---
title: "lite autoroute"
url: "/docs/learn/autorouter_cli"
canonical_url: "https://docs.litellm.ai/docs/learn/autorouter_cli"
type: "docs"
last_updated: "2026-10-06"
summary: "Try LiteLLM's complexity-based auto-routing locally against your real proxy with the lite CLI, and route Claude Code traffic through it."
related:
  - "/docs/learn/enterprise_quickstart"
  - "/docs/guides/"
---
# lite autoroute

> Index of all LiteLLM docs: https://docs.litellm.ai/llms.txt

`lite autoroute` is a subcommand of `lite`, the [LiteLLM proxy CLI](../proxy/management_cli.md) that also gives you `lite login`, `lite up`, `lite claude` and the model, key, and team management commands. It lets you try LiteLLM's complexity-based auto-routing locally, against models your key already has access to on your real, running proxy. It picks a cheaper or more expensive model depending on how complex a prompt looks, without editing your proxy's `config.yaml` and without any request bypassing it. It stands up a throwaway local proxy that forwards every request back to your real proxy, then points Claude Code at that local proxy for the session.

:::info[Preview feature; we want your feedback]

`lite autoroute` is early and evolving. Tell us what works, what breaks, and what you want next in the [Autorouter discussion on GitHub](https://github.com/BerriAI/litellm/discussions/32168). Your feedback directly shapes where this goes.

:::

For proxy setup and the full configuration reference, see [Auto Routing](../proxy/auto_routing.md).

## 1. Install the CLI

`lite autoroute start` runs a throwaway proxy on your machine, so it needs the full proxy runtime: the thin `install-cli.sh` one-liner from the [CLI quick start](../proxy/management_cli.md#quick-start) installs only `litellm[cli]`, which is not enough here, and the command below replaces that install. It installs `litellm[proxy]` from `main` with a single curl command; `uv` is bootstrapped automatically if it is missing.

```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/BerriAI/litellm/main/scripts/install.sh | \
  LITELLM_CLI_REF=main sh
```

## 2. Point the CLI at Your Proxy

Set your real proxy URL and key. The autorouter forwards every request through this proxy with this key.

```bash
export LITELLM_PROXY_URL=http://localhost:4000
export LITELLM_PROXY_API_KEY=sk-...
```

## 3. Configure the Autorouter

Run the interactive wizard. It discovers the model groups your key can reach and asks you to assign models to each complexity tier.

```bash
lite autoroute configure
```

## 4. Start the Autorouter

Start the ephemeral local proxy. It runs in the foreground and prints the proxy's request log. Ctrl-C stops it and restores your Claude Code settings; if the process died any other way, `lite autoroute stop` does that cleanup.

```bash
lite autoroute start
```

## 5. Run Claude Code as Normal

In another tab, start Claude Code. The autorouter now automatically intercepts all Claude Code traffic, and the Claude Code status line shows `Routed to: <model>` after each reply.

```bash
claude
```

For the full reference, including recovery from an unclean shutdown and important caveats, see the [`lite autoroute` section of the CLI README](https://github.com/BerriAI/litellm/blob/main/litellm/proxy/client/cli/README.md#qa-complexity-based-auto-routing-against-your-real-proxy).

## Related pages

- [Enterprise Quickstart](https://docs.litellm.ai/docs/learn/enterprise_quickstart.md)
- [Overview](https://docs.litellm.ai/docs/guides/index.md)