{% callout type="warning" title="Important Notice" %} In January 2026, Anthropic decided to restrict Claude Code CLI to official Claude Code clients. Claude Code credentials cannot be used in Kilo Code or other third-party harnesses.

For continued use of Anthropic models in Kilo Code, please use the Anthropic API provider with an API key instead. {% /callout %}

Using Claude Code With Kilo Code

Claude Code is Anthropic's official CLI that provides direct access to Claude models from your terminal. Using Claude Code with Kilo Code lets you leverage your existing CLI setup without needing separate API keys.

Website: https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/setup

Installing and Setting Up Claude Code

1. Install Claude Code: Follow the installation instructions at Anthropic's Claude Code documentation.
2. Authenticate: Run claude in your terminal. Claude Code offers multiple authentication options including the Anthropic Console (default), Claude App with Pro/Max plans, and enterprise platforms like Amazon Bedrock or Google Vertex AI. See Anthropic's authentication documentation for complete details.
3. Verify Installation: Test that everything works by running claude --version in your terminal.

{% callout type="warning" title="Environment Variable Usage" %} The claude command-line tool, like other Anthropic SDKs, can use the ANTHROPIC_API_KEY environment variable for authentication. This is a common method for authorizing CLI tools in non-interactive environments.

If this environment variable is set on your system, the claude tool may use it for authentication instead of the interactive /login method. When Kilo Code executes the tool, it will accurately reflect that an API key is being used, as this is the underlying behavior of the claude CLI itself. {% /callout %}

Website: https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/setup

Supported Models

The specific models available depend on your Claude subscription and plan. See Anthropic's Model Documentation for more details on each model's capabilities.

Configuration in Kilo Code

{% tabs %} {% tab label="VSCode (Legacy)" %}

1. Open Kilo Code Settings: Click the gear icon ({% codicon name="gear" /%}) in the Kilo Code panel.
2. Select Provider: Choose "Claude Code" from the "API Provider" dropdown.
3. Select Model: Choose your desired Claude model from the "Model" dropdown.
4. (Optional) Custom CLI Path: If you installed Claude Code to a location other than the default claude command, enter the full path to your Claude executable in the "Claude Code Path" field. Most users won't need to change this.

{% /tab %} {% tab label="VSCode" %}

{% callout type="warning" %} Claude Code credentials no longer work in Kilo Code. Please use the Anthropic provider with an API key instead. {% /callout %}

{% /tab %} {% tab label="CLI" %}

Claude Code uses your existing Anthropic credentials (from the claude CLI). Make sure the Claude Code CLI is installed and authenticated:

claude --version
claude auth login

If you have an ANTHROPIC_API_KEY environment variable set, the Claude CLI will use it automatically:

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-api-key"

Config file (~/.config/kilo/kilo.json or ./kilo.json):

{
  "provider": {
    "anthropic": {
      "env": ["ANTHROPIC_API_KEY"],
    },
  },
}

Then set your default model:

{
  "model": "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
}

{% /tab %} {% /tabs %}

Tips and Notes

• No API Keys Required: Claude Code uses your existing CLI authentication, so you don't need to manage separate API keys.
• Cost Transparency: Usage costs are reported directly by the Claude CLI, giving you clear visibility into your spending.
• Advanced Reasoning: Full support for Claude's thinking modes and reasoning capabilities when available.
• Context Windows: Claude models have large context windows, allowing you to include significant amounts of code and context in your prompts.
• Enhance Prompt Feature: Full compatibility with Kilo Code's Enhance Prompt feature, allowing you to automatically improve and refine your prompts before sending them to Claude.
• Custom Paths: If you installed Claude Code in a non-standard location, you can specify the full path in the settings. Examples:
  • Windows: C:\tools\claude\claude.exe
  • macOS/Linux: /usr/local/bin/claude or ~/bin/claude

Troubleshooting

• "Claude Code process exited with error": Verify Claude Code is installed (claude --version) and authenticated (claude auth login). Make sure your subscription includes the selected model.
• Custom path not working: Use the full absolute path to the Claude executable and verify the file exists and is executable. On Windows, include the .exe extension.