> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://bifrost-dev.mintlify.site/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Claude Desktop > Route Claude Desktop App traffic through Bifrost for multi-provider routing, virtual keys, and observability. The [Claude Desktop App](https://claude.ai/download) brings Claude to your desktop with a chat interface and a built-in Code tab powered by [Claude Code](https://claude.com/product/claude-code). By routing the Code tab through Bifrost, you get multi-provider routing, virtual keys, budget controls, and full observability. If your Allowed Headers are already set to `*`, you can skip this note. If not and you face issues integrating Bifrost with Claude Desktop, try switching to `*` or adding the specific headers required by your client. By default, Bifrost whitelists: `Content-Type`, `Authorization`, `X-Requested-With`, `X-Stainless-Timeout`, and `X-Api-Key`. ## How It Works The Claude Desktop App has two tabs with different routing behavior: | Tab | Traffic | Bifrost Integration | | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------- | | **Code tab** | Uses the Anthropic Messages API (Claude Code under the hood) | Route inference through Bifrost's `/anthropic` endpoint | | **Chat tab** | Connects directly to claude.ai | Connect to Bifrost's `/mcp` endpoint for MCP tools | This guide covers configuring the **Code tab** for inference routing and the **Chat tab** for MCP tool access. ## Setup ### 1. Configure settings.json Open `~/.claude/settings.json` and add the Bifrost endpoint and API key under the `env` key: ```json theme={null} { "env": { "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "your-bifrost-virtual-key", "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "http://localhost:8080/anthropic" } } ``` For production deployments: ```json theme={null} { "env": { "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "your-bifrost-virtual-key", "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://bifrost.example.com/anthropic" } } ``` You can open this file by running `/config` inside Claude Code, or by editing `~/.claude/settings.json` directly. These settings are shared between the Desktop app and the CLI. ### 2. Start a New Session Close any active session in the Code tab and start a new one for the settings to take effect. ## Native App Routing via the Gateway Provider (Developer Mode) The steps above route the **Code tab** through Bifrost. The Claude Desktop app can also route its **native inference** through a custom gateway directly, without touching `~/.claude/settings.json`. This is configured in the app's **Developer** settings by setting the **inference provider** to **Gateway**. The Developer settings and the Gateway inference provider are surfaced by Claude Desktop and may require Developer mode (or managed/enterprise enablement) to appear. If you don't see them, this flow isn't available in your build. ### 1. Enable Developer Mode and Select Gateway 1. Open **Settings** and enable **Developer mode**. 2. Go to the **Developer** tab and find the **Inference provider** setting. 3. Set the inference provider to **Gateway**. Selecting Gateway as the inference provider in Claude Desktop Developer settings ### 2a. Authenticate with a Virtual Key (Direct) Fill in the gateway fields to point Claude Desktop at Bifrost: | Field | Value | | -------------------- | --------------------------------------- | | **Gateway base URL** | `https:///anthropic` | | **Auth scheme** | `x-api-key` or `bearer` (both work) | | **Gateway API key** | Your Bifrost virtual key | A few things to get right: * **Use the `/anthropic` path.** Claude Desktop appends `/v1/messages` to the base URL, and Bifrost serves the Anthropic Messages API under `/anthropic` (so requests land on `/anthropic/v1/messages`). * **The virtual key is the credential.** With either auth scheme, set the key to your Bifrost virtual key — Bifrost recognizes a virtual key sent as `Authorization: Bearer ` or `X-Api-Key: `. Configuring the gateway base URL, auth scheme, and API key in Claude Desktop After saving, **restart Claude Desktop** so it picks up the gateway configuration. ### 2b. Authenticate with SSO Instead of a static virtual key, you can set the gateway auth scheme to **Interactive sign-in** and have Claude Desktop authenticate against your identity provider. The **Gateway base URL** is the same as in 2a (`https:///anthropic`, including the `/anthropic` suffix) — only the auth scheme changes. Configuring the gateway base URL, auth scheme, and API key in Claude Desktop through IdP This will allow users to log in directly onto their Bifrost through the configured IdP. ### Why You Only See Anthropic Models When you list models through the gateway, you'll notice that only Claude-family models show up in Claude Desktop — even though Bifrost is configured with models from many providers. This is expected. **Claude Desktop deliberately displays only its own Claude-family models**, and quietly hides everything else returned by the gateway. It is a client-side decision made by the Claude Desktop app — it is **not** a limitation or misconfiguration on the Bifrost side. Bifrost returns every model you've allowed (you can confirm this by calling its list-models endpoint directly); the app simply chooses not to show the non-Claude ones in its picker. If you need to use non-Claude models from Bifrost in Claude tooling, route through the **Code tab** instead (configured in the [Setup](#setup) section above), where model tiers can be pinned or aliased to any provider. ## MCP Integration (Chat Tab) The Chat tab supports MCP servers configured in `claude_desktop_config.json`. Connect to Bifrost's MCP endpoint to give the Chat tab access