# CrabDash Gateway API

Use CrabDash's local OpenAI-compatible and Anthropic-compatible endpoints from any app, SDK, or CLI tool.

CrabDash runs a [CrabLLM](/content/docs/crabllm/index.html) gateway on `127.0.0.1:5635`. It exposes both an OpenAI-compatible and an Anthropic-compatible API — use whichever format your tools expect.

## Endpoints

| Format                 | Base URL                           |
|-----------------------|------------------------------------|
| OpenAI-compatible     | `http://127.0.0.1:5635/v1`        |
| Anthropic-compatible  | `http://127.0.0.1:5635/anthropic` |

No API key is required by default (the gateway is local-only). If you enable virtual keys in settings, pass them via the `Authorization` header as usual.

## Supported routes

| Route                              | Description                                               |
|------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
| `GET /v1/models`                   | List available models across all configured providers      |
| `POST /v1/chat/completions`       | OpenAI-format chat completions (streaming and non-streaming) |
| `POST /anthropic/v1/messages`     | Anthropic-format messages (streaming and non-streaming)   |
| `GET /docs`                        | OpenAPI documentation for the full gateway API            |

For the complete API reference, open `http://127.0.0.1:5635/docs` in your browser while CrabDash is running, or see the [CrabLLM API docs](https://crabtalk.github.io/crabllm/api).

## Usage with SDKs

### Python (OpenAI SDK)

```python
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="http://127.0.0.1:5635/v1",
    api_key="unused",
)

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}],
)
```

### Python (Anthropic SDK)

```python
import anthropic

client = anthropic.Anthropic(
    base_url="http://127.0.0.1:5635/anthropic",
    api_key="unused",
)

message = client.messages.create(
    model="claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
    max_tokens=1024,
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}],
)
```

### Node.js (OpenAI SDK)

```javascript
import OpenAI from "openai";

const client = new OpenAI({
  baseURL: "http://127.0.0.1:5635/v1",
  apiKey: "unused",
});

const response = await client.chat.completions.create({
  model: "gpt-4o",
  messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Hello" }],
});
```

### Node.js (Anthropic SDK)

```javascript
import Anthropic from "@anthropic-ai/sdk";

const client = new Anthropic({
  baseURL: "http://127.0.0.1:5635/anthropic",
  apiKey: "unused",
});

const message = await client.messages.create({
  model: "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
  max_tokens: 1024,
  messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Hello" }],
});
```

### curl (OpenAI format)

```bash
curl http://127.0.0.1:5635/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.0-flash",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}],
    "stream": true
  }'
```

### curl (Anthropic format)

```bash
curl http://127.0.0.1:5635/anthropic/v1/messages \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "x-api-key: unused" \
  -d '{
    "model": "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
    "max_tokens": 1024,
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}]
  }'
```

## Pointing apps at CrabDash

Any app that lets you set a custom base URL works with CrabDash. Use whichever format the app expects:

- **OpenAI-format apps**: Set base URL to `http://127.0.0.1:5635/v1`
- **Anthropic-format apps**: Set base URL to `http://127.0.0.1:5635/anthropic`

Common examples:

- **Continue (VS Code)**: Set `apiBase` to `http://127.0.0.1:5635/v1` in your model config
- **Cursor**: Settings → Models → OpenAI API Base → `http://127.0.0.1:5635/v1`
- **aider**: `aider --openai-api-base http://127.0.0.1:5635/v1`
- **Claude Code**: `ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:5635/anthropic claude`

## Model routing

When multiple providers serve the same model, CrabDash routes using weighted random selection with automatic failover. Configure weights and routing rules in Settings → Routing.
 
For full routing configuration details, see [CrabLLM Configuration](/content/docs/crabllm/configuration/index.html).