterated-model",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL": "abliterated-model",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL": "abliterated-model"
  }
}

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Option B — Shell profile

Append the same values to your shell profile so they export on every terminal launch. 
# Append to ~/.zshrc, ~/.bashrc, or ~/.profile
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://api.abliteration.ai"
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="ak_YOUR_API_KEY"
export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL="abliterated-model"
export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL="abliterated-model"
export ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL="abliterated-model"

# Reload
source ~/.zshrc   # or source ~/.bashrc

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Headless mode

For CI/CD or scripts: 
claude --model abliterated-model -p "summarize README.md"

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Notes

  • Policy rules attached to your API key apply to every Claude Code turn. See Policy Gateway.
Last modified on May 3, 2026