Start with the workload
A provider is not a permanent identity for a coding agent. It is a capability and operational choice for a task. A narrow code explanation, a multi-file refactor, an agent run with tools, and a private offline review have different requirements.
Compare providers against representative tasks from your own repository. Record whether the model follows tool schemas, keeps scope, handles the available context, and produces a change you can validate.
Evaluate the operational constraints
Model quality matters, but so do authentication, rate limits, account spend, regional availability, endpoint compatibility, and error reporting. A provider that is excellent in a demo is not a good default if it cannot reliably authenticate or explain a failure in your working environment.
- Capability for the task and reliable structured tool use.
- Context limit, latency, and predictable cost controls.
- Where prompts and repository context are sent.
- A tested fallback for outages, account limits, or unavailable models.
Separate the provider from the workflow
A provider-flexible harness lets you keep one permission policy, tool boundary, and review process while changing model profiles. Local endpoints can serve privacy or offline needs; supported cloud accounts can provide additional capacity when the task warrants it.
Truss keeps provider profiles separate from the client surface, so switching a model does not require moving from your terminal to a different editor or replacing your normal Git review workflow.
Next steps
Put it to work in your own workspace.
Pick the surface that fits your day, then connect a model you control.
FAQ
Questions developers ask before switching.
Should I use one provider for every coding task?
Usually not. Keep a small, tested set of profiles and choose based on task complexity, privacy requirements, tool reliability, availability, and cost.
How do I know a provider actually works with my agent?
Run a connection test, select a real model, then try a small read-only workspace task before relying on it for edits or terminal commands.