# Modelsense

> ModelSense — The right model for the right job. Recommends the best LLM model and effort level for any task, based on benchmark data, task analysis, and the user's configured providers. Use when the user asks "which model should I use?", "what's the best model for X?", or wants help choosing between models/effort levels.

- Skill: `dvcrn/modelsense` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 6 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add dvcrn/modelsense`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/dvcrn/modelsense/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: dvcrn (https://skillmd.com/u/dvcrn)
- Updated: 2026-09-08
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/dvcrn/modelsense

---


# ModelSense Skill

## Purpose

ModelSense helps users pick the optimal model and effort level for their task.
It does NOT route automatically on every request (use a provider plugin for that).
It's an on-demand advisor: ask it a question, get a clear recommendation with reasoning.

## When to trigger

- User asks: "which model for X?", "should I use Opus or Sonnet?", "what effort level?"
- User wants to understand what a benchmark means
- User wants ModelSense to auto-switch the session model

## Inputs to collect (infer from context, ask only if truly unclear)

1. **Task description** — what is the user trying to do?
2. **Effort preference** (optional): `quick` / `balanced` / `deep` / `research`
   - If not specified, infer from task urgency/complexity
3. **Auto-switch?** — does the user want ModelSense to apply the recommendation automatically?

## Recommendation Process

### Step 1 — Task Analysis

Classify the task across these dimensions:
- **Domain**: code, math, reasoning, writing, dialogue, document analysis, multimodal, research
- **Complexity**: simple / moderate / complex / research-grade
- **Output type**: text, code, JSON, long-form, structured data
- **Context length needed**: short (<8K), medium (8–32K), long (32K+), very long (100K+)
- **Special requirements**: function calling, thinking/CoT, multimodal, speed-sensitive

### Step 2 — Benchmark Matching

Cross-reference task domain with relevant benchmarks from `data/benchmarks.yaml`.

| Benchmark | Best for |
|-----------|----------|
| HumanEval / SWE-bench | Code generation, debugging, engineering |
| GPQA | Graduate-level science & research |
| MATH / AIME | Mathematical reasoning |
| MMLU | General knowledge, multidomain QA |
| Needle-in-Haystack | Long-context retrieval |
| MT-Bench / Arena Elo | Dialogue, writing quality |
| BBH (Big-Bench Hard) | Complex reasoning, multi-step logic |

### Step 3 — Effort × Model Matrix

| Effort | Target quality | Typical model tier |
|--------|---------------|-------------------|
| `quick` | Good enough, fast | Haiku / Flash / GLM |
| `balanced` | High quality, reasonable cost | Sonnet / GPT-4o |
| `deep` | Best available, thinking on | Opus / o3 |
| `research` | No cost limit, maximum quality | Opus + thinking=high |

### Step 4 — Provider Filter

Check the user's available providers:
- Run: `openclaw models list` via exec tool (or read from context)
- Only recommend models the user can actually use
- Flag when a top pick requires a provider they haven't configured

### Step 5 — Output the Recommendation

Format:
```
🎯 Recommended: <model>
⚡ Effort: <level>
📊 Why: <1-2 sentence benchmark-grounded rationale>
🔧 Special: <thinking on? function calling? etc.>
💰 Cost estimate: <rough $/M or relative>

Alternatives:
  - <model B> — if you want faster/cheaper
  - <model C> — if you want higher quality
```

## Auto-Switch Behaviors

### Option A: Advisory only (default)
Just output the recommendation. Tell user: "Run `/model <name>` to switch."

### Option B: Switch current session
If user confirms or says "yes switch" / "apply it":
```python
session_status(model="<provider/model>")
```
Notify user: "✅ Switched to X for this session. Run `/model default` to reset."

### Option C: Delegate task to best model
If user says "just do it with the best model":
```python
sessions_spawn(
  task="<original task>",
  model="<recommended model>",
  thinking="<level>"
)
```

## Data Files

- `data/benchmarks.yaml` — benchmark definitions, score leaders, task mappings
- `data/models.yaml` — model catalog (updated via GitHub Actions weekly)

## Examples

**User**: "I need to write a Solidity audit report"
→ Domain: code + security + long-form
→ Benchmarks: SWE-bench, HumanEval
→ Recommendation: `claude-opus-4-6` with `thinking=high`, effort=`deep`

**User**: "Quick summary of this Slack thread"
→ Domain: dialogue, short
→ Recommendation: `claude-haiku-4-5` or `gemini-flash`, effort=`quick`

**User**: "Prove this mathematical conjecture"
→ Domain: math, research-grade
→ Benchmarks: MATH, AIME, GPQA
→ Recommendation: `o3` or `claude-opus-4-6` with `thinking=high`, effort=`research`