feat: per-CLI model picker for local agents (closes #8)

Each agent CLI declares its selectable models (and reasoning effort, for
Codex) on the daemon side; the frontend renders a model dropdown in the
avatar menu and the Settings dialog scoped to the currently picked CLI,
persists the choice per-agent in the AppConfig, and threads it through
/api/chat to the spawn argv. "Default" leaves the flag off so the CLI's
own config wins.

src/App.tsx

@@ -137,6 +137,18 @@ export function App() {
     [config],
   );
 
+  const handleAgentModelChange = useCallback(
+    (agentId: string, choice: { model?: string; reasoning?: string }) => {
+      const prev = config.agentModels?.[agentId] ?? {};
+      const merged = { ...prev, ...choice };
+      const nextAgentModels = { ...(config.agentModels ?? {}), [agentId]: merged };
+      const next = { ...config, agentModels: nextAgentModels };
+      saveConfig(next);
+      setConfig(next);
+    },
+    [config],
+  );
+
   const handleChangeDefaultDesignSystem = useCallback(
     (designSystemId: string) => {
       const next = { ...config, designSystemId };
@@ -272,6 +284,7 @@ export function App() {
           daemonLive={daemonLive}
           onModeChange={handleModeChange}
           onAgentChange={handleAgentChange}
+          onAgentModelChange={handleAgentModelChange}
           onRefreshAgents={refreshAgents}
           onOpenSettings={openSettings}
           onBack={handleBack}

src/components/AvatarMenu.tsx

@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ interface Props {
   daemonLive: boolean;
   onModeChange: (mode: ExecMode) => void;
   onAgentChange: (id: string) => void;
+  onAgentModelChange: (
+    id: string,
+    choice: { model?: string; reasoning?: string },
+  ) => void;
   onOpenSettings: () => void;
   onRefreshAgents: () => void;
   onBack?: () => void;
@@ -26,6 +30,7 @@ export function AvatarMenu({
   daemonLive,
   onModeChange,
   onAgentChange,
+  onAgentModelChange,
   onOpenSettings,
   onRefreshAgents,
   onBack,
@@ -58,6 +63,19 @@ export function AvatarMenu({
 
   const installedAgents = agents.filter((a) => a.available);
 
+  // Resolve the user's model + reasoning pick for the active agent. Falls
+  // back to the agent's first declared option (`'default'`) when the user
+  // hasn't touched the picker yet so the labels don't read as empty.
+  const currentChoice =
+    (config.agentId && config.agentModels?.[config.agentId]) || {};
+  const currentModelId =
+    currentChoice.model ?? currentAgent?.models?.[0]?.id ?? null;
+  const currentReasoningId =
+    currentChoice.reasoning ?? currentAgent?.reasoningOptions?.[0]?.id ?? null;
+  const currentModelLabel = currentAgent?.models?.find(
+    (m) => m.id === currentModelId,
+  )?.label;
+
   return (
     <div className="avatar-menu" ref={wrapRef}>
       <button
@@ -88,7 +106,7 @@ export function AvatarMenu({
               {config.mode === 'api'
                 ? safeHost(config.baseUrl)
                 : currentAgent
-                  ? `${currentAgent.name}${currentAgent.version ? ` · ${currentAgent.version}` : ''}`
+                  ? `${currentAgent.name}${currentAgent.version ? ` · ${currentAgent.version}` : ''}${currentModelLabel && currentModelId !== 'default' ? ` · ${currentModelLabel}` : ''}`
                   : t('avatar.noAgentSelected')}
             </span>
           </div>
@@ -133,18 +151,7 @@ export function AvatarMenu({
 
