Blog

Guides on the API, Cursor, Claude, and token savings.

Claude Code keeps asking to log in to Anthropic

2 min · 11 September 2026 · claude-code

Claude Code insists on signing in to Anthropic even though your key is configured. One environment variable is to blame.

The model's answer stops mid-sentence — why

2 min · 11 September 2026 · errors

The answer cuts off mid-word. There are four causes, and one field in the API response tells them apart.

Migrating a project from the official API to a gateway

2 min · 11 September 2026 · migration

Moving to a compatible gateway is two lines of configuration and an hour of verification. Here is exactly what changes.

Why your token count is higher than your prompt

2 min · 9 September 2026 · tokens

A five-word question shows up as thousands of tokens in your usage. That is not a billing bug — here is the breakdown.

Cursor does not see your models after changing the base URL

2 min · 8 September 2026 · cursor

The key is in, the URL is replaced, and the model list is empty or verification fails. Four causes by frequency.

Your API key leaked — a step-by-step response

2 min · 8 September 2026 · security

A leaked key means a growing bill. The first steps take a minute, and their order matters more than speed.

Common API connection errors and how to read them

3 min · 8 September 2026 · errors

Connecting usually takes two minutes; when it does not, the cause is almost always one of four things. How to read the server's answer.

Which model to choose when they all share one key

3 min · 8 September 2026 · models

When every model sits behind one key, the choice stops being technical and becomes economic. How to pick without overpaying.

Base URL with or without /v1 — which client needs what

2 min · 8 September 2026 · setup

The same gateway needs different base URLs in different clients. Getting the suffix wrong yields a 404 with no useful explanation.

Do you need a VPN for the Claude and GPT APIs

2 min · 8 September 2026 · access

A VPN solves the wrong problem. What is blocked is the payment, not the address — and your exit IP does not change that.

Paying for Cursor from Russia: connect your own API key

2 min · 8 September 2026 · cursor

Cursor's subscription needs a foreign card, but the editor can talk to any OpenAI-compatible API with your own key.

How to pay for the Claude API from Russia in 2026

3 min · 8 September 2026 · payments

Anthropic does not accept cards issued by Russian banks. Three routes that work, with the honest caveats for each.

What the Claude API really costs

3 min · 8 September 2026 · pricing

A rate per million tokens means nothing until you know your own workload. Here is how to actually estimate it.

Paying for AI models with crypto: how it actually works

3 min · 8 September 2026 · payments

Neither Anthropic nor OpenAI accepts crypto, so the real question is about intermediaries. What to watch for, and what crypto does not buy you.

Claude Code from scratch: install and configure with your own key

3 min · 7 September 2026 · claude-code

Installing Claude Code and configuring it to run on your own API key, step by step, including the mistakes almost everyone makes.

Codex without a ChatGPT subscription: pointing it at another API

2 min · 7 September 2026 · codex

Codex takes its provider from a config file, so you can point it anywhere compatible. Here is the exact config and what each field does.

Hitting Claude usage limits: what to do

3 min · 5 September 2026 · limits

The quota runs out mid-week and money cannot buy your way past it. Why the cap exists and what the alternatives actually cost.

Claude Code without a subscription: connecting via API key

2 min · 5 September 2026 · claude-code

Claude Code works with a plain API key, not only with a subscription. Then you pay for the tokens you used, not for a month.

Blog · Zukko