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Using Qwen3-Coder with Claude Code via CCProxy: The Ultimate AI Coding Setup ​

Alibaba just dropped a game-changer in the AI coding world: Qwen3-Coder, a massive 480B-parameter model that's setting new benchmarks. Released on July 23, 2025, this open-source powerhouse is now competing head-to-head with Claude and GPT-4.1. The best part? You can use it with Claude Code through CCProxy!

What Makes Qwen3-Coder Special? ​

Qwen3-Coder isn't just another AI model. It's a 480B-parameter Mixture-of-Experts model that activates only 35B parameters per query, making it both powerful and efficient. Here's what sets it apart:

  • 256K token context window (expandable to 1M tokens!)
  • 119 programming languages supported
  • 69.6% score on SWE-bench Verified (nearly matching Claude-Sonnet-4's 70.4%)
  • 7.5 trillion tokens of training data (70% code-focused)
  • True agentic capabilities for autonomous programming

Quick Setup: Qwen3-Coder + Claude Code + CCProxy ​

Getting Qwen3-Coder working with Claude Code is surprisingly straightforward with CCProxy. Here's how to do it in under 5 minutes:

Step 1: Get Your OpenRouter API Key ​

First, sign up for OpenRouter to access Qwen3-Coder:

  1. Visit OpenRouter
  2. Create an account and get your API key
  3. Add credits to your account (or use the free tier)

Step 2: Configure CCProxy for Qwen3-Coder ​

Create a configuration file for CCProxy that includes Qwen3-Coder:

json
{
  "host": "127.0.0.1",
  "port": 3456,
  "providers": [
    {
      "name": "openrouter",
      "api_key": "${OPENROUTER_API_KEY}",
      "api_base_url": "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
      "models": ["qwen/qwen3-coder", "qwen/qwen3-coder:free"],
      "enabled": true
    }
  ],
  "routes": {
    "default": {
      "provider": "openrouter",
      "model": "qwen/qwen3-coder",
      "parameters": {
        "temperature": 0.2,
        "max_tokens": 8000
      }
    },
    "longContext": {
      "provider": "openrouter",
      "model": "qwen/qwen3-coder",
      "parameters": {
        "temperature": 0.1,
        "max_tokens": 16000
      }
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Set Environment Variables ​

bash
export OPENROUTER_API_KEY="sk-or-v1-your-openrouter-api-key"

Step 4: Start CCProxy ​

bash
ccproxy start --config ~/.ccproxy/qwen-config.json
ccproxy code

That's it! Claude Code will now use Qwen3-Coder for all its AI operations.

Advanced Configuration: Multi-Model Setup ​

Want the best of both worlds? Configure CCProxy to use different models for different tasks:

json
{
  "providers": [
    {
      "name": "openrouter",
      "api_key": "${OPENROUTER_API_KEY}",
      "api_base_url": "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
      "models": ["qwen/qwen3-coder", "qwen/qwen3-coder:free", "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-20250720"],
      "enabled": true
    }
  ],
  "routes": {
    "default": {
      "provider": "openrouter",
      "model": "qwen/qwen3-coder",
      "parameters": {
        "temperature": 0.3
      }
    },
    "think": {
      "provider": "openrouter",
      "model": "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-20250720"
    },
    "claude-3-5-haiku-20241022": {
      "provider": "openrouter",
      "model": "qwen/qwen3-coder:free",
      "parameters": {
        "temperature": 0.1,
        "max_tokens": 4000
      }
    }
  }
}

This configuration:

  • Uses Qwen3-Coder as the default model for most tasks
  • Routes thinking-intensive tasks to Claude when needed
  • Maps Haiku requests to the free tier of Qwen3-Coder

Real-World Performance Comparison ​

Here's how Qwen3-Coder stacks up in real-world usage with Claude Code:

TaskQwen3-CoderClaude-Sonnet-4GPT-4.1
Code Generation⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bug Fixing⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Code Refactoring⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Long Context⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Open Source⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐❌❌

Tips for Maximum Performance ​

1. Leverage the Massive Context Window ​

Qwen3-Coder's 256K token context is perfect for:

  • Analyzing entire codebases
  • Understanding complex project structures
  • Maintaining context across multiple files

2. Optimize Temperature Settings ​

  • 0.1-0.3: For precise code generation and bug fixes
  • 0.5-0.7: For creative solutions and architecture design
  • 0.8-1.0: For brainstorming and exploration

3. Use Smart Routing ​

Take advantage of different routing strategies:

json
{
  "routes": {
    "default": {
      "provider": "openrouter",
      "model": "qwen/qwen3-coder"
    },
    "background": {
      "provider": "openrouter",
      "model": "qwen/qwen3-coder:free"
    }
  }
}

Troubleshooting Common Issues ​

API Key Not Working ​

If you're getting authentication errors:

  1. Ensure your OpenRouter API key starts with sk-or-v1-
  2. Check that you have credits in your OpenRouter account
  3. Verify the base URL is https://openrouter.ai/api/v1

Model Not Found ​

The model name must be exactly qwen/qwen3-coder or qwen/qwen3-coder:free in your configuration.

Slow Response Times ​

Qwen3-Coder is optimized for quality over speed. For faster responses:

  • Use lower temperature values
  • Limit max_tokens when appropriate
  • Consider using parallel requests for independent tasks

Why Qwen3-Coder + Claude Code? ​

This combination gives you:

  • Open-source flexibility with enterprise-grade performance
  • 262K token context window for handling large codebases
  • Seamless integration with your existing Claude Code workflow
  • No vendor lock-in - switch models anytime
  • Free tier available through OpenRouter

Conclusion ​

Qwen3-Coder represents a significant leap forward in open-source AI coding models. By integrating it with Claude Code through CCProxy, you get the best of both worlds: the familiar Claude Code interface with the power of Alibaba's latest AI innovation.

Ready to supercharge your coding workflow? Set up Qwen3-Coder with CCProxy today and experience the future of AI-assisted development!

Resources ​

Have questions or feedback? Join the discussion on our GitHub Discussions page.