To use Claude’s models (such as Claude 3.5 Sonnet and Claude 3.7 Sonnet) in Xcode with Alex Sidebar without paying a subscription for Alex, you’ll need an Anthropic API key.

Here’s how to get one:

  1. Visit Anthropic’s Console

  2. Create an account or sign in if you already have one

  3. Once logged in, navigate to the API Keys section in your account settings

  4. Click “Create New API Key”

  5. Give your key a name (e.g., “Alex Sidebar”) and create it

  6. Copy the API key - make sure to save it somewhere secure as you won’t be able to see it again

  7. In Alex Sidebar:

    • Open Settings (⚙️)
    • Select “Models” at the bottom of the page
    • Paste your Anthropic API key in the Anthropic text field

Keep your API key secure and never share it publicly. If you suspect your key has been compromised, you should immediately rotate it in the Anthropic Console.

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Usage & Billing

  • Anthropic bills based on the number of tokens used
  • You can monitor your usage in the Anthropic Console
  • Set up billing alerts to avoid unexpected charges
  • New accounts typically come with some free credits to get started

For more information about Claude’s pricing and usage, visit Anthropic’s pricing page.

Enabling Anthropic does not give you access to all of Alex’s features. To enable codebase indexing, follow the VoyageAI API Key Instructions, and to enable Thinking mode, follow the FireworksAI API Key Instructions.

For other models like GPT 4o and the o-series (o1, o3, o3-mini), follow the OpenAI API Key Instructions.