aattaran · 2026-05-03 · major
DeepClaude — Run Claude Code's Agent Loop on DeepSeek V4 Pro for 17x Cheaper Tokens
MIT-licensed shim that swaps Claude Code's API endpoint for DeepSeek V4 Pro, OpenRouter, or Fireworks while keeping every Claude Code feature — file edits, bash, subagents, autonomous loops.
Point Claude Code at DeepSeek V4 Pro and pay $0.87 per million output tokens instead of $15 — same agent loop, same tools, different brain.
Key specs
| GitHub stars | 144 |
|---|---|
| Output cost per mtokens deep seek | $0.87 |
| Output cost per mtokens anthropic | $15.00 |
| Claimed savings | 17x |
What is it?
DeepClaude is a small shell wrapper that intercepts Claude Code's outbound API calls and routes them to any Anthropic-compatible backend. Out of the box it ships configs for DeepSeek V4 Pro, OpenRouter, and Fireworks AI, but anything that speaks the Anthropic Messages format works.
How does it work?
The wrapper sets ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL and ANTHROPIC_API_KEY before invoking the upstream `claude` CLI, so file reads, edits, bash execution, subagent spawning, and autonomous multi-step loops all run unchanged. A `--backend` flag swaps providers per session; thinking mode and remote-control-via-browser are preserved.
Why does it matter?
Claude Code's token bill is the main reason teams hit usage caps. DeepSeek V4 Pro hits 96.4% on LiveCodeBench at roughly 1/17 the per-token price, so for routine refactors and code edits the cost difference compounds quickly. The repo hit HN's front page top 5 within hours of being created.
Who is it for?
indie devs, small teams burning through Claude Code credits, anyone running long agent loops on a budget
Try it
git clone https://github.com/aattaran/deepclaude && DEEPSEEK_API_KEY=sk-... ./deepclaude.sh