> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL. > For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.pensar.dev/apex/llms.txt. > For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.pensar.dev/apex/_mcp/server. # /models > View and select AI models for penetration testing ## Overview The `/models` command opens the model selection interface where you can view available AI models grouped by provider and select which model Apex uses for penetration testing. ## Usage ```bash /models ``` ## How It Works The models interface displays all available models from your configured providers, organized by provider name. You can navigate through the list and select your preferred model. When no model is explicitly selected, Apex automatically picks a default based on your configured provider, prioritized as: Pensar → Anthropic → OpenAI → Google → OpenRouter → Bedrock. > **Info** > > Only models from **configured providers** are shown. Use `/providers` to set > up additional AI providers, or `/login` to connect via Pensar Console. ![Model selection screen — models grouped by provider](/apex/_fern-files/_img/78e8f6de72e52313cb9b3c3bcce44db650da999050d1827d9bd6515080a9f27c.webp) ## Interface When you open `/models`, you'll see: * **Provider sections**: Models grouped by provider (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, etc.) * **Model list**: Available models under each provider * **Selection indicator**: Current model highlighted with a bullet (●) * **Show more/less**: Expand to see all models if a provider has many ## Keyboard Navigation | Key | Action | | ---------- | ------------------------ | | `[↑/↓]` | Navigate between models | | `[Enter]` | Select highlighted model | | `[Ctrl+P]` | Open provider management | | `[ESC]` | Close and return home | ## Supported AI Providers #### Anthropic (Recommended) **Best performance** for penetration testing tasks. Available models include: * Claude Opus 4.8 (Maximum capability) * Claude Opus 4.7 * Claude Opus 4.6 * Claude Sonnet 4.6 * Claude Sonnet 4.5 * Claude Haiku 4.5 * Claude 3.7 Sonnet * And more... > **Success** > > **Anthropic models are specifically recommended** for penetration testing due to their superior reasoning capabilities and context understanding. #### OpenAI Support for GPT and o-series models from OpenAI, including GPT 5.5. Available models include: * GPT 5.5 * GPT 5.4 / GPT 5.4 Pro * GPT 5.2 / GPT 5.2 Pro * GPT-4.1 / GPT-4.1 mini * GPT-4o / GPT-4o mini * o3 / o3-mini / o4-mini * And more... #### Google Gemini models via Google's Generative AI API. Available models include: * Gemini 2.5 Pro / Flash * Gemini 2.0 Flash * And more... #### OpenRouter Access to models from multiple providers through a unified API. Benefits: * Single API for multiple providers * Pay-per-use pricing * Access to latest models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Meta, and more #### AWS Bedrock Enterprise-grade AI through AWS infrastructure. Available models: * Claude models via Bedrock * Amazon Nova models * Meta Llama models * And more... > **Info** > > Requires AWS credentials and Bedrock model access in your region. #### Pensar Console Managed inference through Pensar Console — no API key required. Available models: * Claude Opus 4.8 * Claude Opus 4.7 * Claude Opus 4.6 (default for Pensar) * Claude Sonnet 4.5 * Claude Haiku 4.5 * And more... Connect via `/login` in Apex. ## Default Model Per Provider When you haven't explicitly selected a model, Apex automatically uses the flagship model for your highest-priority configured provider: | Provider | Default Model | | ---------- | ---------------------------- | | Pensar | Claude Opus 4.6 (Pensar) | | Anthropic | Claude Opus 4.6 | | OpenAI | GPT 5.5 | | Google | Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview | | OpenRouter | Claude Opus 4.6 (OpenRouter) | This also applies to the headless CLI commands (`pensar pentest`, `pensar targeted-pentest`) when the `--model` flag is not provided. ## Setting Up Providers If no providers are configured, the models screen will show: ``` No providers configured. Press Ctrl+P to connect a provider. ``` Click "Connect provider" or press `Ctrl+P` to open the provider management interface. ## Model Selection #### Open Models Run `/models` to open the model selection interface #### Navigate Use `↑/↓` arrows to browse available models #### Select Press `[Enter]` to select the highlighted model #### Confirm Adjust effort or thinking if available, then press Enter on the selected model again to close ## Effort and Extended Thinking `/effort` opens the same model picker as `/models`, from home or an operator session. It also appears in command autocomplete and help. The selected model determines which control appears: * **Effort** shows only levels known to be supported by that model and provider. * **Extended Thinking** appears when a model supports on/off control instead. * Models with unknown capabilities use their defaults without an adjustable control. Select a model, then press **←/→** to cycle its settings, even while the search box has focus. Press **Enter** on a provider to expand or collapse it, or on the selected model again to close the picker. Preferences are saved separately for each model/provider, and sessions retain their selected setting when resumed with the same model. **Default** uses the known model default. Where thinking is mandatory, Apex does not offer an off setting. A level such as `high` has provider-specific meaning; it is not a fixed token budget or a prediction of cost. Headless commands also accept `--effort ` (or `--effort default`). Models with a thinking toggle support `--extended-thinking` and `--no-extended-thinking`. Invalid combinations fail before an inference request. ```sh pensar -p "Review the current changes" --model gpt-6.1-sol --effort low ``` ## Model Comparison #### Claude Opus 4.8 **Maximum Capability** - Best for: Complex, long-horizon agentic pentests - Speed: Moderate - Capability: Maximum - Cost: Higher #### Claude Sonnet 4.6 **Recommended** - Best for: All penetration testing - Speed: Fast - Capability: Excellent - Cost: Moderate #### GPT 5.5 **Alternative Option** - Best for: OpenAI users - Speed: Fast - Capability: Excellent - Cost: Higher #### Claude Haiku 4.5 **Budget Option** - Best for: Quick tests, development - Speed: Very Fast - Capability: Good - Cost: Lower ## Performance Considerations > **Info** > > **Model performance impacts**: - **Reasoning quality**: How well the AI > understands security concepts - **Context handling**: Ability to track complex > test scenarios - **Speed**: Time to complete testing runs - **Cost**: > Per-token or subscription costs ### When to Use Each Model | Use Case | Recommended Model | | -------------------------- | ----------------------------- | | Production security audits | Claude Opus 4.8 or Sonnet 4.6 | | Quick development testing | Claude Haiku 4.5 | | Enterprise with AWS | Claude via Bedrock | | Budget-conscious testing | Haiku or GPT-4o mini | ## Troubleshooting #### No models available **Issue**: No models showing in the selection **Solution**: 1. Press `Ctrl+P` to open provider management 2. Configure at least one AI provider with a valid API key 3. Return to `/models` to see available models #### Provider not showing models **Issue**: Configured provider doesn't show any models **Solution**: 1. Verify your API key is valid 2. Check your account has credits/access 3. For AWS Bedrock, ensure model access is enabled 4. Try reconfiguring the provider in `/providers` #### Model selection not saving **Issue**: Selected model doesn't persist **Solution**: 1. Ensure you press `[Enter]` to confirm selection 2. Check that you have write permissions to config directory 3. Restart Apex and try again ## Related Commands #### [/providers](/apex/tui-slash-commands/providers) Configure AI provider API keys #### [/pentest](/apex/tui-slash-commands/pentest) Start testing with your selected model #### [/help](/apex/tui-slash-commands/help) View all available commands