Rishurajgautam24/free-claude-code

What it solves

This project provides a way to use the Claude Code CLI and VSCode extension without requiring an official Anthropic API key. It acts as a lightweight proxy that routes requests to various alternative LLM providers, including free tiers like NVIDIA NIM, local models via LM Studio or Ollama, and other OpenAI-compatible services.

How it works

The project runs a local proxy server that intercepts API calls from the Claude Code client. It translates these requests from Anthropic's format into the OpenAI-compatible format used by most other LLM providers. It handles model mapping, manages fallback chains if a model fails, optimizes trivial API calls to save quota, and ensures that features like thinking tokens and image inputs are correctly translated for the target model.

Who it’s for

It is for developers who want to use the Claude Code agentic workflow but prefer to use different, cheaper, or local LLM backends instead of being locked into Anthropic's paid API.

Highlights

• Zero-cost options: Supports free tiers from providers like NVIDIA NIM and OpenRouter, or fully local execution via LM Studio and Ollama.
• Drop-in compatibility: Works as a transparent proxy requiring no modifications to the Claude Code CLI or VSCode extension.
• Advanced routing: Supports per-model mapping, fallback chains for reliability, and a model picker for switching backends mid-session.
• Feature parity: Translates Claude-specific features like thinking blocks, tool calls, and image inputs for compatibility with other models.
• Remote control: Includes a Discord/Telegram bot for managing coding sessions remotely.