> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.stagewise.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Custom models — Add models not in the built-in list

> Add custom model definitions to the stagewise agentic IDE. Register fine-tuned models, self-hosted LLMs, or models from alternative providers to use with your AI coding agents.

stagewise ships with a curated list of built-in models. Add custom models for anything not in the default list — fine-tuned variants, self-hosted models, or models from alternative providers.

## Adding a custom model

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Models & Providers">
    Go to **Settings → Agent → Models & Providers** and scroll to the **Custom Models** section.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Add model">
    The model editor opens.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure the model">
    Provide:

    * **Model ID** — The identifier your endpoint expects
    * **Display name** — How the model appears in the selector
    * **Provider** — Which built-in provider this model routes through

    The endpoint mode configured for that provider determines where requests go.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Required capabilities

For a model to work in stagewise, it must support:

* **Text generation** — Standard text output
* **Tool calling** — Structured tool use via the API

<Warning>
  Models lacking either capability fail at runtime.
</Warning>

## Optional capabilities

Not required but enhance the agent:

* **Image vision** — Understand image inputs
* **Video vision** — Understand video inputs
* **Audio** — Process audio input

<Info>
  stagewise does **not** require native file input support. Files are read through a custom pipeline independent of the model's file handling.
</Info>

## Custom model with a local endpoint

A typical workflow for self-hosted models:

1. Create a [custom endpoint](/reference/custom-providers) pointing to your server (e.g., `http://localhost:11434/v1` for Ollama)
2. Create a custom model with the model ID your server expects
3. Select the custom model from the model picker in the chat sidebar

## Provider options and headers

For advanced configurations:

* **Provider options** — Raw JSON passed to the AI SDK for provider-specific behavior (reasoning effort, thinking budgets, streaming options)
* **Custom headers** — Additional HTTP headers sent with every request to this model

## Related

* [Models & providers concept →](/core-concepts/models-and-providers)
* [Custom providers →](/reference/custom-providers)
* [Models & providers configuration →](/reference/models-and-providers)