           {config.mode === 'daemon' && installedAgents.length > 0 ? (
             <>
-              <div
-                style={{
-                  fontSize: 10.5,
-                  textTransform: 'uppercase',
-                  letterSpacing: '0.06em',
-                  color: 'var(--text-faint)',
-                  fontWeight: 600,
-                  padding: '8px 10px 4px',
-                }}
-              >
-                {t('avatar.codeAgent')}
-              </div>
+              <div className="avatar-section-label">{t('avatar.codeAgent')}</div>
               {installedAgents.map((a) => (
                 <button
                   type="button"
@@ -152,7 +159,8 @@ export function AvatarMenu({
                   className="avatar-item"
                   onClick={() => {
                     onAgentChange(a.id);
-                    setOpen(false);
+                    // Keep the popover open so the user can immediately
+                    // pick a model for the agent they just chose.
                   }}
                 >
                   <AgentIcon id={a.id} size={18} />
@@ -166,6 +174,62 @@ export function AvatarMenu({
                   ) : null}
                 </button>
               ))}
+              {currentAgent &&
+              currentAgent.available &&
+              ((currentAgent.models && currentAgent.models.length > 0) ||
+                (currentAgent.reasoningOptions &&
+                  currentAgent.reasoningOptions.length > 0)) ? (
+                <div className="avatar-model-section">
+                  <div className="avatar-section-label">
+                    {t('avatar.modelSection')}
+                  </div>
+                  {currentAgent.models && currentAgent.models.length > 0 ? (
+                    <label className="avatar-select-row">
+                      <span className="avatar-select-label">
+                        {t('avatar.modelLabel')}
+                      </span>
+                      <select
+                        className="avatar-select"
+                        value={currentModelId ?? ''}
+                        onChange={(e) =>
+                          onAgentModelChange(currentAgent.id, {
+                            model: e.target.value,
+                          })
+                        }
+                      >
+                        {currentAgent.models.map((m) => (
+                          <option key={m.id} value={m.id}>
+                            {m.label}
+                          </option>
+                        ))}
+                      </select>
+                    </label>
+                  ) : null}
+                  {currentAgent.reasoningOptions &&
+                  currentAgent.reasoningOptions.length > 0 ? (
+                    <label className="avatar-select-row">
+                      <span className="avatar-select-label">
+                        {t('avatar.reasoningLabel')}
+                      </span>
+                      <select
+                        className="avatar-select"
+                        value={currentReasoningId ?? ''}
+                        onChange={(e) =>
+                          onAgentModelChange(currentAgent.id, {
+                            reasoning: e.target.value,
+                          })
+                        }
+                      >
+                        {currentAgent.reasoningOptions.map((r) => (
+                          <option key={r.id} value={r.id}>
+                            {r.label}
+                          </option>
+                        ))}
+                      </select>
+                    </label>
+                  ) : null}
+                </div>
+              ) : null}
               <button
                 type="button"
                 className="avatar-item"

src/components/ProjectView.tsx

@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ interface Props {
   daemonLive: boolean;
   onModeChange: (mode: AppConfig['mode']) => void;
   onAgentChange: (id: string) => void;
+  onAgentModelChange: (
+    id: string,
+    choice: { model?: string; reasoning?: string },
+  ) => void;
   onRefreshAgents: () => void;
   onOpenSettings: () => void;
   onBack: () => void;
@@ -72,6 +76,7 @@ export function ProjectView({
   daemonLive,
   onModeChange,
   onAgentChange,
+  onAgentModelChange,
   onRefreshAgents,
   onOpenSettings,
   onBack,
@@ -490,6 +495,7 @@ export function ProjectView({
           handlers.onError(new Error('Pick a local agent first (top bar).'));
           return;
         }
+        const choice = config.agentModels?.[config.agentId];
         void streamViaDaemon({
           agentId: config.agentId,
           history: nextHistory,
@@ -498,6 +504,8 @@ export function ProjectView({
           handlers,
           projectId: project.id,
           attachments: attachments.map((a) => a.path),
+          model: choice?.model ?? null,
+          reasoning: choice?.reasoning ?? null,
         });
       } else {
         pushEvent({ kind: 'status', label: 'requesting', detail: config.model });
@@ -728,6 +736,7 @@ export function ProjectView({
             daemonLive={daemonLive}
             onModeChange={onModeChange}
             onAgentChange={onAgentChange}
+            onAgentModelChange={onAgentModelChange}
             onOpenSettings={onOpenSettings}
             onRefreshAgents={onRefreshAgents}
             onBack={onBack}

