Claude Code CLI - EvoLink.AI

Overview

Claude Code CLI is the official command-line tool from Anthropic for interacting with Claude models in the terminal. By integrating Claude Code CLI with EvoLink API, you can directly access Claude model capabilities through EvoLink.

Prerequisites

Before configuring, make sure you have:

Get EvoLink API Key

Log in to EvoLink Dashboard
Find API Keys in the dashboard, click “Create New Key” button, then copy the generated Key
API Key usually starts with sk-

How to Open Terminal

Windows
macOS
Linux

Method 1: Press Win + R, type cmd or powershell, then press Enter
Method 2: Search for “Command Prompt” or “PowerShell” in the Start menu
Method 3: Hold Shift and right-click in a folder, select “Open PowerShell window here”

Method 1: Press Command + Space to open Spotlight, type Terminal, then press Enter
Method 2: Go to “Applications” → “Utilities” → “Terminal”
Note: macOS uses zsh by default (macOS 10.15+), older versions use bash, both work fine

Method 1: Press Ctrl + Alt + T shortcut
Method 2: Search for “Terminal” in the application menu

Step 1: Install Claude Code CLI

1. One-Command Installation

macOS / Linux
Windows

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

Expected result: You’ll see download and installation info, ending with a success message.If error occurs: permission denied means you need to add sudo before the command.

Run in PowerShell:

irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

Expected result: You’ll see download and installation info, ending with a success message.If error occurs: You need to “Run as administrator” PowerShell.After installation, you need to configure environment variables:After installation, the CLI will be placed at: C:\Users\<your-username>\.local\bin\claude.exeWhy configure PATH? Windows can only find executable programs in directories specified in PATH. If you don’t add this directory to PATH, you’ll need to use the full path to run claude.exe.Permanent configuration (Recommended):

Open System Settings → System → About → Advanced system settings
Click Environment Variables
Find Path in “User variables”, click Edit
Click New, add the following path (note: it’s the directory, not the exe file):
```
C:\Users\<your-username>\.local\bin
```
Click OK to save
Restart your terminal (close and reopen PowerShell or CMD)

Quick configuration (Temporary): If you don’t want to modify system settings, you can temporarily add it in the current PowerShell session:

$env:PATH += ";$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin"

Note: This method only works for the current session and will be lost after closing the terminal.

Note: This installation method doesn’t require pre-installing Node.js or npm. The installation script handles all dependencies automatically.

2. Verify Installation

claude --version

Success indicator: Shows version number (e.g., 1.x.x).

Step 2: Configure EvoLink API

Claude Code CLI is configured via settings.json.

Method 1: Configure settings.json (Recommended)
Method 2: Temporary Setup (Current Terminal Only)
Method 3: Permanent Setup (Global)

1. Open config directory

Windows
macOS
Linux

Press Win + R, paste the following, then press Enter:

%userprofile%\.claude

If folder doesn’t exist: Manually create .claude folder (press Win + R, type %userprofile%, press Enter to open user directory, then create a new folder named .claude).

In Finder, press Command + Shift + G, paste the following path, then press Enter:

~/.claude

If folder doesn’t exist: Open Terminal and run mkdir ~/.claude to create the folder.

Open file manager and navigate to:

~/.claude

If folder doesn’t exist: Open Terminal and run mkdir ~/.claude to create the folder.

2. Edit settings.json

In the opened folder, if settings.json doesn’t exist, right-click in empty space → New → Text Document → Rename to settings.json (remove .txt extension). Then double-click to open with an editor and add the following content:

{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN": "your-evolink-api-key",
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://code.evolink.ai",
    "CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_NONESSENTIAL_TRAFFIC": "1"
  },
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [],
    "deny": []
  }
}

⚠️ Important:

Copy completely without missing any symbols
Replace "your-evolink-api-key" with actual API Key (keep quotes)
Don’t use Chinese input method for punctuation

Configuration options:

ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN: Your EvoLink API Key
ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL: https://code.evolink.ai (EvoLink API endpoint)
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_NONESSENTIAL_TRAFFIC: Reduce non-essential network requests

Windows
macOS / Linux

In PowerShell:

$env:ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://code.evolink.ai"
$env:ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="your-evolink-api-key"

In CMD:

set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://code.evolink.ai
set ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=your-evolink-api-key

Note: Configuration expires after closing the terminal.

