Model Aliases
Aliases let you reference models with short, memorable names instead of full model identifiers like claude-sonnet-4-20250514.
Concept
An alias is a short name that maps to a full model name:
fast -> claude-3-5-haiku-latest
smart -> claude-sonnet-4-20250514
best -> claude-opus-4-20250514
This means you can use fast anywhere you would use claude-3-5-haiku-latest.
Commands
List Aliases
View all configured aliases:
viben model aliases list
Output:
Model Aliases:
fast -> claude-3-5-haiku-latest
smart -> claude-sonnet-4-20250514
best -> claude-opus-4-20250514
gpt -> gpt-4-turbo
For JSON output:
viben model aliases list --json
Create Alias
Create a new alias:
viben model aliases create -n <alias> -f <model>
Examples:
# Create speed-focused aliases
viben model aliases create -n fast -f claude-3-5-haiku-latest
viben model aliases create -n quick -f gpt-4o-mini
# Create quality-focused aliases
viben model aliases create -n smart -f claude-sonnet-4-20250514
viben model aliases create -n best -f claude-opus-4-20250514
# Create purpose-specific aliases
viben model aliases create -n code -f claude-sonnet-4-20250514
viben model aliases create -n chat -f claude-3-5-haiku-latest
viben model aliases create -n reasoning -f o1-preview
# Create provider-specific aliases
viben model aliases create -n gpt -f gpt-4-turbo
viben model aliases create -n claude -f claude-sonnet-4-20250514
viben model aliases create -n gemini -f gemini-1.5-pro
Remove Alias
Remove an existing alias:
viben model aliases remove -n <alias>
Example:
viben model aliases remove -n old-alias
Configuration File
Aliases are stored in ~/.viben/models.yaml:
# ~/.viben/models.yaml
version: 1
default: claude-sonnet-4-20250514
aliases:
# Speed-focused
fast: claude-3-5-haiku-latest
quick: gpt-4o-mini
# Quality-focused
smart: claude-sonnet-4-20250514
balanced: gpt-4o
# Maximum capability
best: claude-opus-4-20250514
powerful: gpt-4-turbo
# Purpose-specific
code: claude-sonnet-4-20250514
chat: claude-3-5-haiku-latest
reasoning: o1-preview
# Provider-specific
gpt: gpt-4-turbo
claude: claude-sonnet-4-20250514
gemini: gemini-1.5-pro
Recommended Alias Categories
By Performance
| Alias | Description | Example Model |
|---|---|---|
fast | Fastest response time | claude-3-5-haiku-latest |
quick | Quick responses | gpt-4o-mini |
balanced | Balanced speed/quality | gpt-4o |
smart | High quality | claude-sonnet-4-20250514 |
best | Maximum quality | claude-opus-4-20250514 |
powerful | Most capable | gpt-4-turbo |
By Use Case
| Alias | Description | Example Model |
|---|---|---|
code | Code generation/review | claude-sonnet-4-20250514 |
chat | Casual conversation | claude-3-5-haiku-latest |
reasoning | Complex reasoning | o1-preview |
analysis | Data analysis | claude-opus-4-20250514 |
creative | Creative writing | claude-opus-4-20250514 |
By Provider
| Alias | Description | Example Model |
|---|---|---|
claude | Default Claude model | claude-sonnet-4-20250514 |
gpt | Default GPT model | gpt-4-turbo |
gemini | Default Gemini model | gemini-1.5-pro |
local | Local Ollama model | llama3 |
Using Aliases
Once configured, use aliases anywhere you specify a model:
# Set default model using alias
viben model set-default -n fast
# Use in agent configuration
viben agent config -n my-agent set model smart
Updating Aliases
To update an alias to point to a different model, simply create it again:
# Update 'fast' to point to a different model
viben model aliases create -n fast -f gpt-4o-mini
This will overwrite the existing alias.
Best Practices
Use Semantic Names
Choose alias names that describe the use case, not the specific model:
# Good - semantic naming
viben model aliases create -n fast -f claude-3-5-haiku-latest
viben model aliases create -n best -f claude-opus-4-20250514
# Less ideal - model-specific naming
viben model aliases create -n haiku -f claude-3-5-haiku-latest
viben model aliases create -n opus -f claude-opus-4-20250514
Semantic names allow you to swap out the underlying model without changing your workflows.
Standardize Across Team
If working in a team, agree on a standard set of aliases:
aliases:
# Team standards
fast: claude-3-5-haiku-latest # For quick operations
default: claude-sonnet-4-20250514 # Default for most tasks
premium: claude-opus-4-20250514 # When quality matters most
Keep Aliases Minimal
Too many aliases can be confusing. Stick to a small set of commonly used ones:
# Good - focused set
aliases:
fast: claude-3-5-haiku-latest
smart: claude-sonnet-4-20250514
best: claude-opus-4-20250514
# Less ideal - too many aliases
aliases:
fast: ...
quick: ...
speedy: ...
rapid: ...
# etc.
JSON Output
viben model aliases list --json
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"aliases": {
"fast": "claude-3-5-haiku-latest",
"smart": "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
"best": "claude-opus-4-20250514",
"gpt": "gpt-4-turbo"
}
}
}
Next Steps
- Model Fallbacks - Set up automatic fallback chains
- Model Management - Configure model settings
- Provider Management - Configure providers for your models