src/components/SettingsDialog.tsx

@@ -183,6 +183,79 @@ export function SettingsDialog({
                 })}
               </div>
             )}
+            {(() => {
+              const selected = agents.find(
+                (a) => a.id === cfg.agentId && a.available,
+              );
+              if (!selected) return null;
+              const hasModels =
+                Array.isArray(selected.models) && selected.models.length > 0;
+              const hasReasoning =
+                Array.isArray(selected.reasoningOptions) &&
+                selected.reasoningOptions.length > 0;
+              if (!hasModels && !hasReasoning) return null;
+              const choice = cfg.agentModels?.[selected.id] ?? {};
+              const setChoice = (
+                next: { model?: string; reasoning?: string },
+              ) => {
+                setCfg((c) => {
+                  const prev = c.agentModels?.[selected.id] ?? {};
+                  return {
+                    ...c,
+                    agentModels: {
+                      ...(c.agentModels ?? {}),
+                      [selected.id]: { ...prev, ...next },
+                    },
+                  };
+                });
+              };
+              const modelValue =
+                choice.model ?? selected.models?.[0]?.id ?? '';
+              const reasoningValue =
+                choice.reasoning ??
+                selected.reasoningOptions?.[0]?.id ?? '';
+              return (
+                <div className="agent-model-row">
+                  {hasModels ? (
+                    <label className="field">
+                      <span className="field-label">
+                        {t('settings.modelPicker')}
+                      </span>
+                      <select
+                        value={modelValue}
+                        onChange={(e) => setChoice({ model: e.target.value })}
+                      >
+                        {selected.models!.map((m) => (
+                          <option key={m.id} value={m.id}>
+                            {m.label}
+                          </option>
+                        ))}
+                      </select>
+                    </label>
+                  ) : null}
+                  {hasReasoning ? (
+                    <label className="field">
+                      <span className="field-label">
+                        {t('settings.reasoningPicker')}
+                      </span>
+                      <select
+                        value={reasoningValue}
+                        onChange={(e) =>
+                          setChoice({ reasoning: e.target.value })
+                        }
+                      >
+                        {selected.reasoningOptions!.map((r) => (
+                          <option key={r.id} value={r.id}>
+                            {r.label}
+                          </option>
+                        ))}
+                      </select>
+                    </label>
+                  ) : null}
+                  <p className="hint">{t('settings.modelPickerHint')}</p>
+                </div>
+              );
+            })()}
           </section>
         ) : (
           <section className="settings-section">

src/i18n/locales/en.ts

@@ -83,6 +83,10 @@ export const en: Dict = {
   'settings.noAgentSelected': 'no agent selected',
   'settings.language': 'Language',
   'settings.languageHint': 'Switch the interface language. Saved to this browser.',
+  'settings.modelPicker': 'Model',
+  'settings.reasoningPicker': 'Reasoning effort',
+  'settings.modelPickerHint':
+    'Picked per CLI. "Default" leaves the choice to the CLI’s own config.',
 
   'entry.tabDesigns': 'Designs',
   'entry.tabExamples': 'Examples',
@@ -211,6 +215,9 @@ export const en: Dict = {
   'avatar.metaOffline': 'offline',
   'avatar.metaSelected': 'selected',
   'avatar.noAgentSelected': 'no agent selected',
+  'avatar.modelSection': 'Model',
+  'avatar.modelLabel': 'Model',
+  'avatar.reasoningLabel': 'Reasoning',
 
   'project.backToProjects': 'Back to projects',
   'project.metaFreeform': 'freeform',

src/i18n/locales/zh-CN.ts

@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ export const zhCN: Dict = {
   'settings.noAgentSelected': '尚未选择代理',
   'settings.language': '界面语言',
   'settings.languageHint': '切换界面语言，设置仅保存在当前浏览器。',
+  'settings.modelPicker': '模型',
+  'settings.reasoningPicker': '推理强度',
+  'settings.modelPickerHint': '按 CLI 单独保存。选择「默认」则沿用 CLI 自身的配置。',
 
   'entry.tabDesigns': '我的设计',
   'entry.tabExamples': '示例',
@@ -208,6 +211,9 @@ export const zhCN: Dict = {
   'avatar.metaOffline': '未运行',
   'avatar.metaSelected': '已选',
   'avatar.noAgentSelected': '尚未选择代理',
+  'avatar.modelSection': '模型',
+  'avatar.modelLabel': '模型',
+  'avatar.reasoningLabel': '推理',
 
   'project.backToProjects': '返回项目列表',
   'project.metaFreeform': '自由设计',

src/i18n/types.ts

@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ export interface Dict {
   'settings.noAgentSelected': string;
   'settings.language': string;
   'settings.languageHint': string;
+  'settings.modelPicker': string;
+  'settings.reasoningPicker': string;
+  'settings.modelPickerHint': string;
 
   // Entry view / tabs
   'entry.tabDesigns': string;
@@ -224,6 +227,9 @@ export interface Dict {
   'avatar.metaOffline': string;
   'avatar.metaSelected': string;
   'avatar.noAgentSelected': string;
+  'avatar.modelSection': string;
+  'avatar.modelLabel': string;
+  'avatar.reasoningLabel': string;
 