In Terminal:

export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://code.evolink.ai"
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="your-evolink-api-key"

Note: Configuration expires after closing the terminal.

⚠️ Note: Replace your-evolink-api-key with your actual API Key.

Windows
macOS
Linux

GUI Setup:

Right-click “This PC” → “Properties” → “Advanced system settings” → “Environment Variables”
In “User variables” or “System variables”, create new:
- Variable name: ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL
- Variable value: https://code.evolink.ai
Add ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN with your API Key as the value
Click “OK” to save

PowerShell Command:

[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL', 'https://code.evolink.ai', 'User')
[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN', 'your-evolink-api-key', 'User')

Note: Restart terminal to take effect.

Edit shell configuration file (choose based on your shell):If using zsh (macOS default):

echo 'export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://code.evolink.ai"' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="your-evolink-api-key"' >> ~/.zshrc

If using bash:

echo 'export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://code.evolink.ai"' >> ~/.bash_profile
echo 'export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="your-evolink-api-key"' >> ~/.bash_profile

Apply immediately:

source ~/.zshrc  # or source ~/.bash_profile

Edit shell configuration file (choose based on your shell):If using bash (common on Linux):

echo 'export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://code.evolink.ai"' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="your-evolink-api-key"' >> ~/.bashrc

If using zsh:

echo 'export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://code.evolink.ai"' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="your-evolink-api-key"' >> ~/.zshrc

Apply immediately:

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

⚠️ Note: Replace your-evolink-api-key with your actual API Key.

Step 3: Start Using Claude Code CLI

1. Enter a safe working directory

cd <your-working-directory>

Note: Replace <your-working-directory> with actual path

2. Interactive mode

claude

3. Verify configuration

claude "Who are you"

Success indicators:

See AI response text (several lines)
No errors like 401, 403, API Key invalid

If you see errors:

401 Unauthorized: API Key not set or invalid → Check settings.json
403 Forbidden: Insufficient API Key permissions → Verify API Key
Network error: Network issue → Check connection

FAQ

1. What is Claude Code CLI and what is it used for?

Claude Code CLI is the official command-line tool from Anthropic that allows users to interact with Claude models in the terminal. It’s primarily used for code assistance, text generation, Q&A conversations, and file analysis—especially suited for developers who need quick AI capabilities in a command-line environment.

2. How do I verify installation and configuration on first use?

Run these commands in sequence:

claude --version: Confirm Claude Code CLI is installed
claude "Who are you": Confirm API configuration is correct

3. What’s the difference between interactive mode and single command mode?

Interactive mode: Run claude to enter continuous conversation for multi-turn interactions, ideal for complex tasks
Single command mode: Run claude "question" to get a single response and exit, ideal for quick queries

4. Will Claude Code CLI automatically read or upload my local files and code?

No. Claude Code CLI only reads file content when you explicitly reference or authorize it, and will request confirmation before performing sensitive operations. It’s recommended to use it in a dedicated project folder.

5. How do I use Claude Code CLI to analyze or process local file content?

In interactive mode, you can reference files by:

Typing the file path for Claude to read
Dragging files into the terminal window
Copy and pasting file content

6. Does Claude Code CLI support Chinese input and output?

Yes, fully supported. Claude Code CLI supports Chinese input and output—you can ask questions in Chinese and receive Chinese responses.

