fix: improve /model user feedback + update docs

User messaging improvements:
- Rejection: '(>_<) Error: not a valid model' instead of '(^_^) Warning: Error:'
- Rejection: shows 'Model unchanged' + tip about /model and /provider
- Session-only: explains 'this session only' with reason and 'will revert on restart'
- Saved: clear '(saved to config)' confirmation

Docs updated:
- cli-commands.md, cli.md, messaging/index.md: /model now shows
  provider:model syntax, /provider command added to tables

Test fixes: deduplicated test names, assertions match new messages.

cli.py

@@ -2101,8 +2101,10 @@ class HermesCLI:
                     validation = {"accepted": True, "persist": True, "recognized": False, "message": None}
 
                 if not validation.get("accepted"):
-                    print(f"(^_^) Warning: {validation.get('message')}")
-                    print(f"(^_^) Current model unchanged: {self.model}")
+                    print(f"(>_<) {validation.get('message')}")
+                    print(f"  Model unchanged: {self.model}")
+                    if "Did you mean" not in (validation.get("message") or ""):
+                        print("  Tip: Use /model to see available models, /provider to see providers")
                 else:
                     self.model = new_model
                     self.agent = None  # Force re-init
@@ -2123,13 +2125,13 @@ class HermesCLI:
                         if saved_model:
                             print(f"(^_^)b Model changed to: {new_model}{provider_note} (saved to config)")
                         else:
-                            print(f"(^_^) Model changed to: {new_model}{provider_note} (session only)")
+                            print(f"(^_^) Model changed to: {new_model}{provider_note} (this session only)")
                     else:
-                        print(f"(^_^) Model changed to: {new_model}{provider_note} (session only)")
-
-                    message = validation.get("message")
-                    if message:
-                        print(f"  Warning: {message}")
+                        message = validation.get("message") or ""
+                        print(f"(^_^) Model changed to: {new_model}{provider_note} (this session only)")
+                        if message:
+                            print(f"  Reason: {message}")
+                        print("  Note: Model will revert on restart. Use a verified model to save to config.")
             else:
                 from hermes_cli.models import curated_models_for_provider, normalize_provider, _PROVIDER_LABELS
                 from hermes_cli.auth import resolve_provider as _resolve_provider

gateway/run.py

@@ -1414,7 +1414,9 @@ class GatewayRunner:
             validation = {"accepted": True, "persist": True, "recognized": False, "message": None}
 
         if not validation.get("accepted"):
-            return f"⚠️ {validation.get('message')}"
+            msg = validation.get("message", "Invalid model")
+            tip = "\n\nUse `/model` to see available models, `/provider` to see providers" if "Did you mean" not in msg else ""
+            return f"⚠️ {msg}{tip}"
 
         # Persist to config only if validation approves
         if validation.get("persist"):
@@ -1445,7 +1447,10 @@ class GatewayRunner:
         if validation.get("message"):
             warning = f"\n⚠️ {validation['message']}"
 
-        persist_note = "saved to config" if validation.get("persist") else "session only"
+        if validation.get("persist"):
+            persist_note = "saved to config"
+        else:
+            persist_note = "this session only — will revert on restart"
         return f"🤖 Model changed to `{new_model}` ({persist_note}){provider_note}{warning}\n_(takes effect on next message)_"
 
     async def _handle_provider_command(self, event: MessageEvent) -> str:

tests/test_cli_model_command.py

@@ -41,10 +41,11 @@ class TestModelCommand:
 
         output = capsys.readouterr().out
         assert "not a valid model" in output
+        assert "Model unchanged" in output
         assert cli_obj.model == "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6"
         save_mock.assert_not_called()
 
-    def test_model_when_api_unreachable_falls_back_session_only(self, capsys):
+    def test_api_unreachable_falls_back_session_only(self, capsys):
         cli_obj = self._make_cli()
 
         with patch("hermes_cli.models.fetch_api_models", return_value=None), \
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ class TestModelCommand:
 
         output = capsys.readouterr().out
         assert "session only" in output
+        assert "will revert on restart" in output
         assert cli_obj.model == "anthropic/claude-sonnet-next"
         save_mock.assert_not_called()
 
@@ -66,8 +68,9 @@ class TestModelCommand:
 
         output = capsys.readouterr().out
         assert "not a valid model" in output
-        assert cli_obj.model == "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6"
-        fetch_mock.assert_called_once()
+        assert "Model unchanged" in output
+        assert cli_obj.model == "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6"  # unchanged
+        assert cli_obj.agent is not None  # not reset
         save_mock.assert_not_called()
 
     def test_validation_crash_falls_back_to_save(self, capsys):

website/docs/reference/cli-commands.md

@@ -139,7 +139,8 @@ Type `/` in the interactive CLI to see an autocomplete dropdown.
 |---------|-------------|
 | `/tools` | List all available tools |
 | `/toolsets` | List available toolsets |
-| `/model [name]` | Show or change the current model |
+| `/model [provider:model]` | Show or change the current model (supports `provider:model` syntax to switch providers) |
+| `/provider` | Show available providers with auth status |
 | `/config` | Show current configuration |
 | `/prompt [text]` | View/set custom system prompt |
 | `/personality [name]` | Set a predefined personality |

website/docs/user-guide/cli.md

@@ -95,7 +95,8 @@ Type `/` to see an autocomplete dropdown of all available commands.
 |---------|-------------|
 | `/tools` | List all available tools grouped by toolset |
 | `/toolsets` | List available toolsets with descriptions |
-| `/model [name]` | Show or change the current model |
+| `/model [provider:model]` | Show or change the current model (supports `provider:model` syntax) |
+| `/provider` | Show available providers with auth status |
 | `/config` | Show current configuration |
 | `/prompt [text]` | View/set/clear custom system prompt |
 | `/personality [name]` | Set a predefined personality |

website/docs/user-guide/messaging/index.md

@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ hermes gateway status       # Check service status
 | Command | Description |
 |---------|-------------|
 | `/new` or `/reset` | Start fresh conversation |
-| `/model [name]` | Show or change the model |
+| `/model [provider:model]` | Show or change the model (supports `provider:model` syntax) |
+| `/provider` | Show available providers with auth status |
 | `/personality [name]` | Set a personality |
 | `/retry` | Retry the last message |
 | `/undo` | Remove the last exchange |