Introduction
Agentic Engineering Amplified
Cloding is a universal wrapper that lets you run Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Codex CLI, OpenCode, or GitHub Copilot CLI — use OpenRouter, Direct API keys, or link to your paid plan.
Claude Code is a powerful agentic coding tool — it edits files, runs terminal commands, and manages your entire development workflow. But it costs $5/Mtok input and $25/Mtok output.
cloding lets you run the exact same Claude Code experience with any model on OpenRouter. Same tools, same file editing, same terminal access — just swap the model underneath.
Why cloding?
| Claude Code | cloding + Qwen | |
|---|---|---|
| Input cost | $5.00/Mtok | $0.12/Mtok |
| Output cost | $25.00/Mtok | $0.75/Mtok |
| Tools & editing | ✅ | ✅ |
| Terminal access | ✅ | ✅ |
| 30-min session | ~$5.00 | ~$0.12 |
A typical 30-minute coding session that costs ~$5 with Claude Code costs ~$0.12 with Qwen 3 Coder. That's 42x cheaper on input.
Key Features
One-line install — Standalone binary, no Node.js required. curl | bash on Mac/Linux, irm | iex on Windows. Run cloding setup to install all 5 CLI tools automatically.
Universal CLI wrapper — Not just Claude Code. Run Gemini CLI, Codex CLI, GitHub Copilot CLI, or OpenCode — all through one interface with consistent flags and Docker support.
Flexible auth — Use OpenRouter for any model, direct API keys (Anthropic, Google, OpenAI), or link to your paid plan (Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT, Copilot). Mix and match per session.
Docker sandboxing — Run any CLI tool in an isolated container. No access to your secrets, SSH keys, or host filesystem. Just the workspace you mount.
Pipeline mode — Multi-stage coding pipelines with parallel fan-out. Assign different models to different stages: Plan → Explore → Code → Review.
Zero lock-in — All flags pass through to the underlying CLI. It's the same tools you already know, just cheaper and more flexible.
How it works
cloding is a thin wrapper that routes API calls through OpenRouter (or your chosen provider) instead of directly to the default API. When you run cloding, it:
- Resolves your model shortcut to a provider + model ID
- Sets the right environment variables for the chosen CLI tool
- Spawns the CLI (Claude Code, Gemini, Codex, Copilot, or OpenCode)
That's it. No forks, no patches, no modified binaries. Just configuration.