Add a conversation model

Add a model only after direct execution works

Start with the model-free first tool. When its HTTP contract passes, add models.routing to interpret language. This isolates provider failures from mapping failures.

A provider configuration names the adapter protocol and a real model ID in your account. The model ID is not inferred from the provider name. Hosted providers require an environment key reference; Ollama can use a local base URL. Never copy a model name without verifying that your deployment supports it.

# Root fragment; replace the model placeholder before use.
models:
  routing:
    provider: openai
    model: YOUR_TOOL_CAPABLE_MODEL
    api_key: $ENV:OPENAI_API_KEY
    timeout_ms: 30000

Use raw presentation first. Then add a separate presentation model only if you need different cost, latency, or wording behavior for results. Without a separate one, presentation falls back to the routing model. Conversation uses the presentation model by default, controlled by assistant.conversation.use_presentation_model.

Capability flags describe reality

nativeTools selects native tool calling when supported. Otherwise structured output or validated JSON fallback may be used. strictSchema, systemMessages, and temperature describe protocol features; they are not guarantees about model intelligence or business correctness.

Do not enable flags to suppress an integration error. Test a valid tool call, malformed arguments, a no-tool answer, an aborted request, and provider timeout. With a custom adapter, return the documented structured shape and usage values; the runtime still validates tool selection and input.

Built-in provider IDs

AGENTO's built-in provider configuration accepts:

• OpenAI
• Anthropic
• Mistral
• Cohere
• Ollama

Provider/model capabilities vary. The adapter exposes capability flags rather than assuming every model supports every protocol feature.

Capability contract

interface ModelCapabilities {
  nativeTools: boolean;
  structuredOutput: boolean;
  strictSchema: boolean;
  systemMessages: boolean;
  temperature: boolean;
}

Native tool calling takes precedence. If unavailable, AGENTO may use structured output or validated JSON fallback depending on capabilities.

Provider behavior summary

Treat this table as adapter behavior, not a promise that every model deployment supports every feature.

Custom ModelAdapter

The public interface is small:

interface ModelAdapter {
  capabilities(): ModelCapabilities;
  generateText(request: GenerationRequest): Promise<TextGenerationResult>;
  generateStructured(
    request: GenerationRequest & { schema: JsonSchema }
  ): Promise<StructuredGenerationResult>;
  selectTool(request: ToolSelectionRequest): Promise<ToolSelectionResult>;
}

Inject it:

const runtime = await AgentRuntime.create({
  config: configObject,
  model: myRoutingModel,
  presentationModel: myPresentationModel,
});

Adapter requirements

A production adapter should:

• respect AbortSignal;
• return bounded usage metadata;
• never return multiple unreviewed tool calls as one action;
• preserve the model-facing tool schemas;
• surface provider failures rather than smuggling provider error text into normal assistant messages;
• clearly declare unsupported capabilities.

Test your exact deployment

Provider protocols and model support change. Run routing fixtures/evaluations against the exact model IDs and endpoints you plan to deploy.