{"item":{"id":"obs-topic-model-access","product":"openclaw","language":"en","title":"Can I use an agent without a local model?","summary":"A local model is one provider option. Separate model access from the assistant runtime, and keep a non-model fallback for collection tasks.","contentType":"guide","category":"deployment","revision":2,"canonicalUrl":"https://botclaw.tech/items/obs-topic-model-access","sourceUrls":["https://docs.openclaw.ai/start/openclaw","https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/getting-started/quickstart"],"sourcePublishedAt":"2026-10-01T16:24:26.193Z","reviewedAt":"2026-10-01T15:50:00.000Z","collectedAt":"2026-10-01T16:24:26.193Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-01T16:24:32.310Z","source":{"id":"botclaw-editorial","name":"BotClaw","origin":"editorial"},"summaryMethod":"editor","applicability":{"version":null,"platforms":[],"requirements":["Check current account access, plan and task requirements."]},"verification":{"kind":"official_documentation","checkedAt":"2026-10-01T15:50:00.000Z","urls":["https://docs.openclaw.ai/start/openclaw","https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/getting-started/quickstart"],"limitations":["Source-backed facts plus BotClaw editorial interpretation. No product account, inference or agent performance test was run."]},"body":{"introduction":"The first decision is whether a task needs inference at all. Fetching feeds, deduplicating URLs and rendering a list can be ordinary software work.","sections":[{"heading":"Separate three dependencies","paragraphs":["The runtime hosts tools and state. A model provider supplies inference. A channel delivers messages. A healthy channel or an installed runtime does not prove that the model endpoint is reachable."]},{"heading":"Choose an honest starting point","paragraphs":["Use a compatible remote provider when it fits your data and budget requirements; use a local model only if a reachable service is actually available. Without either, build deterministic collection and source review first."]},{"heading":"Acceptance sequence","paragraphs":[],"steps":["Check endpoint reachability separately from a real authorized inference request.","Run one fixed small task, record the output and cost, then add a tool.","Retain a plain collector path when inference is unavailable."]}]},"editorial":{"section":"topic","productIds":["openclaw","hermes"],"relatedIds":["wf-rss-digest","obs-topic-cost"],"sourceDate":null,"version":null},"indexable":true,"supersededBy":null,"review":{"state":"current","pendingChanges":0,"policyDays":7}}}