If you follow AI programming, you've probably heard of Claude Code—Anthropic's official AI programming assistant.
It's powerful, but comes with barriers for some users:
| Issue | Official Claude | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $20/month (~145 RMB) | From 20 RMB/month |
| Payment | International credit card | Alipay, WeChat |
| Network | Requires VPN | Direct connection |
This article teaches you how to use Claude Code with alternative model providers, walking through the complete setup from installation to实战.
1. What is Claude Code?
AI programming has evolved through three stages:
- Code Completion (like GitHub Copilot) — You write, it completes
- Chat Assistance (like ChatGPT) — You ask, it answers
- Intelligent Agents (Claude Code) — It plans, uses tools, completes complex tasks
Claude Code is not a "tool", it's an "agent".
It doesn't just write code, it can:
- Manipulate files, run commands
- Understand entire project structures
- Read information across projects
- Remember context and conversation history
1.5 Is Claude Code Right for You?
Heads up: Claude Code has a learning curve.
It requires:
- Comfort with command line (terminal)
- Willingness to tinker with environment setup
- Acceptance of occasional errors and debugging
If you're a complete beginner just wanting AI help with coding, I recommend starting with more beginner-friendly tools that have graphical interfaces.
But if you're willing to cross this threshold—Claude Code opens a new world.
Its capabilities far exceed traditional tools. Once you use multi-window, Skills, and MCP features, there's no going back.
2. Preparation: Getting API Keys
2.1 Register Account
Visit your chosen model provider's platform and complete registration.
2.2 Get API Key
After logging in, go to the API Keys section and create a new API Key.
Keep it secure — don't share it with others.
2.3 Choose a Plan
Model providers typically offer multiple tiers:
| Plan | For Whom | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | Casual users | Entry-level pricing |
| PRO | Heavy users | Higher quotas |
| MAX | Professional users | Maximum quotas |
3. One-Click Installation: Coding Tool Helper
3.1 Install Claude Code First
Step 1: Open Terminal
Search for "Terminal" on your computer and open it.
Don't be intimidated — think of it as a cool-looking AI chat box.
Step 2: Run Installation Command
Paste this command in your terminal and press Enter:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
If you encounter errors:
- If you have Cursor or other AI programming tools installed, try installing through them
- Ask any AI for help troubleshooting
Step 3: Alternative Installation
If npm doesn't work, use the official script:
macOS / Linux / WSL:
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
Windows:
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex
Step 4: Verify Installation
After installation, run:
claude --version
If a version number appears, installation was successful.
3.2 Run Coding Tool Helper
Coding Tool Helper is a configuration assistant that helps load your model provider's settings into Claude Code.
npx @z_ai/coding-helper
You'll see a friendly interface — follow the prompts to paste your API Key and complete configuration.
4. First Use
4.1 Start Claude Code
Create an empty folder, enter it, and start:
mkdir todo-demo
cd todo-demo
claude
You'll see a welcome screen — AI is ready to help.
Select "Yes Progress" to agree.
4.2 Let AI Start Working
Tell it what you want to do:
Help me build an HTML todo app
Claude will:
- Analyze requirements
- Plan the implementation
- Start writing code
- Request your authorization when creating files
4.3 Authorization
When Claude needs to create files or run commands, it will ask for confirmation:
1. Yes
2. Yes, allow all edits during this session (shift+tab)
3. Type here to tell Claude what to do differently
Use arrow keys to select and press Enter to confirm.
If frequent confirmations interrupt your workflow, there's a solution:
4.4 Danger Mode (Optional)
If you trust the environment, skip authorizations:
claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
Not recommended for beginners.
5. Project Initialization: Help AI Understand You
For new projects with existing code, run:
claude
> init
This scans the entire project and generates a claude.md file — like an "employee handbook" for AI. For empty projects, you can wait until later or specify your requirements upfront.
Tip: Let AI Address You by Name
Add this to claude.md:
**IMPORTANT: Always address the user by name.**
The user's name is **Gudong**. When responding to questions or providing updates:
- Start responses with "Gudong," or "Alright Gudong,"
After this, AI responses will look like:
Gudong, I've completed the log simplification...
Alright Gudong, this is because...
This also serves as a context indicator — if AI stops using your name, context may have been lost and you should run /clear.
6. Common Commands
Basic Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
/exit |
Exit Claude Code |
/clear |
Clear conversation context and reload |
/help |
Show help information |
Startup Parameters
| Parameter | Purpose |
|---|---|
claude --compress |
Auto-compress context on startup |
claude --dangerously-skip-permissions |
Skip authorization confirmations |
claude --no-progress |
Don't show progress bar |
claude --debug |
Show debug information |
Context Management
When conversations get long, Claude automatically compresses summaries.
