switchboard

# SwitchBoard

Route tasks to the cheapest model that can handle them. Most agent work is routine.

## Prerequisites

This skill requires an [OpenRouter](https://openrouter.ai/) API key for model routing. Add it to your OpenClaw user config:

```jsonc
// ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
{
  "openrouter_api_key": "sk-or-v1-..."
}
```

Without this key, `/model` switching and `sessions_spawn` with non-default models will fail. Get a key at [openrouter.ai/keys](https://openrouter.ai/keys).

> **Privacy Note:** Some models listed in this skill (e.g., Aurora Alpha, Free Router) may log prompts and completions for provider training. **Do not route sensitive data** (API keys, passwords, private PII) through free or unmoderated models. Review model privacy policies at [openrouter.ai/docs](https://openrouter.ai/docs) before use.

## Core Principle

80% of agent tasks are janitorial. File reads, status checks, formatting, simple Q&A. These don't need expensive models. Reserve premium models for problems that actually require deep reasoning.

## Model Tiers

For OpenRouter-specific pricing and models, see [references/openrouter-models.md](references/openrouter-models.md).

### Tier 0: Free

| Model | Context | Tools | Best For |
|-------|---------|-------|----------|
| Aurora Alpha | 128K | ✅ | Zero-cost reasoning, cloaked community model |
| Free Router | 200K | ✅ | Auto-routes to best available free model |
| Step 3.5 Flash (free) | 256K | ✅ | Long-context reasoning at zero cost |

*Free models have rate limits and variable availability. Good for non-critical background tasks.*

### Tier 1: Cheap ($0.02-0.50/M tokens)

| Model | Input | Output | Context | Tools | Best For |
|-------|-------|--------|---------|-------|----------|
| Qwen3 Coder Next | $0.07 | $0.30 | 262K | ✅ | Agentic coding, MoE 80B/3B active |
| Gemini 2.0 Flash Lite | $0.07 | $0.30 | 1M | ✅ | High volume, massive context |
| Gemini 2.0 Flash | $0.10 | $0.40 | 1M | ✅ | General routine with long context |
| G...