---
slug: "anthropic-api"
name: "Claude API"
effect: "Gives programmatic access to Claude models and Claude Managed Agents over a REST API with official SDKs"
category: "model-api"
tier: "standard"
url: "https://claude.com/platform/api"
github: "anthropics/anthropic-sdk-python"
pricing: "paid"
license: "Proprietary API; Python SDK is MIT"
tags: ["claude", "anthropic", "rest-api", "sdk", "python", "tool-use"]
platforms: []
install_kind: "pip"
date_added: "2026-10-14"
rank: null
rising_score: 38
stars: 3971
star_velocity: 2.9
velocity_basis: "since creation"
created_at: "2023-01-17T20:57:10Z"
pushed_at: "2026-10-14T17:13:07Z"
signals_status: "ok"
signals_fetched_at: "2026-10-15T05:02:37.033Z"
page: "https://agenttooldrop.com/tools/anthropic-api"
---

# Claude API

Gives programmatic access to Claude models and Claude Managed Agents over a REST API with official SDKs

Category: Models and APIs. Tier: standard (a well-known tool, listed for reference, not ranked). Pricing: Paid. License: Proprietary API; Python SDK is MIT.

## Why you would want it

The Claude API at api.anthropic.com covers the Messages API, Message Batches (asynchronous, at a 50% cost reduction), token counting, a Files API and a Skills API, with beta Agents, Sessions and Environments APIs for running managed agents in cloud sandboxes. The official SDKs handle auth headers, retries, streaming and typed requests, and the Python SDK adds tool helpers and a tool runner. Claude is also available through Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud, Claude Platform on AWS and Microsoft Foundry if you need cloud billing and IAM.

## Best for

- Building agents on Claude models
- Direct access to the latest Claude features
- Large asynchronous batch jobs

## Use it when

You are building on Claude and want direct access to the latest models and features with Anthropic billing and support.

## Skip it if

You need to run models on your own hardware or want one API across many vendors. It requires a Claude Console account and an API key, and usage is billed.

## Install

Install the Python SDK:

```sh
pip install anthropic
```

Source: https://github.com/anthropics/anthropic-sdk-python#readme

## Live signals

Fetched 2026-10-15T05:02:37.033Z (status: ok).

- Repository: anthropics/anthropic-sdk-python
- Repository created: 2023-01-17
- Stars: 3,971 (GitHub's count; it cannot be authenticated)
- Stars per day, since repo creation: 2.9 (an average over the repo's life, not a growth rate)
- Forks: 886
- Open issues and PRs: 203
- License (GitHub): MIT
- Last push: 2026-10-14
- Latest release: v1.14.0 (2026-10-14)

## Links

- Website: https://claude.com/platform/api
- GitHub: https://github.com/anthropics/anthropic-sdk-python
- Install instructions verified at: https://github.com/anthropics/anthropic-sdk-python#readme
- Source for this entry: https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/api/overview
- AgentToolDrop page: https://agenttooldrop.com/tools/anthropic-api
- Full catalog (JSON): https://agenttooldrop.com/tools.json