Zhipu Qingyan / Z.ai learning map
Zhipu Qingyan (智谱清言) is Zhipu's China chat assistant. Official line (chatglm.cn): it is based on GLM models, "not just an AI assistant, but an Agent that gets things done."
Z.ai is the international chat surface. Official title (chat.z.ai): "Z.ai - Advanced AI Chatbot & Agent powered by GLM-5.2"
This directory is the Claude.ai analog. It is not GLM Coding Plan and not ZCode / AutoClaw. The coding subscription is one row on the map.
Goals and non-goals
Audience: frontend engineers who need the right official door. You need a browser or the Qingyan app, not a repo.
Goals: list official first-party AI surfaces and get you into Qingyan / Z.ai chat.
Non-goals: Coding Plan install, API quickstart, model internals (see Learn LLM), invented daily quotas or RMB prices.
Product landscape
Zhipu (company site zhipuai.cn) ships more than one AI skin. They are not the same chat window.
Zhipu / Z.ai
├── Chat (this directory)
│ ├── Qingyan — chatglm.cn and the official app
│ └── Z.ai — chat.z.ai / z.ai
├── Coding subscription / desktop coding
│ ├── GLM Coding Plan — quota for Claude Code and similar tools
│ └── ZCode — official coding tool
├── Agent / office
│ ├── AutoGLM
│ └── AutoClaw (local OpenClaw client)
├── Open platform / API
│ ├── BigModel (bigmodel.cn)
│ └── docs.z.ai
└── Other official AI entries (one map row each)
├── Zread.ai
├── AMiner
├── Zhipu Learning Center
├── Zhipu AI IME
├── CodeGeeX
└── Open GLM weights| Product | What it is | Entry | This site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qingyan | China chat / agent assistant | chatglm.cn | Tutorial |
| Z.ai chat | International chat / agent assistant | chat.z.ai | Same tutorial |
| GLM Coding Plan | Coding-tool subscription, not a chat install | z.ai/subscribe, bigmodel.cn/glm-coding | One map row (#75) |
| ZCode | Official coding tool | zcode.z.ai/cn | One map row |
| AutoGLM / AutoClaw | Reports / browser agent / local client | autoglm.zhipuai.cn | One map row |
| BigModel / Z.ai API | Model HTTP APIs | bigmodel.cn, docs.z.ai | One map row |
| Zread.ai / AMiner / Learning Center / AI IME | Named on the company product rail | zhipuai.cn/zh | One map row; use the company page for URLs |
| CodeGeeX | Coding assistant (official news) | company news | One map row |
| Open GLM | Model weights | github.com/zai-org/GLM-5 | One map row |
| Business / IR / jobs | Not an AI handbook | Company site | Out of scope |
Official "try it online" copy (GLM-5.2 research post): Z.ai = chat.z.ai, Qingyan app/web = chatglm.cn.
Name collisions:
- Qingyan ≠ Z.ai chat. Two doors, two legal entities. No official "one login".
- ChatGLM is a historical model / store-copy name, not the URL you type.
- In-chat code ≠ GLM Coding Plan. The latter is quota for Claude Code and similar tools. See #75.
- AutoGLM ≠ AutoClaw. The company page lists both.
Details: glossary.
Quick decision
What do you need?
├── Chat / write / read images or docs / slides or research reports
│ ├── China product surface → Qingyan (chatglm.cn or the official app)
│ └── International Z.ai surface → chat.z.ai
├── GLM quota inside Claude Code / Cline / similar
│ └── → GLM Coding Plan (not documented here)
├── Official desktop coding tool
│ └── → ZCode
├── Reports / browser automation / local OpenClaw client
│ └── → AutoGLM / AutoClaw
└── Call the model from your own software
└── → BigModel or docs.z.ai APILearning path
| Stage | Read | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pick the door | Decision tree above | Do not open Coding Plan as if it were Qingyan |
| 2. Use chat | Qingyan / Z.ai tutorial | Sign in, send the first message, recognize the chips |
| 3. Look up URLs | Cheatsheet | Entries, decisions, sources |
| 4. Names collide | Glossary | Qingyan / Z.ai / ChatGLM / Coding Plan |
No cookbook: there is no official how-to tree dense enough to split.