Switch Between AI Providers Without Editing Config

Once you have multiple provider instances configured, switching between them is a matter of running a different command. No config files to edit. No environment variables to export. Just pick the right binary.

The short version

claude-glm "explain this function"
# Done with GLM, switch to DeepSeek for the next task
claude-deepseek "write tests for auth.ts"

Each command launches a full, independent Claude Code session pointed at its respective provider. They do not interfere with each other.

Why this beats editing config

Without claude-multi, switching providers means one of these:

• Edit settings.json to change the base URL and model
• Swap ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL in your shell profile
• Use different tools for different providers

All of these are slow and error-prone. claude-multi gives each provider its own config directory and wrapper script, so switching is just typing a different command name.

Running multiple sessions at once

Each instance is fully independent. Open two terminals:

# Terminal 1
claude-glm "refactor the database layer"

# Terminal 2
claude-deepseek "review the API endpoints for security issues"

Both run simultaneously. Neither knows the other exists.

Using the one-shot mode

Pass a prompt directly to avoid the interactive session:

claude-glm -p "list all TODO comments in src/"
claude-deepseek -p "generate a migration for the users table"

This is useful for scripting, CI pipelines, or quick questions where you do not need a back-and-forth.

Checking which providers you have

claude-multi
# Pick: Instance details
# Lists every instance with its provider, config path, and status

You can also check directly:

ls ~/.local/bin/claude-*

Each binary corresponds to one provider instance.

Removing a provider

If you stop using a provider:

claude-multi
# Pick: Remove instance
# Select the instance
# Choose whether to delete the config directory

This removes the wrapper binary and optionally wipes the config.

Next steps

• Cut your AI bill with provider routing
• Set up MCP servers