---
title: "DeepSeek"
description: "Aider can connect to the DeepSeek.com API. To work with DeepSeek's models, you need to set the `DEEPSEEK_API_KEY` environment variable with your [DeepSeek API key](https://platform.deepseek.com/api_keys). The DeepSeek Chat V3 model has a top score on aider's code editing benchmark."
type: skill
canonical_url: https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/deepseek
source: "Claudary"
difficulty: intermediate
author: "Claude Code Knowledge Pack"
date: 2026-07-10T11:19:39.821Z
license: CC-BY-4.0
attribution: "DeepSeek — Claudary (https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/deepseek)"
---

# DeepSeek
Aider can connect to the DeepSeek.com API. To work with DeepSeek's models, you need to set the `DEEPSEEK_API_KEY` environment variable with your [DeepSeek API key](https://platform.deepseek.com/api_keys). The DeepSeek Chat V3 model has a top score on aider's code editing benchmark.

## Overview

---
parent: Connecting to LLMs
nav_order: 500
---

# DeepSeek

Aider can connect to the DeepSeek.com API.
To work with DeepSeek's models, you need to set the `DEEPSEEK_API_KEY` environment variable with your [DeepSeek API key](https://platform.deepseek.com/api_keys).  
The DeepSeek Chat V3 model has a top score on aider's code editing benchmark.

First, install aider:

{% include install.md %}

Then configure your API keys:

```
export DEEPSEEK_API_KEY=<key> # Mac/Linux
setx   DEEPSEEK_API_KEY <key> # Windows, restart shell after setx
```

Start working with aider and DeepSeek on your codebase:

```bash
# Change directory into your codebase
cd /to/your/project

# Use DeepSeek Chat v3
aider --model deepseek/deepseek-chat
```

---

Source: [Claudary](https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/deepseek) · https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com