How it works
Claude API best practices
A short checklist to get reliable, economical results from the Claude API in production.
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The checklist
- Pick the cheapest model that can do each task; escalate only when needed.
- Cache large, stable context to slash input cost.
- Stream responses for responsive agents and UIs.
- Set an optional lifetime spending limit and expiration date on each key.
- Handle 429s with Retry-After and backoff.
- Watch the token-level usage breakdown to catch waste early.
See also: How to save tokens on the Claude API
Keep costs and reliability in check
- Cap max_tokens to what each response actually needs.
- Retry 429/5xx with exponential backoff, not tight loops.
- Use separate, clearly named keys per environment so a leak can be revoked without replacing every client.
- Review token-level usage weekly to catch regressions early.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most impactful best practice?
Match the model to the task and cache repeated context — together they cut cost the most.
How do I keep keys safe?
Store keys in a secret manager, set an appropriate lifetime spending limit and expiration date, and revoke a key immediately if it is exposed.
Try it before you pay: new Google/GitHub accounts include $10 of official-price Claude usage.