7. No output after execution—what could be the cause?

Common causes include:

Network connection issues preventing API server access
Invalid API Key or insufficient balance
Incorrect ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL configuration
Firewall or proxy blocking requests

8. Why don’t my config file or environment variable changes take effect?

Restart your terminal or command line window
Check that settings.json has valid JSON syntax
Verify the config file path:
- Windows: C:\Users\{username}\.claude\settings.json
- macOS / Linux: ~/.claude/settings.json

9. What causes 401/403 errors?

401 error: ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN not set or invalid API Key
403 error: Insufficient API Key permissions or expired key
Verify ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL is set to https://code.evolink.ai

10. What scenarios is Claude Code CLI suited for? What is it not suited for?

Suited for:

Code writing, debugging, and refactoring
Quick Q&A in command-line environments
File content analysis and processing
Automation script integration

Not suited for:

Complex interactions requiring a graphical interface
Real-time collaborative editing
Large-scale batch file processing

11. How do I switch models?

Type /model in interactive mode to switch models.

12. What Claude models does EvoLink support?

EvoLink supports the following Claude models:

Model Name	Description
`claude-haiku-4-5-20251001`	Fast response
`claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929`	Balanced
`claude-sonnet-4-20250514`	Standard
`claude-opus-4-1-20250805`	Advanced
`claude-opus-4-5-20251101`	Latest

13. How do I upload images?

Option 1: Reference the image path
Option 2: Drag and drop an image into the terminal
Option 3: Paste an image directly

All methods require user action—Claude Code CLI will not automatically read or upload local images.

Notes

Run Claude Code CLI in a dedicated project folder. Avoid running it in sensitive directories (such as system folders or directories containing credentials). Claude Code CLI operates starting from the current working directory.

If you previously logged in with an official account, clear the ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN environment variable or override it in settings.json.

AI Coding Tools

​Overview

​Prerequisites

​Get EvoLink API Key

​How to Open Terminal

​Step 1: Install Claude Code CLI

​1. One-Command Installation

​2. Verify Installation

​Step 2: Configure EvoLink API

​1. Open config directory

​2. Edit settings.json

​Step 3: Start Using Claude Code CLI

​1. Enter a safe working directory

​2. Interactive mode

​3. Verify configuration

​FAQ

​1. What is Claude Code CLI and what is it used for?

​2. How do I verify installation and configuration on first use?

​3. What’s the difference between interactive mode and single command mode?

​4. Will Claude Code CLI automatically read or upload my local files and code?

​5. How do I use Claude Code CLI to analyze or process local file content?

​6. Does Claude Code CLI support Chinese input and output?

​7. No output after execution—what could be the cause?

​8. Why don’t my config file or environment variable changes take effect?

​9. What causes 401/403 errors?

​10. What scenarios is Claude Code CLI suited for? What is it not suited for?

​11. How do I switch models?

​12. What Claude models does EvoLink support?

​13. How do I upload images?

​Notes

Overview

Prerequisites

Get EvoLink API Key

How to Open Terminal

Step 1: Install Claude Code CLI

1. One-Command Installation

2. Verify Installation

Step 2: Configure EvoLink API

1. Open config directory

2. Edit settings.json

Step 3: Start Using Claude Code CLI

1. Enter a safe working directory

2. Interactive mode

3. Verify configuration

FAQ

1. What is Claude Code CLI and what is it used for?

2. How do I verify installation and configuration on first use?

3. What’s the difference between interactive mode and single command mode?

4. Will Claude Code CLI automatically read or upload my local files and code?

5. How do I use Claude Code CLI to analyze or process local file content?

6. Does Claude Code CLI support Chinese input and output?

7. No output after execution—what could be the cause?

8. Why don’t my config file or environment variable changes take effect?

9. What causes 401/403 errors?

10. What scenarios is Claude Code CLI suited for? What is it not suited for?

11. How do I switch models?

12. What Claude models does EvoLink support?

13. How do I upload images?

Notes