pi-claude-directsdk

Claude as a Pi model provider through the unmodified Claude Code executable. Pi owns the transcript and tools; the CLI supplies subscription authentication as a model transport.

Packages

Package details

extension

Install pi-claude-directsdk from npm and Pi will load the resources declared by the package manifest.

npm repohome report
$ pi install npm:pi-claude-directsdk
Package
pi-claude-directsdk
Version
0.1.4
Published
Oct 9, 2026
Downloads
355/mo · 193/wk
Author
joaomj
License
MIT
Types
extension
Size
132.1 KB
Dependencies
0 dependencies · 2 peers
Pi manifest JSON
{
  "extensions": [
    "./extensions/claude-directsdk/index.ts"
  ]
}

Security note

Pi packages can execute code and influence agent behavior. Review the source before installing third-party packages.

README

Pi Claude DirectSDK

npm version

Use Claude inside Pi through the unmodified Claude Code executable. Pi owns the transcript, tools, approvals, and retries. The CLI supplies subscription authentication as a model transport.

Capabilities:

  • Run sonnet, opus, haiku, and versioned routes as Pi models.
  • Execute Pi tools (read, bash, edit, write, codemode) with Claude models.
  • Resume sessions with exact replay of signed thinking.
  • Work in interactive, print (-p), and resumed sessions.

Limits:

  • One Pi model call spawns one request-scoped claude process.
  • One Pi model call produces at most one upstream Messages request.
  • The provider never manages login, never reads credentials, and never falls back to another billing route.
  • Required strict constrained decoding (strict: "require") is rejected. See docs/architecture.md.

Requirements

  • Node 20 or later.
  • Claude Code in the qualified range >=2.1.263 <2.2.0 (see QUALIFIED_CLI_RANGE in src/models.ts).
  • A Claude paid plan. The free plan excludes the CLI.
  • A Claude Code login via claude auth login.

Transport qualification uses Pi 1.0.2 and Claude Code 2.1.281. Startup and extension loading are also verified with Pi 1.1.0. Those startup checks make no paid requests.

Install

Install the qualified Claude Code version:

npm install -g --ignore-scripts=false @anthropic-ai/claude-code@2.1.281

Sign in through the official CLI login:

claude auth login

Install the extension, then restart Pi:

pi install git:github.com/joaomj/pi-claude-directsdk

Start Pi with a DirectSDK model:

pi --model claude-directsdk/haiku

DirectSDK uses the CLI login, not the Pi Anthropic login. The npm install flag enables the Claude Code installer for that command only.

The model catalog does not guarantee account entitlement. Start with haiku for a small request. Models that require usage credits can incur separate charges. To use only the included subscription allowance, disable additional paid usage in your Claude account.

Use

List models from a local checkout without installing it:

pi -e ./extensions/claude-directsdk/index.ts --list-models claude-directsdk

Run a prompt:

pi -e ./extensions/claude-directsdk/index.ts -p --model claude-directsdk/sonnet -- "Hello."

Cache-only initialization uses the pinned catalog without Claude CLI probes. The request transport loads on the first Claude request. See docs/startup.md for behavior, measurements, and limits.

Configuration

Setting Purpose
CLAUDE_DIRECTSDK_COMMAND Override the claude executable path.
CLAUDE_DIRECTSDK_CONFIG_DIR Point at a logged-in CLI config directory.
CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN Supply a token from claude setup-token in the environment Pi runs in.

See docs/troubleshooting.md for login and environment errors.

Verify

npm test

This runs offline checks only and consumes no subscription allowance. Opt-in live suites are documented in docs/testing.md.

Costs

Per-model cost metadata is Anthropic list price. Pi reports it as an estimate, never as a subscription charge. Failed or interrupted requests are never reported as free.

Documentation

Document Contents
docs/architecture.md Request lifecycle, model routing, tool transport, admission relay.
docs/startup.md Cache-only initialization, lazy loading, and startup measurements.
docs/testing.md Offline and opt-in test suites.
docs/troubleshooting.md Missing CLI, logged-out CLI, conflicting environment.

Acknowledgments

Behavioral reference: Hermes Claude Subscription DirectSDK (MIT). This project copies its behavior contract, not its code.

License

MIT. See LICENSE.