Configure Z.ai with Claude Code: Complete Guide to GLM-4.6 Integration

Why Developers Are Switching to Z.ai + Claude Code

In the rapidly evolving landscape of AI-powered development tools, a powerful combination has emerged that’s capturing developers’ attention: Z.ai’s GLM models integrated with Claude Code. This partnership offers compelling advantages that are hard to ignore:

💰 Unbeatable Cost Efficiency

1/7th the cost of Claude’s official API pricing
Same powerful interface, fraction of the price
Pay-as-you-go pricing model that scales with your usage

🚀 Enhanced Performance

GLM-4.6 reportedly outperforms Claude 4.5 Sonnet in coding tasks
Superior front-end development capabilities (HTML/CSS generation)
Faster response times for iterative development

🛠️ Seamless Integration

Zero code changes required in Claude Code
Full compatibility with Claude Code’s feature set
Maintains all familiar workflows and shortcuts

Understanding the Integration

The magic behind this integration lies in Z.ai’s Anthropic-compatible API endpoint. This means GLM models can communicate with Claude Code without any modifications to the existing codebase.

graph LR A[Claude Code Interface] --> B[Z.ai API Gateway] B --> C[GLM-4.6 Model] B --> D[GLM-4.5-Air Model] style A fill:#e1f5fe style B fill:#f3e5f5 style C fill:#e8f5e9 style D fill:#fff3e0

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

Claude Code installed on your system
Z.ai API key from z.ai/manage-apikey/apikey-list
Terminal access for environment configuration

Complete Setup Guide

Method 1: Automated Script (Recommended for First-Time Users)

The quickest way to get started is using Z.ai’s setup script:

# Download and run the setup script
curl -O "http://bigmodel-us3-prod-marketplace.cn-wlcb.ufileos.com/1753683755292-30b3431f487b4cc1863e57a81d78e289.sh?ufileattname=claude_code_prod_zai.sh"
chmod +x claude_code_prod_zai.sh
./claude_code_prod_zai.sh

The script automatically:

Sets the correct API endpoint
Configures authentication
Applies optimal model settings

Method 2: Manual Configuration

For more control over the configuration, set up manually:

# Set the Z.ai API endpoint
export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://api.z.ai/api/anthropic

# Add your API key
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=YOUR_ZAI_API_KEY_HERE

Important: These environment variables must be set before launching Claude Code.

Model Configuration and Performance

Available Models

Model	Use Case	Performance	Cost
GLM-4.6	Complex coding, dialogue, full-stack development	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Low
GLM-4.5-Air	File search, syntax checking, quick tasks	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Very Low

Custom Model Selection

To specify which GLM model to use for different tasks, edit your Claude Code settings. Create or modify the configuration file at ~/.claude/settings.json:

Basic Configuration

{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "your_zai_api_key_here",
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://api.z.ai/api/anthropic",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL": "GLM-4.5-Air",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL": "GLM-4.6",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL": "GLM-4.6"
  }
}

Advanced Configuration with Custom Settings

{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY_USE": "https://docs.z.ai/scenario-example/develop-tools/claude",
    "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "your_zai_api_key_here",
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://api.z.ai/api/anthropic",
    "ANTHROPIC_MODEL": "GLM-4.6",
    "ANTHROPIC_SMALL_FAST_MODEL": "GLM-4.5-Air",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL": "GLM-4.6",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL": "GLM-4.6",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL": "GLM-4.5-Air"
  },
  "modelPreferences": {
    "coding": "GLM-4.6",
    "debugging": "GLM-4.6",
    "documentation": "GLM-4.6",
    "fileSearch": "GLM-4.5-Air",
    "syntaxCheck": "GLM-4.5-Air",
    "quickRefactor": "GLM-4.5-Air"
  }
}

Model Mapping Explanation

Claude Model	GLM Equivalent	Best Use Cases
Haiku (fast)	`GLM-4.5-Air`	Quick searches, syntax validation, file operations
Sonnet (balanced)	`GLM-4.6`	General coding, debugging, documentation
Opus (powerful)	`GLM-4.6`	Complex architecture, full-stack development

Key Environment Variables

Variable	Purpose	Example Value
`ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`	Your Z.ai API key	`adxxxxxxhJ5nZ4`
`ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL`	Z.ai API endpoint	`https://api.z.ai/api/anthropic`
`ANTHROPIC_MODEL`	Default model	`GLM-4.6`
`ANTHROPIC_SMALL_FAST_MODEL`	Quick tasks model	`GLM-4.5-Air`

Task-Specific Configuration Examples

For Front-End Development:

{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "your_zai_api_key_here",
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://api.z.ai/api/anthropic",
    "ANTHROPIC_MODEL": "GLM-4.6",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL": "GLM-4.5-Air",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL": "GLM-4.6",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL": "GLM-4.6"
  },
  "projectType": "frontend",
  "preferredModel": "GLM-4.6"
}

For Quick Prototyping:

{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "your_zai_api_key_here",
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://api.z.ai/api/anthropic",
    "ANTHROPIC_MODEL": "GLM-4.5-Air",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL": "GLM-4.5-Air",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL": "GLM-4.5-Air",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL": "GLM-4.6"
  },
  "mode": "rapid-prototyping"
}

For Cost Optimization:

{
  "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "your_zai_api_key_here",
    "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://api.z.ai/api/anthropic",
    "ANTHROPIC_MODEL": "GLM-4.5-Air",
    "ANTHROPIC_SMALL_FAST_MODEL": "GLM-4.5-Air",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL": "GLM-4.5-Air",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL": "GLM-4.5-Air",
    "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL": "GLM-4.5-Air"
  },
  "costOptimization": true
}

Verification

After updating your settings, verify the configuration:

Restart Claude Code to apply changes
Run /status command to check active models
Test with a simple coding task to confirm model selection

The configuration takes effect immediately after restarting Claude Code.

