/install chitin-core
chitin-core
Route tasks to the cheapest capable model. Never crash on rate limits.
Activation
When spawning sub-agents or delegating tasks, use ModelRouter to select the optimal model.
Trigger phrases: "route this", "spawn a sub-agent", "delegate", or any time you need to choose a model for a task.
Usage
Route a Task
node ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/chitin-core/scripts/router.js route "task description here"
Returns JSON:
{"tier":"MEDIUM","model":"google-antigravity/gemini-3.1-pro","confidence":0.85,"estimatedCost":0.005,"signals":["codeSignals:2×1.2=2.4"]}
Use the returned model value in sessions_spawn.
Handle Failures
If a spawned session fails with a rate limit or error:
node ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/chitin-core/scripts/router.js fail "provider/model" "error message"
Then re-route — the failed model will be skipped:
node ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/chitin-core/scripts/router.js route "same task"
Check Health
node ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/chitin-core/scripts/router.js health
View Costs
node ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/chitin-core/scripts/router.js costs
Validate Config
node ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/chitin-core/scripts/router.js validate
Workflow
- Receive task from user
- Run
router.js route "\x3Ctask>"to get optimal model sessions_spawnwith returned model- If spawn fails →
router.js fail "\x3Cmodel>" "\x3Cerror>"→ retry route - Return result to user
Tiers
| Tier | Use Case | Models |
|---|---|---|
| LIGHT | Greetings, simple Q&A, status checks | Flash, DeepSeek, gpt-5-mini, Groq, Ollama |
| MEDIUM | Code, summaries, standard tasks | Gemini Pro, gpt-5.2, DeepSeek Reasoner |
| HEAVY | Architecture, complex reasoning, agentic | gpt-5.2-pro, o3, Codex |
Override Tags
Include in task text to force a tier:
@light— force cheapest model@medium— force mid-tier@heavy— force most capable
Graceful Degradation
If all models in a tier are rate-limited, the router automatically:
- Tries adjacent tiers (escalate or downgrade)
- Falls back to local Ollama if configured
- Returns structured error with retry time (never crashes)
Configuration
Edit config.json in the skill directory to:
- Add/remove models per tier
- Adjust cost figures
- Tune classification boundaries
- Make sure OpenClaw is installed (local or Docker)
- Run the install command in chat:
/install chitin-core - After installation, invoke the skill by name or use
/chitin-core - Provide required inputs per the skill's parameter spec and get structured output
What is chitin-core?
Selects the most cost-effective capable model for tasks, handles rate limit failures gracefully, and supports tier overrides and health checks. It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 396 downloads so far.
How do I install chitin-core?
Run "/install chitin-core" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.
Is chitin-core free?
Yes, chitin-core is completely free (open-source). You can download, install and use it at no cost.
Which platforms does chitin-core support?
chitin-core is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (cross-platform).
Who created chitin-core?
It is built and maintained by adroidian (@adroidian); the current version is v1.0.0.