Adds Vertex AI as a first-class provider for Gemini models via Vertex's
OpenAI-compatible endpoint. Vertex authenticates with short-lived OAuth2
access tokens (service-account JSON or ADC), not a static API key — the
missing piece behind the recurring requests (#13484, #12639, #56259).
- agent/vertex_adapter.py: OAuth2 token minting + refresh-on-expiry
(5-min margin), ADC->service-account fallback, global vs regional
endpoint URLs. Config precedence: env var > config.yaml > default.
- plugins/model-providers/vertex/: provider profile (auth_type=vertex),
reuses Gemini's extra_body.google.thinking_config translation.
- runtime_provider: vertex short-circuit BEFORE the credential pool so a
credentials-file path is never mistaken for a static API key; mints a
fresh token + computes base_url per resolve.
- run_agent + conversation_loop: _try_refresh_vertex_client_credentials()
re-mints the token and rebuilds the client on a mid-session 401, so a
long-lived gateway agent survives token expiry (~1h).
- auxiliary_client: vertex auth_type branch for side-LLM tasks.
- config.yaml: vertex.project_id / vertex.region (non-secret, bridged to
env); credential path stays in .env (VERTEX_CREDENTIALS_PATH).
- setup wizard + model picker: dedicated _model_flow_vertex; curated
google/gemini-* model list; --provider choices.
- pricing/metadata: Vertex prices off the gemini docs snapshot; endpoint
host auto-maps to the vertex provider (no probe spam).
- lazy_deps + pyproject [vertex] extra: google-auth, opt-in only.
- docs: guides/google-vertex.md + providers page; tests for adapter +
runtime resolution.
Salvages and modernizes #8427 by @slawt onto current main: rewired from
the legacy PROVIDER_REGISTRY path to the provider-profile architecture,
moved non-secret config out of .env into config.yaml, and added the
per-turn 401 token-refresh the original lacked.