Using with Coding Tools

ModelsLab’s LLM API is compatible with popular AI coding tools. Since it supports both OpenAI and Anthropic API formats, you can use it as a drop-in backend for most AI coding assistants. Choose any model ID available on the ModelsLab LLM catalog or through the List Models endpoint. In the examples below, replace YOUR_MODEL_ID with the model you want to use.

Choose your coding agent

Claude Code

Use ModelsLab as Claude Code’s Anthropic-compatible provider.

Hermes Agent

Configure ModelsLab as a custom OpenAI-compatible model provider.

Pi

Add ModelsLab models through Pi’s custom provider configuration.

Claude Code

Claude Code is Anthropic’s agentic CLI coding tool. You can point it at ModelsLab’s API to use any of 200+ LLM models.

Quick Start

Run any supported model through Claude Code using ModelsLab as the API provider. ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN is preferred for interactive sessions. Use --model or /model to switch model IDs.

CLAUDE_CODE_ATTRIBUTION_HEADER=0 \
ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm" \
ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY" \
claude --model "YOUR_MODEL_ID" --dangerously-skip-permissions

Persistent Configuration

Add to your shell profile (~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc, etc.):

export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm"
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY"

Then run Claude Code with any model:

claude --model "Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct-together"
claude --model "meta-llama/Llama-3.1-70B-Instruct"
claude --model "deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-R1"

Non-Interactive / Scripting

ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm" \
ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN="YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY" \
claude --model "Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct-together" \
  -p "Explain this codebase" \
  --dangerously-skip-permissions

Hermes Agent

Hermes Agent is Nous Research’s open-source agent. Configure its custom OpenAI-compatible provider to run ModelsLab models.

Quick Start

Run Hermes with the ModelsLab base URL, API key, and your selected model:

OPENAI_BASE_URL="https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm" \
OPENAI_API_KEY="YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY" \
hermes --provider custom --model "YOUR_MODEL_ID"

Persistent Configuration

Save the custom provider settings so future Hermes sessions use ModelsLab automatically:

hermes config set model.provider custom
hermes config set model.base_url "https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm"
hermes config set OPENAI_API_KEY "YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY"
hermes config set model.default "YOUR_MODEL_ID"

Then start Hermes:

hermes

Use hermes model to select another configured model whenever you need to switch.

Pi

Pi is a terminal coding agent that supports custom OpenAI-compatible providers. Add ModelsLab to Pi’s model configuration, then select it from Pi’s model picker.

Configuration

Create or update ~/.pi/agent/models.json:

{
  "providers": {
    "modelslab": {
      "baseUrl": "https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm",
      "api": "openai-completions",
      "apiKey": "$MODELSLAB_API_KEY",
      "models": [
        {
          "id": "YOUR_MODEL_ID",
          "name": "Your ModelsLab model",
          "reasoning": true,
          "input": ["text"],
          "contextWindow": 128000,
          "maxTokens": 16384
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Set your API key and start Pi:

export MODELSLAB_API_KEY="YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY"
pi --provider modelslab --model "YOUR_MODEL_ID"

You can add additional ModelsLab model IDs to the models array. Open /model in Pi to choose between the configured models.

OpenAI Codex CLI

Codex CLI is OpenAI’s open-source coding agent. It works with any OpenAI-compatible API.

Setup

OPENAI_API_KEY="YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY" \
OPENAI_BASE_URL="https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm" \
codex --model "Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct-together"

With Environment Variables

export OPENAI_API_KEY="YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY"
export OPENAI_BASE_URL="https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm"

codex --model "Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct-together" "refactor this function"

Cursor

Cursor is an AI-powered code editor. You can configure it to use ModelsLab as a custom OpenAI-compatible provider.

Setup

Open Cursor Settings (Cmd+, / Ctrl+,)
Go to Models > OpenAI API Key
Set your API key to your ModelsLab API key
Set the base URL to https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm
Add your preferred model IDs (e.g., Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct-together)

You can now select ModelsLab models from Cursor’s model dropdown.

Continue (VS Code / JetBrains)

Continue is an open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains.

Configuration

Edit your ~/.continue/config.yaml:

models:
  - name: ModelsLab Qwen 72B
    provider: openai
    model: Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct-together
    apiBase: https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm
    apiKey: YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY

  - name: ModelsLab DeepSeek R1
    provider: openai
    model: deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-R1
    apiBase: https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm
    apiKey: YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY

Aider

Aider is a terminal-based AI pair programming tool.

Setup

OPENAI_API_KEY="YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY" \
OPENAI_API_BASE="https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm" \
aider --model "openai/Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct-together"

With `.aider.conf.yml`

openai-api-key: YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY
openai-api-base: https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm
model: openai/Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct-together

LangChain

Use ModelsLab as the LLM backend in your LangChain applications:

from langchain_openai import ChatOpenAI

llm = ChatOpenAI(
    model="Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct-together",
    openai_api_key="YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY",
    openai_api_base="https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm",
    temperature=0.7,
)

response = llm.invoke("Explain the Builder pattern in Python")
print(response.content)

LiteLLM

LiteLLM provides a unified API for 100+ LLM providers. Add ModelsLab as a custom provider:

import litellm

response = litellm.completion(
    model="openai/Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct-together",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}],
    api_key="YOUR_MODELSLAB_API_KEY",
    api_base="https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm",
)

print(response.choices[0].message.content)

General OpenAI-Compatible Tools

Any tool that supports a custom OpenAI base URL works with ModelsLab:

Setting	Value
API Key	Your ModelsLab API key
Base URL	`https://modelslab.com/api/v7/llm`
Model	Any model from List Models

Browse all available models at modelslab.com/models/category/llmaster and use the model ID directly in any compatible tool.

​Choose your coding agent

Claude Code

Hermes Agent

Pi

​Claude Code

​Quick Start

​Persistent Configuration

​Non-Interactive / Scripting

​Hermes Agent

​Quick Start

​Persistent Configuration

​Pi

​Configuration

​OpenAI Codex CLI

​Setup

​With Environment Variables

​Cursor

​Setup

​Continue (VS Code / JetBrains)

​Configuration

​Aider

​Setup

​With .aider.conf.yml

​LangChain

​LiteLLM

​General OpenAI-Compatible Tools

Choose your coding agent

Claude Code

Quick Start

Persistent Configuration

Non-Interactive / Scripting

Hermes Agent

Quick Start

Persistent Configuration

Pi

Configuration

OpenAI Codex CLI

Setup

With Environment Variables

Cursor

Setup

Continue (VS Code / JetBrains)

Configuration

Aider

Setup

With `.aider.conf.yml`

LangChain

LiteLLM

General OpenAI-Compatible Tools