CLAUDE_CODE_GATEWAY_TOKEN_FILE_DESCRIPTOR

Updated October 14, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_CODE_GATEWAY_TOKEN_FILE_DESCRIPTOR is a Claude Code environment variable. Added between v2.1.252 and v2.1.266 and still present in v2.1.295. It is not in the official reference.

Status	Present in v2.1.295
Added	Added between v2.1.252 and v2.1.266
Category	Authentication
Official docs	Not listed

How to set it

For one session, export it in the shell that starts Claude Code:

export CLAUDE_CODE_GATEWAY_TOKEN_FILE_DESCRIPTOR=<value>
claude

To apply it to every session, add it to the env object of a settings file:

// ~/.claude/settings.json
{
  "env": {
    "CLAUDE_CODE_GATEWAY_TOKEN_FILE_DESCRIPTOR": "<value>"
  }
}

Related variables

CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN_FILE_DESCRIPTOR: File descriptor to read OAuth token from.
CLAUDE_CODE_API_KEY_FILE_DESCRIPTOR: File descriptor to read API key from.
CLAUDE_CODE_WEBSOCKET_AUTH_FILE_DESCRIPTOR: File descriptor for WebSocket credentials.
CLAUDE_CODE_GATEWAY_TOKEN
CLAUDE_SESSION_INGRESS_TOKEN_FILE
ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN: Alternative bearer token; takes priority over API key.
CLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_TOKEN_USAGE_ATTACHMENT: Attach token usage info to messages.
CLAUDE_CODE_FILE_READ_MAX_OUTPUT_TOKENS: Max tokens for file read output.

Frequently asked questions

Which Claude Code version has CLAUDE_CODE_GATEWAY_TOKEN_FILE_DESCRIPTOR?

Added between v2.1.252 and v2.1.266 and still present in v2.1.295.

How do I set CLAUDE_CODE_GATEWAY_TOKEN_FILE_DESCRIPTOR?

Export it before starting Claude Code (export CLAUDE_CODE_GATEWAY_TOKEN_FILE_DESCRIPTOR=value), or add it to the "env" object in ~/.claude/settings.json to apply it to every session.

All variables, searchable: Claude Code environment variables.