QA Lab: add provider registry

Move mock and live provider behavior behind provider-owned definitions so suite, manual, Matrix, and transport lanes share defaults, auth staging, model config, and standalone server startup.

Add AIMock as a first-class local provider mode while keeping mock-openai as the scenario-aware deterministic lane.

docs/concepts/qa-e2e-automation.md

@@ -151,6 +151,22 @@ The baseline list should stay broad enough to cover:
 - repo-reading and docs-reading
 - one small build task such as Lobster Invaders
 
+## Provider mock lanes
+
+`qa suite` has two local provider mock lanes:
+
+- `mock-openai` is the scenario-aware OpenClaw mock. It remains the default
+  deterministic mock lane for repo-backed QA and parity gates.
+- `aimock` starts an AIMock-backed provider server for experimental protocol,
+  fixture, record/replay, and chaos coverage. It is additive and does not
+  replace the `mock-openai` scenario dispatcher.
+
+Provider-lane implementation lives under `extensions/qa-lab/src/providers/`.
+Each provider owns its defaults, local server startup, gateway model config,
+auth-profile staging needs, and live/mock capability flags. Shared suite and
+gateway code should route through the provider registry instead of branching on
+provider names.
+
 ## Transport adapters
 
 `qa-lab` owns a generic transport seam for markdown QA scenarios.

docs/help/testing.md

@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ These commands sit beside the main test suites when you need QA-lab realism:
     gateway workers, up to 64 workers or the selected scenario count. Use
     `--concurrency <count>` to tune the worker count, or `--concurrency 1` for
     the older serial lane.
+  - Supports provider modes `live-frontier`, `mock-openai`, and `aimock`.
+    `aimock` starts a local AIMock-backed provider server for experimental
+    fixture and protocol-mock coverage without replacing the scenario-aware
+    `mock-openai` lane.
 - `pnpm openclaw qa suite --runner multipass`
   - Runs the same QA suite inside a disposable Multipass Linux VM.
   - Keeps the same scenario-selection behavior as `qa suite` on the host.
@@ -65,6 +69,9 @@ These commands sit beside the main test suites when you need QA-lab realism:
     `.artifacts/qa-e2e/...`.
 - `pnpm qa:lab:up`
   - Starts the Docker-backed QA site for operator-style QA work.
+- `pnpm openclaw qa aimock`
+  - Starts only the local AIMock provider server for direct protocol smoke
+    testing.
 - `pnpm openclaw qa matrix`
   - Runs the Matrix live QA lane against a disposable Docker-backed Tuwunel homeserver.
   - This QA host is repo/dev-only today. Packaged OpenClaw installs do not ship