You can also manually clear:
/clear
Or restart:
/exit
claude
7. Multi-Window Mode: True Multi-Threading
This is my favorite feature.
Open two terminal windows, same project:
- Window A: Develop settings page
- Window B: Develop about page
They work independently without interfering.
You can open 6, 8 windows simultaneously — as many as you can keep up with.
Git Worktree Mode
Advanced users can combine with Git Worktree.
Git Worktree lets you check out multiple branches of the same repo into different directories:
# Create a worktree for feature development
git worktree add ../feature-a origin/feature-a
# In new window, enter that directory
cd ../feature-a
claude
This way:
- Window A: Fix bugs on main branch
- Window B: Develop features on feature-a branch
Two completely independent, non-interfering windows.
8. Skills: Turn Repetitive Tasks into Shortcuts
Skills encapsulate repetitive tasks as "shortcut commands".
8.1 Skill Example: Explain Code
Create an explain-code skill:
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/explain-code
Write SKILL.md:
---
name: explain-code
description: Explains how code works with plain language and diagrams
---
When explaining code, please:
1. Use real-world analogies
2. Show flow with ASCII diagrams
3. Walk through code execution step by step
4. Point out common pitfalls
After this, when you ask "how does this code work?", AI will use this skill to answer.
8.2 Skill Example: Code Review
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/review
SKILL.md:
---
name: review
description: Reviews code, identifies potential issues and improvements
---
When reviewing code, please check:
1. Whether naming is clear
2. Whether there's duplicate logic
3. Whether error handling is comprehensive
4. Whether there's room for performance optimization
8.3 Real Example: Turn GitHub Projects into Tools
The AI era is different.
Those amazing GitHub projects used to be "visible but unusable" for beginners.
Take yt-dlp, the 143k star video download tool. You know it's powerful, but the command line and environment setup scare people away.
Now with Skills, you can tell Claude Code:
Help me package yt-dlp as a Skill
It analyzes the project, writes the wrapper, handles dependencies. In a few minutes, you have a working video download tool.
Not just video downloads. Format conversion, webpage-to-APP, password tools... all those verified GitHub projects can become Skills.
The stability of these open source projects far exceeds AI's临时 written code.
More About Skills
One skill, one purpose — that's the principle.
Think LEGO blocks: each piece is simple, but together they create infinite combinations. Better to create several "small and beautiful" skills than one "big and comprehensive" skill.
You don't even need to write code yourself. Just tell Claude Code your requirements, and it can generate the complete skill code.
There's even an official skill called create-skills (the skill that creates skills) — it asks you questions step by step, then automatically creates the skill for you.
9. Image Handling
Claude Code supports multiple ways to process images:
Method 1: Paste Directly
Press Ctrl+V in the terminal to paste a screenshot.
Method 2: Send Path
> Check this screenshot /path/to/image.png
Method 3: Project Images Folder
Put images in your project's images/ folder, AI can read them directly.
10. MCP: Plugin Ecosystem
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is Claude Code's plugin system.
One use case: Figma design to code.
After installing Figma MCP, send the design link to AI and it generates corresponding HTML/CSS code.
Not covered in detail here — search "Claude MCP" for more information.
11. Recommended Workflow: Understanding New Projects
The official documentation has a great workflow:
# 1. Enter project directory
cd /path/to/project
# 2. Start Claude
claude
# 3. Request project overview
> give me an overview of this codebase
# 4. Deep dive
> explain the main architecture patterns used here
> what are the key data models?
> how is authentication handled?
This workflow helps you quickly get up to speed with unfamiliar projects.
12. Troubleshooting
429 Error (Usage Limit Exceeded)
Usage limit reached for 5 hour. Your limit will reset at 2025-10-18 03:03:23
Means your quota is used up. Wait for reset or upgrade your plan.
Other Issues
The official documentation is well-written — check it first when encountering problems.
In Closing
Claude Code is not a "tool", it's your "intelligent collaboration partner".
It:
- Understands entire project structures
- Plans complex tasks
- Calls various tools
- Remembers context and history
From "passive response" to "active collaboration" — this is the qualitative leap in AI programming assistants.
To get started, the barrier is actually quite low:
- Register for an account with your chosen model provider
- Use coding-helper for one-click configuration
- Create an empty folder, type
claude
The rest of the journey, it will walk with you.
Related Reading:
- Claude Code: It's Not a Tool, It's an Intern — Understand the core concepts
- What is Vibe Coding? Or, "Conversational Programming" — Understand the philosophy
- 10 Minutes, I Built an App by "Talking": Conversational Programming Guide — Complete beginner's workflow
- Sidebar Notes: I Built a Browser Plugin with Claude Code — Real-world case study
By Gudong, indie hacker building inBox Notes.
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