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Direct API Mode

Direct API mode sends your messages straight to the Anthropic API over HTTP — no Claude Code CLI needed. It is the easiest way to get started if you just want to chat with Claude from within Unreal Engine.

Setup​

  1. Go to Edit → Project Settings → Plugins → Claude Assistant
  2. Set Mode to Direct API
  3. Paste your API key in the API Key field
  4. (Optional) Change the Model and Max Tokens settings

That's it — no subprocess, no MCP server, no CLI to install.

How it works​

When you send a message, the plugin makes an HTTP POST to:

POST https://api.anthropic.com/v1/messages

Your conversation history is sent with each request so Claude has context. The response is written back to the chat panel when the full reply is received (no streaming in Direct API mode).

Limitations​

Direct API mode does not have access to MCP tools. Claude cannot:

  • Inspect Blueprint variables, functions, or graphs
  • Read DataTable schemas or rows
  • Add, rename, or delete Blueprint variables
  • Modify DataTable rows
  • Execute Python scripts
  • Detect which asset you have focused

It is a plain chat interface — useful for general Unreal Engine questions, code review of snippets you paste, or brainstorming, but not for project-specific introspection.

Need project context?

Switch to Claude Code mode to unlock the full set of tools that let Claude read and modify your actual assets.

Cost tracking​

After each response the footer shows:

  • Input tokens — tokens sent (your messages + conversation history)
  • Output tokens — tokens in Claude's reply
  • Estimated cost — calculated from Anthropic's published prices for the selected model

The API key is stored in EditorPerProjectUserSettings.ini — it is never checked into source control.