Tool setup

Claude Code Integration Guide

Set two environment variables and Claude Code will use SeaLink to access Claude models. Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Terminal agentAnthropic-compatible

Prerequisites

Node.js ≥ 18 (run node -v to check)
Claude Code installed (run claude --version to verify)
A valid SeaLink API Key (starts with sk-sealink-)
Network access to sealink.io (port 443, HTTPS)

Setup Steps

Open a terminal

Open the terminal for your operating system: • Windows: Press Win+R, type cmd or powershell, press Enter • macOS: Press Cmd+Space, type Terminal, press Enter • Linux: Open your system terminal

Set environment variables (permanent)

We recommend saving these as permanent environment variables so they're automatically available in every new terminal session. Windows (PowerShell): Open PowerShell and run: [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL', 'https://test.sealink.io/anthropic', 'User') [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('ANTHROPIC_API_KEY', 'sk-sealink-your-key', 'User') Close and reopen PowerShell for the changes to take effect. macOS / Linux (zsh/bash): Edit your shell configuration file: • macOS (zsh default): nano ~/.zshrc • Linux (bash default): nano ~/.bashrc Add these lines at the end of the file: export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://test.sealink.io/anthropic export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-sealink-your-key Save and run source ~/.zshrc (or source ~/.bashrc) to apply immediately.

Get an API Key

Create a new API Key from your SeaLink dashboard → Keys page (it will start with sk-sealink-). Copy the full key string — you'll need it in the next step. Don't have a SeaLink account yet? Visit /login and sign in with your email. An account will be created for you automatically on first login.

Verify the setup

Let's make sure everything is working: 1. Run claude --version to confirm Claude Code is installed 2. Run claude -p "Say hello in one sentence" to send a quick test If you get back a friendly greeting instead of an error, you're all set — SeaLink is now powering your Claude Code sessions.

Start using it

Navigate to your project folder and run claude to enter interactive mode, where Claude can read your code, edit files, and run commands — all through natural conversation. Prefer a quick one-off question? Use claude -p "your question" for a single-shot query that exits when done. Ideal for scripts and automation.

Operating System Notes

Windows

Env vars: We recommend using PowerShell's [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable for permanent settings, or add them manually via System Properties → Environment Variables. Terminal: Windows Terminal is recommended for the best experience.

macOS

Shell: Newer Macs default to zsh, older ones may use bash. Run echo $SHELL to check yours. Config file: zsh → ~/.zshrc, bash → ~/.bash_profile. Note: .bashrc is not auto-sourced on macOS.

Linux

Shell: Most distributions default to bash. Run echo $SHELL to confirm. Config file: Usually ~/.bashrc or ~/.profile. Note: some desktop environments don't source .bashrc on GUI login — add source ~/.bashrc to .profile if needed.

Common Commands

claude

Interactive mode — start a conversation where Claude can read your code, edit files, and run commands. This is what you'll use day to day.

claude -p "question"

Single-shot — ask a question and get an answer, then exit. Perfect for scripts, CI pipelines, and quick lookups.

claude --mcp-debug

MCP debug — if you've connected SeaLink's MCP server, use this to inspect and troubleshoot tool calls.

claude config

Configure settings — interactively adjust your model, theme, permissions, and other preferences.

Common Issues

'command not found' when running claude

Claude Code isn't installed yet, or its install location isn't in your system PATH. Either way, it's a quick fix. Install via one of these methods: • npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code (all platforms) • brew install claude-code (macOS only) After installing, close and reopen your terminal so the new PATH takes effect.

'401 Unauthorized' or authentication failure

This usually means the API Key isn't set correctly. Let's go through the checklist: 1. Run echo $ANTHROPIC_API_KEY to confirm the variable is set 2. Make sure the key is copied in full (starts with sk-sealink-, no extra spaces) 3. Check your SeaLink dashboard to verify the key is still active

Connected but responses are slow

The first request may take a moment while the connection is established — this is normal and typically only affects the first call. If every request feels sluggish or you're seeing timeouts: 1. Try a lightweight model (e.g. claude-haiku-4-5) to compare response times 2. Check the SeaLink status page for any ongoing issues 3. Verify your network can reach sealink.io on port 443 (HTTPS)

Want to use non-Claude models (e.g. GPT-4o)

Claude Code speaks the Anthropic Messages protocol and only works with Claude-series models — that's a Claude Code design choice, not a SeaLink limitation. To use GPT-4o, Qwen, DeepSeek, and other models, try these OpenAI-compatible tools instead: • Cursor / Windsurf — use directly in your IDE • OpenAI SDK — call from your own code • n8n / Dify — integrate into automation workflows All of these work with SeaLink's OpenAI-compatible endpoint and support every chat model we offer.