Claude API

Reference for the Claude API / Anthropic SDK — model ids, pricing, params, streaming, tool use, MCP, agents, caching, token counting, model migration. TRIGGER — read BEFORE opening the target file; don't skip because it "looks like a one-liner" — whenever: the prompt names Claude/Anthropic in any form (Claude, Anthropic, Fable, Opus, Sonnet, Haiku, `anthropic`, `@anthropic-ai`, `claude-*`, `us.anthropic.*`, `[1m]`); the user asks about an LLM (pricing/model choice/limits/caching) — never answer from memory; OR the task is LLM-shaped with provider unstated (agent/MCP/tool-definition/multi-agent

185,668 stars 21,918 forksAI, LLMs & AgentsOfficial Plugin marketplace

Install

Claude Code plugin

/plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills

Then run /plugin to install the skill set that includes it. In Claude.ai and the Claude app, Anthropic skills are built in: turn them on in Settings → Capabilities.

skills CLI (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and more)

npx skills add anthropics/skills --skill claude-api

Manual install

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/anthropics/skills.git /tmp/skills
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/skills/skills/claude-api ~/.claude/skills/claude-api

Personal skills live in ~/.claude/skills. Use .claude/skills in a project folder to share a skill with your team.

From the SKILL.md

# Building LLM-Powered Applications with Claude

This skill helps you build LLM-powered applications with Claude. Choose the right surface based on your needs, detect the project language, then read the relevant language-specific documentation.

## Before You Start

Scan the target file (or, if no target file, the prompt and project) for non-Anthropic provider markers - `import openai`, `from openai`, `langchain_openai`, `OpenAI(`, `gpt-4`, `gpt-5`, file names like `agent-openai.py` or `*-generic.py`, or any explicit instruction to keep the code provider-neutral. If you find any, stop and tell the user that this skill produces Claude/Anthropic SDK code; ask whether they want to switch the file to Claude or want a non-Claude implementation. Do not edit a non-Anthropic file with Anthropic SDK calls. (Exception: the `prompt-audit` subcommand is non-interactive and does not stop here - it records non-Anthropic provider markers in its report's stated assumptions and never proposes switching a non-Anthropic file to the Anthropic SDK.)

## Output Requirement

When the user asks you to add, modify, or implement a Claude feature, your code must call Claude through one of:

1. **The official Anthropic SDK** for the project's language (`anthropic`, `@anthropic-ai/sdk`, `com.anthropic.*`, etc.). This is the default whenever a supported SDK exists for the project.

Read the full skill on GitHub

Details

Skill name: claude-api
Repository: anthropics/skills
Path: skills/claude-api/SKILL.md
Repo updated: 28 October 2026
Listed in: anthropics/skills (official), BehiSecc/awesome-claude-skills, ComposioHQ/awesome-claude-skills, heilcheng/awesome-agent-skills, hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code, karanb192/awesome-claude-skills, skillmatic-ai/awesome-agent-skills, travisvn/awesome-claude-skills

FAQ

What does the Claude API skill do?

How do I install the Claude API skill?

Claude Code plugin: /plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills. Skills go in ~/.claude/skills (personal) or .claude/skills (project), and Claude loads them automatically when a task matches the description.

Is Claude API popular?

It lives in anthropics/skills, which has 185,668 GitHub stars and 21,918 forks, and is included in 8 curated skill lists.

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