Claude Code + OpenRouter: $0 Setup Guide

Learn how to set up Claude Code with OpenRouter for a completely $0 configuration. In this tutorial, I'll show you how to bypass the standard subscription costs by using free models through the OpenRouter API. I just discovered this workflow today and wanted to share it with my viewers! We will cover everything from terminal installation to setting up your .zshrc and global settings. 🛠️ Resources Mentioned: ✅ OpenRouter: https://openrouter.ai ✅ OpenRouter Docs: https://openrouter.ai/docs/guides/guides/coding-agents/claude-code-integration ✅ OpenRouter Free Models: https://openrouter.ai/models?q=free ✅ Model used in video: "openrouter/free" ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction & Overview 01:20 - Installing Claude Code 02:08 - Generating OpenRouter API Key 04:05 - Global Configuration Setup (.zshrc) 07:31 - Configuring Free Models (settings.json) 10:26 - Running Claude Code for the First Time 12:20 - Monitoring API Usage & Logs 13:23 - Live Coding Test: Building a Web Page 15:36 - How to Choose Specific Free Models 18:34 - Quick Recap of Setup Steps 21:30 - Final Code Test Result & Outro #claudecode #openrouter #aicoding #developertools #ai #free