docs(claude): clarify OpenRouter model selection

[shivamhwp]

OpenRouter users can select a built-in Claude model while expecting ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_*_MODEL to substitute another model. T3 passes an explicit model ID, so those alias overrides do not apply.

The guide now explains how to select a custom OpenRouter model, notes its limited model controls, and asks users to verify the billed model in OpenRouter.

Checked against the model-ID resolver, custom-model capability defaults and picker behavior. Documentation-only change; diff check passes.

Refs #4149. This addresses model selection guidance only. The reported worktree routing and default behavior remain open. Rebased onto main.

GPT-6 via Codex in T3 Code.

Rebased on main 20363c32c9bfdbf49c2716ef11d1f18483fcc01b. Scoped validation rerun after rebasing; existing native and human review limits remain.

Summary by CodeRabbit

• Documentation
  • Updated OpenRouter guidance for selecting models in T3 Code.
  • Clarified how to enter full custom model IDs when needed.
  • Explained Claude Code model aliases and capability controls.
  • Updated verification steps to use OpenRouter’s activity dashboard.

[macroscopeapp]

Approvability

Verdict: Approved at a7e29ca

Macroscope's review found this PR approvable — This PR only clarifies existing OpenRouter model-selection instructions in user documentation and does not alter runtime behavior or product defaults. An unresolved Medium finding identifies possible ordering ambiguity in those instructions and should be addressed separately.

Notes:

• This verdict was updated automatically after the outstanding correctness findings were resolved. Macroscope did not re-review the code.

No code changes detected at eba419b. Prior analysis still applies.

^{You can add or adjust custom eligibility rules. Learn more.}

[github-actions]

Thread transfer impact

✅ Thread transfer remains within every enforced ceiling.

Provider	Metric	Main baseline	This PR	Impact	PR ceiling
Codex	Total thread wire	13.5 KiB	13.5 KiB	−2 B (−0.0%)	15.1 KiB	✅
Codex	Thread snapshot wire	7.0 KiB	7.1 KiB	+4 B (+0.1%)	7.3 KiB	✅
Codex	Live turn WebSocket wire	6.5 KiB	6.5 KiB	−6 B (−0.1%)	7.8 KiB	✅
Codex	Live turn WebSocket decoded	57.0 KiB	57.0 KiB	0 B (0.0%)	66.4 KiB	✅
Codex	Live turn messages	8	8	0 (0.0%)	21	✅
Claude	Total thread wire	13.6 KiB	13.6 KiB	−14 B (−0.1%)	15.1 KiB	✅
Claude	Thread snapshot wire	7.1 KiB	7.0 KiB	−10 B (−0.1%)	7.3 KiB	✅
Claude	Live turn WebSocket wire	6.6 KiB	6.6 KiB	−4 B (−0.1%)	7.8 KiB	✅
Claude	Live turn WebSocket decoded	57.9 KiB	57.9 KiB	0 B (0.0%)	66.4 KiB	✅
Claude	Live turn messages	10	10	0 (0.0%)	21	✅

Baseline: e628683 · PR result: eba419b · Source CI: success

Scenario and decoded snapshot size

10 historical turns, 5 command tools per turn, 878.9 KiB retained MCP result per historical turn, and a 1.05 MiB retained result in the measured turn.

• Codex decoded thread snapshot: 113.9 KiB
• Claude decoded thread snapshot: 114.6 KiB

Updated in place by a trusted workflow. PR artifacts are strictly validated and never executed.

[coderabbitai]

No actionable comments were generated in the recent review. 🎉

ℹ️ Recent review info

⚙️ Run configuration

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Run ID: 66d1e4f5-8878-4e01-a7cf-5605a7391624

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 20363c3 and 2e0c251.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)

• docs/user/providers-claude.md

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📝 Walkthrough

Walkthrough

The OpenRouter setup documentation now explains model selection in T3 Code, custom model IDs, Claude Code alias behavior, capability controls, and model verification through OpenRouter’s activity dashboard.

Changes

OpenRouter documentation

Layer / File(s)	Summary
Model selection guidance docs/user/providers-claude.md	The setup instructions cover built-in and custom model IDs, clarify that ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_*_MODEL aliases do not override explicit T3 Code selections, note that custom models may expose fewer controls, and use OpenRouter’s activity dashboard for verification.

Priority: ⬇️ Low

Estimated code review effort: 1 (Trivial) | ~5 minutes

Change: Other

Suggested reviewers: t3dotgg

Merge Risk: ⚪ Minimal · up to eba41

This documentation-only update introduces no established product or production risk and is mergeable after normal documentation checks.

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 5

✅ Passed checks (5 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Docstring Coverage	✅ Passed	No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check. Docstring coverage is scoped to functions touched by this diff. Analyzed 0 functions across 0…
Linked Issues check	✅ Passed	Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.
Out of Scope Changes check	✅ Passed	Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.
Title check	✅ Passed	The title clearly and concisely describes the documentation change: clarifying OpenRouter model selection for Claude.
Description check	✅ Passed	The description explains what changed, why it changed, the documentation-only scope, validation performed, and the related issue. It omits the template headings and checklist, but the required content…

✨ Finishing Touches

🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)

• Create PR with unit tests
• Commit unit tests in branch docs/claude-router-explicit-model

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