> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.builddown.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Use Anthropic API or Claude OAuth with AI-Implement

> Configure AI-Implement to use the Anthropic API or Claude Code OAuth token as the Claude provider, with auth precedence and model selection explained.

By default, AI-Implement uses the Anthropic provider, which supports two authentication methods: `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` (API key) and `CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN` (Claude Code OAuth token). You do not need to configure a provider explicitly — `anthropic` is the default when you add a repo mapping in the admin UI. This page explains how to set up the required secrets and how to control which model Claude uses for each run.

## Authentication methods

The workflow selects an auth method automatically based on which secrets are present. The precedence order is:

1. **Bedrock** — used if the orchestrator sets `provider=bedrock` (see [AWS Bedrock](/providers/aws-bedrock))
2. **Claude Code OAuth token** — used if `CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN` is set
3. **Anthropic API key** — used if only `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` is set

<Tip>
  The OAuth token is preferred over the API key when both are present. If you have a Claude Code subscription, set `CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN` — the API key will be used as a fallback only when the OAuth token is absent.
</Tip>

## Required GitHub Actions secrets

Both the implementation workflow (`claude-implement.yml`) and the planning workflow (`claude-plan.yml`) read the same set of secrets. Add these as **organization secrets** (or repository secrets on each target repo):

| Secret                     | Description                                                                      |
| -------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`        | Anthropic API key. Used as a fallback when `CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN` is not set. |
| `CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN`  | Claude Code OAuth token. Preferred over the API key when present.                |
| `LINEAR_API_KEY`           | Linear API key for posting status updates and planning comments.                 |
| `AI_IMPLEMENT_APP_ID`      | GitHub App numeric ID used to authenticate workflow actions.                     |
| `AI_IMPLEMENT_PRIVATE_KEY` | GitHub App RSA private key (PEM format, with newlines escaped as `\n`).          |

See [Environment variables for AI-Implement](/configuration/environment-variables) for more detailed information on each variable.

## Choosing between API key and OAuth token

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Claude Code OAuth token (preferred)">
    Use the OAuth token if your team has a Claude Code subscription. The token is scoped to your Claude account and does not consume API credits separately.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Get your OAuth token">
        On a machine with the Claude CLI installed, run `claude setup-token`. Your browser opens to authenticate; after you approve, the token is printed to your terminal.

        <Warning>
          Copy the token immediately after it is generated — it's only shown once and not saved on terminal exit.
        </Warning>
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add the secret">
        In your GitHub organization (or target repo), go to **Settings → Secrets and variables → Actions** and add a secret named `CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN` with the token value.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Verify the workflow picks it up">
        The workflow's auth detection step checks for the presence of `CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN`. If it is set, the OAuth path is used automatically — no other configuration is required.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Anthropic API key (fallback)">
    Use the API key if you do not have a Claude Code subscription, or as a fallback when the OAuth token is not available.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Generate an API key">
        Sign in to the Anthropic console and create an API key for your organization.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add the secret">
        In your GitHub organization (or target repo), go to **Settings → Secrets and variables → Actions** and add a secret named `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` with the key value.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Leave CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN unset">
        If `CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN` is not set, the workflow falls back to `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` automatically.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Setting the provider in the admin UI

The provider is configured per repo mapping, not globally. To confirm or change the provider for a repo:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the admin UI">
    Navigate to your orchestrator's `/admin` page and log in with your access code.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Edit the repo mapping">
    Find the team/repo mapping and open the edit form. The **Provider** field defaults to `anthropic`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Leave **Provider** set to `anthropic` and save. No **AWS Region** is required for the Anthropic provider.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Selecting a model

The model Claude uses is controlled by the `model:` key in the front matter of your repo's `WORKFLOW.md` (and `PLANNING.md` if planning is enabled). The value is passed verbatim to `claude-code --model`, so any model ID that Anthropic's API or your OAuth token accepts is valid.

```yaml theme={null}
---
model: claude-sonnet-4-6
---
```

**Default behavior:**

* If `model:` is not set in `WORKFLOW.md`, the implementation workflow defaults to `claude-sonnet-4-6`.
* The gap analysis step defaults to `claude-haiku-4-5-20251001` when no `gap_analysis_model:` is specified.

**Example model IDs for the Anthropic provider:**

```yaml theme={null}
---
# Use Sonnet for implementation (default)
model: claude-sonnet-4-6

# Optional: use a cheaper model for gap analysis
gap_analysis_model: claude-haiku-4-5-20251001
---
```

Other valid Anthropic model IDs include `claude-opus-4-7` and `claude-haiku-4-5-20251001`. New Anthropic model releases flow through without requiring a workflow template update — the model ID is not validated by the workflow.

<Note>
  The seed `WORKFLOW.md` that AI-Implement syncs to your repo already includes `model: claude-sonnet-4-6`, so new repos work out of the box without any model configuration.
</Note>