Model Performance Insights

Based on community feedback:

GLM-4.6 excels at: Full-stack development, complex problem-solving, code architecture
GLM-4.5-Air shines in: Quick searches, syntax validation, simple refactoring
Both models handle: Multiple programming languages, framework integration, debugging

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue 1: Settings.json Validation Error

Problem: Claude Code shows “invalid settings files” error even with correct configuration.

Solution: This is a known validation issue with the Z.ai API endpoint. Two workarounds:

Empty settings.json (disables hooks but allows basic functionality):
```
{}
```
Use environment variables only and skip settings.json entirely.

Issue 2: API Connection Problems

Problem: Authentication failures or connection timeouts.

Solution:

Verify your API key is correct and active
Check that the base URL is exactly: https://api.z.ai/api/anthropic
Ensure environment variables are set before launching Claude Code

Issue 3: Model Not Responding as Expected

Problem: GLM models not being used despite configuration.

Solution:

Check model status with /status command in Claude Code
Verify the environment variables are properly set
Restart Claude Code after configuration changes

Advanced Configuration

Optimizing for Different Development Scenarios

flowchart TD A[Start Development Task] --> B{Task Type} B -->|Full-stack Project| C[GLM-4.6] B -->|Quick Bug Fix| D[GLM-4.5-Air] B -->|Code Review| E[GLM-4.6] B -->|File Search| F[GLM-4.5-Air] C --> G[Complex Architecture] D --> H[Fast Iteration] E --> I[Deep Analysis] F --> J[Quick Results] style C fill:#e8f5e9 style D fill:#fff3e0 style E fill:#e8f5e9 style F fill:#fff3e0

Performance Tuning Tips

Use GLM-4.5-Air for repetitive tasks to save costs
Switch to GLM-4.6 for complex problem-solving
Clear context periodically when working on long sessions
Use specific prompts to guide the model selection process

Community Feedback and Real-World Experiences

What Developers Are Saying

“I was paying $200/month for Claude’s coding plan. Z.ai GLM-4.6 gives me better performance at 1/7th the cost. It’s a no-brainer.” - Reddit User

“GLM-4.6 is crushing it for front-end development. The HTML/CSS generation is noticeably better than Claude 4.5 Sonnet.” - Developer Blog

“The setup was incredibly simple. Just set two environment variables and I was up and running in minutes.” - GitHub Issue Comment

Performance Comparisons

Feature	Claude 4.5 Sonnet	GLM-4.6	Winner
Front-end Code	Good	Excellent	GLM-4.6
Backend Logic	Excellent	Excellent	Tie
Debugging	Very Good	Very Good	Tie
Documentation	Excellent	Good	Claude 4.5
Cost	$200/month	~$30/month	GLM-4.6
Response Speed	Fast	Faster	GLM-4.6

Troubleshooting Checklist

Before reaching out for support, run through this checklist:

graph TD A[Issue?] --> B{Check API Key} B -->|Invalid| C[Get new API key] B -->|Valid| D{Check Environment Variables} D -->|Missing| E[Set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL and ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN] D -->|Present| F{Check Claude Code Version} F -->|Outdated| G[Update Claude Code] F -->|Current| H{Test with Simple Prompt} H -->|Works| I[Try Complex Task] H -->|Fails| J[Check Network Connection] I -->|Works| K[Issue Resolved] I -->|Fails| L[Contact Support] style C fill:#ffebee style E fill:#fff3e0 style G fill:#e8f5e9 style K fill:#e8f5e9 style L fill:#ffebee

Best Practices

1. Security First

Never commit API keys to version control
Use environment variables instead of hardcoding
Regularly rotate your API keys

2. Optimize Costs

Use GLM-4.5-Air for simple tasks
Switch to GLM-4.6 only when needed
Monitor your usage regularly

3. Maximize Performance

Clear context when switching between projects
Use specific, well-structured prompts
Leverage the /status command to verify model selection

4. Stay Updated

Follow Z.ai’s documentation for new features
Join community forums for tips and tricks
Test new model versions as they’re released

Getting Help

If you encounter issues:

Check the official documentation: docs.z.ai/scenario-example/develop-tools/claude
Visit the community forum: Active discussions on Reddit and developer blogs
Check GitHub issues: Known problems and workarounds are regularly updated
Contact Z.ai support: Direct assistance for API-specific problems

Conclusion

The integration of Z.ai’s GLM models with Claude Code represents a significant shift in the AI development landscape. By offering superior performance at a fraction of the cost, it’s becoming the go-to choice for developers who want to maximize their productivity without breaking the bank.

Whether you’re a solo developer looking to optimize costs or a team seeking better performance, the Z.ai + Claude Code combination provides a compelling solution that’s hard to beat.

Ready to get started? Follow the setup guide above and experience the power of GLM-4.6 in Claude Code today!

This guide is based on community feedback, official documentation, and real-world testing experiences. Features and pricing may change, so always check the latest documentation for the most up-to-date information.