Configuration

VBAgent uses a hierarchical configuration system for managing models, providers, and agent settings.

Configuration Files

Configuration is loaded in this order (later overrides earlier):

Global config: ~/.config/vbagent/models.json
Workspace config: .vbagent.json in current directory

Initialize Configuration

# Interactive setup
vbagent init

# Quick setup (only ask for subject)
vbagent init --quick

# Non-interactive (use defaults)
vbagent init --yes

# Overwrite existing config
vbagent init --force

Configuration Structure

{
  "subject": "physics",
  "classifier": {
    "model": "gpt-4o-mini",
    "reasoning_effort": "low"
  },
  "scanner": {
    "model": "gpt-4o",
    "reasoning_effort": "high"
  },
  "tikz": {
    "model": "gpt-4o",
    "reasoning_effort": "medium"
  },
  "variant": {
    "model": "gpt-4o",
    "reasoning_effort": "medium"
  }
}

Supported Providers

OpenAI

export OPENAI_API_KEY="your-key"

Models: gpt-4o, gpt-4o-mini, o1, o1-mini

xAI (Grok)

export XAI_API_KEY="your-key"

Models: grok-2-1212, grok-2-vision-1212, grok-beta

Google (Gemini)

export GOOGLE_API_KEY="your-key"

Models: gemini-2.0-flash-exp, gemini-exp-1206

Agent Types

classifier - Question type classification
scanner - LaTeX extraction
tikz - TikZ diagram generation
tikz_checker - TikZ validation
idea - Concept extraction
alternate - Alternate solutions
variant - Problem variants
converter - Format conversion
reviewer - QA review

Reasoning Levels

low - Fast, basic reasoning
medium - Balanced speed/quality
high - Deep reasoning, slower
xhigh - Maximum reasoning (o1 models only)

CLI Configuration Commands

View Current Config

vbagent config show

Set Agent Configuration

# Set model
vbagent config set scanner --model gpt-4o

# Set reasoning level
vbagent config set tikz --reasoning high

# Set temperature
vbagent config set variant --temperature 0.7

# Set multiple options
vbagent config set scanner --model gpt-4o --reasoning high

Reset to Defaults

vbagent config reset

List Available Models

vbagent config models

Programmatic Configuration

from vbagent import get_config, set_config

# Get current config
config = get_config()

# Modify settings
config.scanner.model = "gpt-4o"
config.scanner.reasoning_effort = "high"
config.tikz.model = "gpt-4o-mini"

# Apply changes
set_config(config)

Subject-Specific Settings

Subjects affect: - LaTeX preamble packages - Prompt context - Reference materials

Available subjects: - physics - chemistry - mathematics - biology

Performance Tips

Use gpt-4o-mini for classification - 5-10x faster, same accuracy
Use high reasoning for scanning - Better LaTeX quality
Use medium reasoning for variants - Good balance
Set subject correctly - Loads appropriate packages

Example Configurations

Fast Processing

{
  "subject": "physics",
  "classifier": {"model": "gpt-4o-mini", "reasoning_effort": "low"},
  "scanner": {"model": "gpt-4o", "reasoning_effort": "medium"},
  "tikz": {"model": "gpt-4o-mini", "reasoning_effort": "low"}
}

High Quality

{
  "subject": "physics",
  "classifier": {"model": "gpt-4o", "reasoning_effort": "medium"},
  "scanner": {"model": "o1", "reasoning_effort": "high"},
  "tikz": {"model": "gpt-4o", "reasoning_effort": "high"}
}

Budget-Friendly

{
  "subject": "physics",
  "classifier": {"model": "gpt-4o-mini", "reasoning_effort": "low"},
  "scanner": {"model": "gpt-4o-mini", "reasoning_effort": "medium"},
  "tikz": {"model": "gpt-4o-mini", "reasoning_effort": "low"}
}