smart-model-switching
Auto-route tasks to the cheapest Claude model that works correctly. Three-tier progression: Haiku → Sonnet → Opus. Classify before responding. HAIKU (default): factual Q&A, greetings, reminders, status checks, lookups, simple file ops, heartbeats, casual chat, 1-2 sentence tasks. ESCALATE TO SONNET: code >10 lines, analysis, comparisons, planning, reports, multi-step reasoning, tables, long writing >3 paragraphs, summarization, research synthesis, most user conversations. ESCALATE TO OPUS: architecture decisions, complex debugging, multi-file refactoring, strategic planning, nuanced judgment,
npx skills add majiayu000/claude-skill-registry --skill smart-model-switching --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
# Smart Model Switching **Three-tier Claude routing: Haiku → Sonnet → Opus** Start with the cheapest model. Escalate only when needed. Save 50-90% on API costs. ## The Golden Rule > If a human would need more than 30 seconds of focused thinking, escalate from Haiku to Sonnet. > If the task involves architecture, complex tradeoffs, or deep reasoning, escalate to Opus. ## Cost Reality | Model | Input | Output | Relative Cost | |-------|-------|--------|---------------| | Haiku | \$0.25/M | \$1.25/M | 1x (baseline) | | Sonnet | \$3.00/M | \$15.00/M | 12x | | Opus | \$15.00/M | \$75.00/M | 60x | **Bottom line:** Wrong model selection wastes money OR time. Haiku for simple, Sonnet for standard, Opus for complex. --- ## 💚 HAIKU — Default for Simple Tasks **Stay on Haiku for:** - Factual Q&A — "what is X", "who is Y", "when did Z" - Quick lookups — definitions, unit conversions, short translations - Status checks — calendar, file reads, session monitoring - Heartbeats — periodic checks, HEARTBEAT_OK responses - Memory & reminders — "remember this", "remind me to..." - Casual conversation — greetings, small talk, acknowledgments - Simple file ops — read, list, basic writes - One-liner tas
- The Golden Rule
- Cost Reality
- 💚 HAIKU — Default for Simple Tasks
- NEVER do these on Haiku
- 💛 SONNET — Standard Work (The Workhorse)
- Code & Technical
- Analysis & Planning
- Writing & Content
- ❤️ OPUS — Complex Reasoning Only
- Architecture & Design
- Deep Analysis
- Strategic & Creative
- 🔄 Implementation
- For Subagents
What does the smart-model-switching skill do?
Auto-route tasks to the cheapest Claude model that works correctly. Three-tier progression: Haiku → Sonnet → Opus. Classify before responding. HAIKU (default): factual Q&A, greetings, reminders, status checks, lookups, simple file ops, heartbeats, casual chat, 1-2 sentence tasks. ESCALATE TO SONNET: code >10 lines, analysis, comparisons, planning, reports, multi-step reasoning, tables, long writing >3 paragraphs, summarization, research synthesis, most user conversations. ESCALATE TO OPUS: architecture decisions, complex debugging, multi-file refactoring, strategic planning, nuanced judgment,
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add majiayu000/claude-skill-registry --skill smart-model-switching --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From majiayu000/claude-skill-registry, a repository with 534 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.