claude-agent-project

Small starter project for claude-agent-sdk, the Python packaging of Claude Code as a library.

Contents

• test_query.py — minimal smoke test for the SDK's query() function: sends a one-off prompt and prints the reply.
• multi_agent_starter.py — a two-step pipeline example. call_researcher() calls the Anthropic API directly with structured outputs (client.messages.parse(..., output_format=ResearcherOutput)) to gather evidence for the question, then the result is handed to a synthesizer step run through claude-agent-sdk to compose the final answer.

Setup

python -m venv .venv
.\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
pip install claude-agent-sdk anthropic

The SDK shells out to the claude CLI (@anthropic-ai/claude-code on npm) as its transport, so that must be installed and on PATH (npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code).

Authentication

Either of the following works — the SDK/CLI picks up whichever is available:

• Interactive / local dev: claude login (or claude auth status to check) authenticates via your claude.ai account. No ANTHROPIC_API_KEY needed.
• Scripted / non-interactive: set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY in the environment before running.

Note: call_researcher() in multi_agent_starter.py uses the raw anthropic SDK client directly, which does not share claude login's credential store. It needs ANTHROPIC_API_KEY set, or ant auth login run separately, even if claude login is already configured for the Agent SDK's synthesizer step.

Usage

.\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
python test_query.py
python multi_agent_starter.py

Deployment

This project is a local starter, not a deployed service — there's no server, container, or CI config here. If you take it further:

• Credentials: don't rely on claude login's stored session in a deployed environment. Set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY as a secret/environment variable on whatever runs the code (CI job, container, scheduled task).
• Runtime dependency: the claude CLI must be present in that environment too (it's what the SDK actually invokes) — install it via npm as part of your build/image step, not just locally.
• Don't commit .venv — it's excluded via .gitignore; rebuild it from pip install claude-agent-sdk on the target machine instead.
• Cost: every query() call is a billed API call (see the --- done in ...ms, cost $... line each script prints) — factor that into any scheduled or automated deployment.