   // Project view / chat pane / composer
   'project.backToProjects': string;

src/index.css

@@ -293,6 +293,45 @@ code {
   font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
   white-space: nowrap;
 }
+.avatar-section-label {
+  font-size: 10.5px;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  letter-spacing: 0.06em;
+  color: var(--text-faint);
+  font-weight: 600;
+  padding: 8px 10px 4px;
+}
+.avatar-model-section {
+  padding: 2px 10px 6px;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 6px;
+  border-top: 1px dashed var(--border-soft);
+  margin-top: 4px;
+}
+.avatar-select-row {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 8px;
+  font-size: 12px;
+  color: var(--text-muted);
+}
+.avatar-select-label {
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+  min-width: 64px;
+}
+.avatar-select {
+  flex: 1;
+  min-width: 0;
+  font-size: 12px;
+  padding: 4px 6px;
+  border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  background: var(--bg-panel);
+  color: var(--text);
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+.avatar-select:focus { outline: 2px solid var(--accent-soft, var(--border-strong)); }
 
 /* Environment pill — only used in entry view header now */
 .env-pill {
@@ -827,6 +866,23 @@ code {
   white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;
 }
 .agent-card-meta .muted { color: var(--text-soft); font-style: italic; }
+.agent-model-row {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 8px;
+  padding: 12px;
+  border: 1px solid var(--border-soft);
+  border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+  background: var(--bg-subtle);
+}
+.agent-model-row .field { gap: 4px; }
+.agent-model-row .field-label {
+  font-size: 11.5px;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  letter-spacing: 0.04em;
+  color: var(--text-muted);
+}
+.agent-model-row .hint { margin: 0; font-size: 11.5px; }
 .status-dot {
   width: 8px; height: 8px;
   border-radius: 50%;

src/providers/daemon.ts

@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@ export interface DaemonStreamOptions {
   // daemon resolves them inside the project folder, validates they
   // exist, and stitches them into the user message as `@<path>` hints.
   attachments?: string[];
+  // Per-CLI model + reasoning the user picked in the model menu. Both are
+  // optional; the daemon validates them against the agent's declared
+  // options and falls back to the CLI default when missing.
+  model?: string | null;
+  reasoning?: string | null;
 }
 
 export async function streamViaDaemon({
@@ -40,6 +45,8 @@ export async function streamViaDaemon({
   handlers,
   projectId,
   attachments,
+  model,
+  reasoning,
 }: DaemonStreamOptions): Promise<void> {
   // Local CLIs are single-turn print-mode programs, so we collapse the whole
   // chat into one string. If this becomes too noisy for long histories, the
@@ -53,6 +60,8 @@ export async function streamViaDaemon({
     message: transcript,
     projectId: projectId ?? null,
     attachments: attachments ?? [],
+    model: model ?? null,
+    reasoning: reasoning ?? null,
   });
 
   let acc = '';

src/state/config.ts

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ export const DEFAULT_CONFIG: AppConfig = {
   skillId: null,
   designSystemId: null,
   onboardingCompleted: false,
+  agentModels: {},
 };
 
 export function loadConfig(): AppConfig {

src/types.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,14 @@
 export type ExecMode = 'daemon' | 'api';
 
+// Per-CLI model + reasoning the user picked in the model menu. Each agent
+// keeps its own slot so flipping between Codex and Gemini doesn't reset the
+// other one's choice. Missing entries fall back to the agent's first
+// declared model (`'default'` — let the CLI pick).
+export interface AgentModelChoice {
+  model?: string;
+  reasoning?: string;
+}
+
 export interface AppConfig {
   mode: ExecMode;
   apiKey: string;
@@ -12,6 +21,10 @@ export interface AppConfig {
   // least once (saved or skipped). Bootstrap skips the auto-popup when
   // this is set so refreshing the page doesn't re-prompt.
   onboardingCompleted?: boolean;
+  // Per-CLI model picker state, keyed by agent id (e.g. `gemini`, `codex`).
+  // Pre-existing configs without this field fall through to the agent's
+  // declared default.
+  agentModels?: Record<string, AgentModelChoice>;
 }
 
 export type AgentEvent =
@@ -63,6 +76,11 @@ export interface ExamplePreview {
   html: string;
 }
 
+export interface AgentModelOption {
+  id: string;
+  label: string;
+}
+
 export interface AgentInfo {
   id: string;
   name: string;
@@ -70,6 +88,12 @@ export interface AgentInfo {
   available: boolean;
   path?: string;
   version?: string | null;
+  // Models surfaced in the model picker for this CLI. The first entry is
+  // treated as the default (typically the synthetic `'default'` option,
+  // meaning "let the CLI use whatever's in its own config").
+  models?: AgentModelOption[];
+  // Reasoning-effort presets — currently only Codex exposes this.
+  reasoningOptions?: AgentModelOption[];
 }
 
 export interface SkillSummary {