Zukko Blog
Guides to Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and the Claude and GPT APIs: setup, token savings and troubleshooting.
xAI Grok API: Connecting Grok 4.7, Price and the 256K Context
4 min · · models
How to call grok-4.7 through an OpenAI-compatible API, what to do about the 256K context limit and what typical requests cost. Plus a comparison with Grok 4.6.
GPT-6 Astra or Claude Fable 5.1: Two Top Models by Price and Index
5 min · · сравнение
Two premium models with the same intelligence index and different Zukko prices. We price a single request and an agent session with cache, and explain how to choose on your own data.
Qwen or DeepSeek via API: Price, Context and Intelligence Index
5 min · · сравнение
Four models, one task and an honest calculation: what a run costs on Qwen 3.8 Max and Flash versus DeepSeek V4 Pro and V4.1 Flash.
Prompt Engineering Examples: 12 Ready-Made Templates for Work
4 min · · development
Twelve prompt templates for everyday tasks: what each one says, why it is built that way, and what a single API call costs.
DeepSeek in VS Code: connecting through Cline, Kilo Code and Continue
5 min · · IDE
We connect DeepSeek to Cline, Kilo Code and Continue with a single key, choose between Flash and Pro, and estimate the cost of a working day with an agent in the editor.
Fiction with AI: how to write together, not instead of you
6 min · · models
How to work with a model on prose: build a project bible, hold the style, edit in passes and estimate the cost of a long text.
AI agent vs AI assistant: the difference and what to pick for a task
5 min · · агенты
A model answers, an assistant remembers the dialogue, an agent takes steps with tools on its own. The differences by example, and how to decide what your task needs.
Claude Fable 5.1 or Sonnet 5.5: when a big price gap is justified
6 min · · сравнение
Fable 5.1 costs far more than Sonnet 5.5. We price the same task in both API formats and give a way to choose the model from results on your own examples.
DeepSeek V4 Flash or V4.1 Flash: which cheap model to pick
6 min · · сравнение
A newer version is not always more expensive. We compare DeepSeek V4 Flash and V4.1 Flash on price, cache, context and intelligence index, cost a workload and show how to test.
Grok API from Russia: connecting without a foreign card
5 min · · API keys
Step by step connection to Grok 4.7, 4.6 and 4.5 through a gateway: key, address, first request in curl and Python, streaming, images and payment by SBP or crypto.
GPT-6 or GPT-5.6 Sol: is it worth moving to the new generation
5 min · · сравнение
A new generation is not always more expensive and not always better for your task. Three models compared by price and cache, with a plan for a safe switch tested on your own prompts.
A database for RAG: where to store knowledge — vector DB, search or context
6 min · · development
RAG does not require a vector database. Four ways to store knowledge, the cost of a query for each, and a working SQLite example.
YandexGPT API or foreign models through a gateway: which to choose
5 min · · сравнение
A Russian model in Yandex Cloud and foreign models behind an OpenAI-compatible gateway solve the same job differently. We compare the approaches without rankings.
Gemini models in the API: 3.8 Flash vs 3.7 Flash and which to pick
6 min · · models
The catalogue has two Gemini models with the same price and a 1M context. What sets them apart, where each fits and how to keep your code safe when models change.
GLM or DeepSeek via API: comparing price, context and strength index
5 min · · models
GLM charges the same for input and output, DeepSeek is cheaper on input. Two worked scenarios show which wins where and when a 128K window is not enough.
Claude Sonnet 4.6: what it is and when to pick it over Sonnet 5 and 5.5
6 min · · models
Sonnet 4.6 is still in the Zukko catalog, but it costs more and scores lower than Sonnet 5 and 5.5. When to leave a working pipeline alone and when to move.
The best AI for C# programming: choosing a model and setting up an agent
5 min · · development
We give no ranking of the best model for C#, but we show how to compare options by price and index, set up an agent for .NET and verify the result with builds and tests.
Claude Opus 4.6: what it is and how to move to Opus 5.5 safely
5 min · · models
Opus 4.6, 4.7 and 4.8 are the previous generation, and the catalogue now has Opus 5 and 5.5. A four-step migration plan: model id, your own prompts, cost comparison, rollback.
Claude Sonnet 5.5 via API: connection, prices and cache at October 18, 2026
6 min · · models
How to call claude-sonnet-5-5 from Python and curl, what a typical request costs with and without cache, and how it differs from Sonnet 5 and Sonnet 4.6.
Roo Code Ollama: local models in Cline and Aider, an honest look
6 min · · агенты
We connect Ollama to Roo Code, Cline, Aider and OpenCode per each tool's documentation, cover the limits and show when it is simpler to return to a cloud API.
LangChain with_structured_output: a typed model response
5 min · · development
How to get a Pydantic object instead of text from a model: with_structured_output, three methods, include_raw, retries on errors and testing several models on your data.
Gemini API billing: how to pay for Gemini by the token from Russia
6 min · · payments
How Google bills the Gemini API, where setup gets stuck on payment, and how to call Gemini from a single dollar balance instead.
Grok API price: cost of Grok 4.7, 4.6 and 4.5 with examples
6 min · · экономия
We price requests to Grok 4.7, 4.6 and 4.5 in Zukko on three scenarios and compare with official xAI prices. Formulas are shown and the arithmetic can be checked.
Claude on Android in Russia: what to do if the app won't install
5 min · · models
If the official Claude app won't install on Android in Russia, you can still use the model from your phone: through the gateway's web chat or a client with your own key.