Available Models
Access Claude and Gemini models via Google Vertex AI.
Claude Models
| Model ID | Description | Best For | Speed |
|---|
claude-opus-4-5-thinking | Most capable model with extended thinking | Complex tasks, architecture, planning | Slower |
claude-sonnet-4-5-thinking | Fast and capable with extended thinking | Daily coding, quick tasks | Fast |
claude-sonnet-4-5 | Standard Sonnet without extended thinking | General use, fastest Claude | Fastest |
Gemini Models
| Model ID | Description | Best For |
|---|
gemini-3-flash | Very fast responses | Quick edits, simple tasks, preserving quota |
gemini-3-pro-high | Higher quality Gemini | Alternative when Claude quota is low |
Gemini models are useful when you want to preserve Claude quota for complex tasks, or when you need very fast responses for simple operations.
Recommended Setup
Claude Code
Cline / Roo
Cursor
{
"ANTHROPIC_MODEL": "claude-opus-4-5-thinking",
"ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL": "claude-opus-4-5-thinking",
"ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL": "claude-sonnet-4-5-thinking",
"ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL": "gemini-3-flash"
}
/model model-name to switch during a session.
- Primary:
claude-sonnet-4-5-thinking
- For complex tasks:
claude-opus-4-5-thinking
- Quick edits:
gemini-3-flash
- Default:
claude-sonnet-4-5-thinking
- Heavy lifting:
claude-opus-4-5-thinking
Model Selection Guide
| Task | Recommended Model | Why |
|---|
| Architecture decisions | claude-opus-4-5-thinking | Needs deep reasoning |
| Code generation | claude-sonnet-4-5-thinking | Good balance of speed/quality |
| Complex debugging | claude-opus-4-5-thinking | Extended thinking helps |
| Documentation | claude-sonnet-4-5-thinking | Fast enough for prose |
| Quick fixes | gemini-3-flash | Very fast, saves quota |
| Boilerplate | gemini-3-flash | Doesn’t need Claude quality |
Extended Thinking
Models with -thinking suffix use extended thinking mode:
- Claude thinks through problems step-by-step before responding
- Better for complex reasoning and multi-step tasks
- Slightly slower but higher quality for difficult problems
If you don’t need extended thinking, use claude-sonnet-4-5 for faster responses.