deepseek-harness/docs/rfc/proposed/2026-06-20-providerless-example-base.md

RFC: Make the shared example base providerless

Status: proposed

Problem

The examples have two shared base files: examples/base-core.yml is providerless, while examples/base.yml includes that core plus the real llm-deepseek adapter. Snapshot replay needs the providerless core with llm-replay, because loading the real adapter without a key throws. The normal demos need the real adapter. The result is a naming inversion: the file named base.yml is not the reusable base for all examples, while the true base is base-core.yml.

The split is understandable, but it makes every config explanation longer. It also leads to awkward test setup like a keyless smoke test carrying a dummy API key so an adapter can boot even though the model is not called.

Proposal

Rename the providerless core to examples/base.yml and make adapter selection explicit in each concrete example. The coding and ACP real configs add a tiny llm-deepseek include or local block; snapshot config adds llm-replay. Delete base-core.yml.

The shared base should contain only provider-neutral services and tools: llm, sessions, system prompt, tools, agents, invariants, bash executor, and bash tool schemas. Anything that chooses a model provider belongs at the leaf config.

Acceptance criteria

• examples/base.yml is providerless.
• examples/base-core.yml is deleted.
• Real demo configs explicitly add the DeepSeek adapter.
• Snapshot replay config includes the same providerless base and its replay adapter.
• README and RFC references stop explaining "base = base-core plus adapter".

What we give up

Real demos lose one layer of convenience: each must opt into the adapter. That is the right default for examples, because adapter choice is the variable part and providerless wiring is the shared product core.