Keep OpenRouter as fallback
Decision
OpenRouter must remain available as a fallback provider, even if a self-hosted router becomes primary.
Reasons
- Free models are important.
- Broad model coverage.
- Previous migrations disrupted provider availability.
- A fallback reduces the chance of Hermes becoming unusable.
Alternatives considered
- Direct providers only
- OmniRoute exclusively
- Local models exclusively
Revisit when
A self-hosted router has operated reliably for at least 30 days.