APC Recommends 'model: inherit' to Keep AI Agent Definitions Portable

A design guideline for APC (a repository-owned context layer for AI agents) recommends using 'model: inherit' in agent definition files rather than hardcoding a specific AI model. The approach separates project knowledge — such as an agent's role, skills, and responsibilities — from operational details like provider accounts and available models, which can vary between contributors. When a model is set to 'inherit', the runtime resolves the actual model using its own configured defaults, rather than forcing every user who clones the repository to meet a potentially unavailable or unaffordable model requirement. Hardcoding a vendor-specific model is only advised when the task genuinely requires it, such as when a workflow depends on a model-specific capability agreed upon by the team. Project maintainers are encouraged to periodically audit agent files and replace incidental model choices with 'inherit', documenting any justified exceptions clearly.