to all your aggregated MCP tools: **Config file locations:** * **macOS**: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` * **Windows**: `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json` ```json theme={null} { "mcpServers": { "bifrost": { "url": "http://localhost:8080/mcp", "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer your-bifrost-virtual-key" } } } } ``` MCP servers in `claude_desktop_config.json` are for the **Chat tab only**. For MCP in the Code tab, configure servers in `~/.claude.json` or your project's `.mcp.json` file. See [MCP Gateway](/mcp/gateway) for full setup details. ### Behind a VPN or Private Network (MCPB) The `mcpServers` config above only works if Claude Desktop's connector infrastructure can reach your Bifrost host directly. If Bifrost's `/mcp` endpoint is only reachable from inside a VPN or private network, a direct connection won't work - Claude Desktop's remote connectors are proxied through Anthropic's server-side infrastructure, which has no route into your private network. The fix is to package a local proxy as an [MCPB (MCP Bundle)](https://claude.com/docs/connectors/building/mcpb) extension. Unlike remote connectors, an MCPB runs locally on your machine via stdio, so it has the same network access as any other process on your laptop - including your VPN. It bridges Claude Desktop to Bifrost's MCP endpoint using [`mcp-remote`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/mcp-remote) as a stdio-to-HTTP proxy, handling the OAuth login and token refresh against Bifrost for you. **1. Install the MCPB CLI:** ```bash theme={null} npm install -g @anthropic-ai/mcpb ``` **2. Create a project** which includes a `manifest.json` describing the extension and a `package.json` pulling in `mcp-remote`: ```json manifest.json theme={null} { "manifest_version": "0.3", "name": "bifrost-mcp", "display_name": "Bifrost MCP", "version": "1.0.0", "description": "Connects Claude Desktop to a VPN-only Bifrost MCP server over a local proxy.", "author": { "name": "Your Name" }, "server": { "type": "node", "entry_point": "node_modules/mcp-remote/dist/proxy.js", "mcp_config": { "command": "node", "args": [ "${__dirname}/node_modules/mcp-remote/dist/proxy.js", "${user_config.server_url}", "3335" ] } }, "compatibility": { "platforms": ["darwin", "win32"], "runtimes": { "node": ">=18.0.0" } }, "user_config": { "server_url": { "type": "string", "title": "Bifrost MCP URL", "description": "The Streamable HTTP MCP endpoint of your Bifrost instance. Must use HTTPS.", "default": "/mcp", "required": true } } } ``` ```json package.json theme={null} { "name": "bifrost-mcpb", "version": "1.0.0", "private": true, "dependencies": { "mcp-remote": "0.1.38" } } ``` `mcp-remote` refuses to connect to any non-HTTPS, non-local URL unless you explicitly opt out. If your Bifrost deployment is only reachable over plain `http://` (e.g. a trusted, network-isolated VPN segment) and you still need to point at it, add `--allow-http` to `mcp_config.args` in `manifest.json`: ```json theme={null} "args": [ "${__dirname}/node_modules/mcp-remote/dist/proxy.js", "${user_config.server_url}", "3335", "--allow-http" ] ``` **3. Install dependencies and pack:** ```bash theme={null} npm install --omit=dev npx @anthropic-ai/mcpb pack . ``` This produces a `bifrost-mcp.mcpb` file - a single portable archive. **4. Install it in Claude Desktop** by double-clicking the `.mcpb` file (or via Settings → Extensions → Advanced settings → Install Extension…). Confirm the `server_url`, then grant permissions. On first use it opens your browser to complete OAuth login against Bifrost; tokens are cached locally under `~/.mcp-auth`. To skip the OAuth browser flow entirely and authenticate with a Bifrost virtual key instead, pass it as a static header using `mcp-remote`'s `--header` flag. Add a `virtual_key` field to `user_config` and reference it from `mcp_config.args`: ```json theme={null} "user_config": { "server_url": { "...": "..." }, "virtual_key": { "type": "string", "title": "Bifrost Virtual Key", "description": "Bifrost virtual key sent as a Bearer token.", "sensitive": true, "required": true } } ``` ```json theme={null} "args": [ "${__dirname}/node_modules/mcp-remote/dist/proxy.js", "${user_config.server_url}", "3335", "--header", "Authorization:Bearer ${user_config.virtual_key}" ] ``` Marking the field `sensitive: true` masks it in the Claude Desktop extension settings UI. With a valid `Authorization` header present, `mcp-remote` connects directly and never opens a browser for OAuth. ## Enterprise Deployment For organization-wide Bifrost routing, deploy a `managed-settings.json` file via MDM (Jamf, Kandji, Intune): * **macOS**: `/Library/Application Support/ClaudeCode/managed-settings.json` * **Windows**: `C:\Program Files\ClaudeCode\managed-settings.json` ```json theme={null} { "env": { "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://bifrost.example.com/anthropic", "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "org-bifrost-virtual-key" } } ``` Managed settings cannot be overridden by individual users, ensuring all Code tab traffic routes through Bifrost. ## Observability All Claude Desktop Code tab requests through Bifrost are logged. Monitor them at `http://localhost:8080/logs` - filter by provider, model, or search through conversation content to track usage patterns across your organization. ## Next Steps * [Provider Configuration](/quickstart/gateway/provider-configuration) - Configure AI providers in Bifrost * [Virtual Keys](/features/governance/virtual-keys) - Set up usage limits and access control * [Built-in Observability](/features/observability/default) - Monitor all AI traffic * [MCP Gateway](/mcp/gateway) - Full MCP server setup and tool filtering