Set up 9router for Free AI Coding with Token Saving

What you’ll get

You will get a local AI router, called 9router, running on your computer. This router connects your AI coding tools (like Claude Code, Cursor, or Copilot) to various AI models, including free ones. It helps save money and tokens by automatically switching between free, cheap, and paid models, and by compressing tool outputs. This approach ensures you never hit rate limits and maximize your existing subscriptions.

Tools you need

• Node.js with npm (free): A software platform that includes npm (Node Package Manager), which is used to install 9router globally. (https://nodejs.org)
• 9router (free): The local AI router that manages connections to different AI models and saves tokens. (https://github.com/decolua/9router)
• A command line terminal (free): A text-based interface on your computer (like Command Prompt on Windows, Terminal on macOS/Linux) to run installation commands.

Steps

1. Install Node.js and npm: Download and install Node.js from its official website. npm (Node Package Manager) comes with Node.js.

   • What to do: Go to https://nodejs.org and download the recommended version for your operating system. Follow the installation instructions.
   • What you should see: Node.js and npm installed on your system. You can verify by opening your command line terminal and typing node -v and npm -v. Both commands should show version numbers.

2. Install 9router globally: Use npm to install 9router so it can be run from anywhere on your computer.

   • What to do: Open your command line terminal (e.g., Command Prompt on Windows, Terminal on macOS/Linux) and paste the following command:

   npm install -g 9router

   • What you should see: The installation process will run, and once complete, you’ll see messages indicating 9router has been added.

3. Start 9router and open the dashboard: Run the 9router command to start the local server and open its web interface.

   • What to do: In your command line terminal, type:

   9router

   • What you should see: A web browser tab should automatically open, showing the 9router dashboard, usually at http://localhost:20128. The terminal will show messages indicating the server is running.

4. Connect a free AI provider: In the 9router dashboard, add a free AI model provider.

   • What to do: In the 9router dashboard (the web page that opened), look for a section like “Providers” or “Connect Providers”. The author suggests connecting “Kiro AI (free Claude unlimited)” or “OpenCode Free (no auth)”. Click on one of these options and follow the on-screen instructions to connect it.
   • What you should see: The provider should appear in your list of connected providers, ready to be used.

5. Configure your AI coding tool: Update the settings in your preferred AI coding tool (e.g., Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot) to use 9router as its AI endpoint.

   • What to do: Open your AI coding tool. Go to its settings or preferences, specifically where you configure AI model endpoints or API keys.
     • Set the Endpoint to http://localhost:20128/v1.
     • Copy the API Key from the 9router dashboard and paste it into your tool’s API key field.
     • For the Model, the author suggests kr/claude-sonnet-4.5. Select this model if available, or a similar free model you connected.
   • What you should see: Your AI coding tool should now be routing its requests through 9router, using the free provider you configured. You can test it by asking your tool to generate some code.

Original source

This workflow is based on the 9router project by decolua, found on GitHub. It provides a local AI router to manage connections to various AI models, including free and cheap options, with token-saving features.

Notes & variations

• Free-tier alternatives: The 9router project itself is free and open-source. It’s designed to connect to various AI providers, including those with free tiers like Kiro AI and OpenCode Free (as mentioned by the author). This means you can get significant AI coding assistance without direct payment.
• Common mistake: Forgetting to start 9router before trying to use your AI coding tool. If your coding tool reports connection errors or can’t find the AI model, ensure 9router is running in your terminal and its dashboard is accessible at http://localhost:20128.
• Tip for better results: Explore the 9router dashboard’s “Providers” section. It supports over 40 providers and 100 models. You can connect multiple free or cheap providers and let 9router automatically switch between them, ensuring you always have an active AI connection and never hit rate limits.