CLAUDE_CODE_GZIP_REQUEST_BODY_LEVEL

Updated October 14, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_CODE_GZIP_REQUEST_BODY_LEVEL is a Claude Code environment variable. Added between v2.1.269 and v2.1.283 and still present in v2.1.295. It is not in the official reference.

Status	Present in v2.1.295
Added	Added between v2.1.269 and v2.1.283
Category	Network and proxy
Official docs	Not listed

How to set it

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

export CLAUDE_CODE_GZIP_REQUEST_BODY_LEVEL=<value>
claude

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

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

Release notes that mention it

claude-code-env-vars-v2-1-287

Related variables

CLAUDE_CODE_GZIP_REQUEST_BODY_BLOCKS: Selects one of two gzip modes (1 or 2) for API request bodies at least 512KB in size; any other value, and the default, leaves it off.
CLAUDE_CODE_GZIP_REQUEST_BODIES
CLAUDE_CODE_GZIP_CCR_REQUEST_BODIES
ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL: Custom endpoint for Anthropic services.
API_FORCE_IDLE_TIMEOUT
API_TIMEOUT_MS: Request timeout in milliseconds.
BASH_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MS
BASH_MAX_TIMEOUT_MS

Frequently asked questions

Which Claude Code version has CLAUDE_CODE_GZIP_REQUEST_BODY_LEVEL?

Added between v2.1.269 and v2.1.283 and still present in v2.1.295.

How do I set CLAUDE_CODE_GZIP_REQUEST_BODY_LEVEL?

Export it before starting Claude Code (export CLAUDE_CODE_GZIP_REQUEST_BODY_LEVEL=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.