OpenCode: The Open Source AI Coding Agent

In a landscape increasingly dominated by proprietary AI coding tools, OpenCode stands out as a fully open-source alternative. Created by the team behind SST (Serverless Stack), OpenCode brings AI-assisted coding to your terminal, IDE, or desktop with the transparency and flexibility that open-source developers demand.

What is OpenCode?

OpenCode is an open-source AI agent designed to help you write code across different environments. Whether you prefer working in the terminal, your favorite IDE, or a desktop application, OpenCode adapts to your workflow while providing powerful AI assistance.

The project is built with a focus on developer experience—making AI assistance feel natural and unobtrusive while maintaining the openness that allows customization and self-hosting.

Key Features

Multi-Environment Support

OpenCode works wherever you do:

• Terminal: Command-line interface for terminal enthusiasts
• IDE Integration: Works with popular development environments
• Desktop App: Native application for focused coding sessions

Open Source Core

Everything is open:

• Full source code available on GitHub
• Community contributions welcome
• Self-hosting possible
• No vendor lock-in

Modern Architecture

Built with current best practices:

• TypeScript/Go implementation
• Clean, extensible codebase
• Plugin architecture
• API-first design

Multi-Model Support

Choose your AI provider:

• OpenAI models
• Anthropic Claude
• Local models via Ollama
• Custom API endpoints

Getting Started

Installation

Install via your package manager:

# npm
npm install -g opencode

# Homebrew (macOS)
brew install sst/tap/opencode

# Direct download
curl -fsSL https://opencode.ai/install.sh | bash

Configuration

Set up your preferred model:

# Using OpenAI
export OPENAI_API_KEY=your-key
opencode config set model gpt-4

# Using Anthropic
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-key
opencode config set model claude-3-opus

First Session

Start coding:

cd your-project
opencode

Core Workflows

Code Generation

Describe what you need:

opencode "Create a TypeScript function that validates credit card
numbers using the Luhn algorithm. Include comprehensive tests."

Code Modification

Edit existing code:

opencode "Refactor the database module to use connection pooling.
Update the configuration to support pool size settings."

Bug Fixing

Identify and fix issues:

opencode "The search function isn't returning results for partial
matches. Fix it to support substring matching."

Code Explanation

Understand complex code:

opencode explain --file src/algorithms/compression.ts

Terminal Interface

The CLI is designed for productivity:

Interactive Mode

Continuous conversation:

opencode
> Add user authentication
> Use JWT tokens
> Add refresh token support
> Write tests for the auth flow

One-Shot Commands

Quick operations:

opencode "Fix the TypeScript errors in src/api/"

File Operations

Work with specific files:

opencode --file api.ts "Add error handling"
opencode --dir src/services "Review for security issues"

Context Control

Manage what OpenCode sees:

opencode --include "src/**/*.ts" --exclude "**/*.test.ts" "Add logging"

IDE Integration

VS Code Extension

Seamless integration:

• Inline suggestions
• Chat panel
• Code actions
• Multi-file operations

JetBrains Plugin

Full-featured plugin:

• Tool window
• Context-aware suggestions
• Refactoring support

Vim/Neovim

Terminal-native integration:

" In your config
Plug 'opencode/opencode.nvim'

Desktop Application

For focused development:

Features

• Distraction-free interface
• Full codebase visibility
• Conversation history
• Project management

Cross-Platform

Works on:

• macOS
• Windows
• Linux

Architecture

Modular Design

OpenCode is built in layers:

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│         User Interfaces             │
│  (CLI, IDE Extensions, Desktop)     │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│           Core Engine               │
│  (Conversation, Context, Actions)   │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│         Model Providers             │
│  (OpenAI, Anthropic, Local)         │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│        Tool Integrations            │
│  (File System, Git, Shell)          │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

Plugin System

Extend functionality:

// Custom plugin example
export const myPlugin: OpenCodePlugin = {
  name: 'custom-linter',
  hooks: {
    beforeEdit: async (context) => {
      // Run custom checks
    },
    afterEdit: async (result) => {
      // Post-processing
    }
  }
};

Self-Hosting

Run your own instance:

Docker

docker run -d \
  -e OPENAI_API_KEY=your-key \
  -v $(pwd):/workspace \
  ghcr.io/sst/opencode:latest

From Source

git clone https://github.com/sst/opencode
cd opencode
go build -o opencode
./opencode serve

Comparison with Other Tools

Feature	OpenCode	Aider	Claude Code	Copilot
Open Source	Yes	Yes	No	No
Terminal	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
IDE	Yes	Limited	No	Yes
Desktop App	Yes	No	No	No
Self-Host	Yes	Yes	No	No
Git Native	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

Best Practices

Context Matters

Give OpenCode the right context:

# Good: Specific files and clear intent
opencode --file auth.ts --file user.ts "Add password reset flow"

# Less effective: Vague request
opencode "Fix auth"

Incremental Changes

Build up complex features:

opencode interactive
> First, add the database migration for password reset tokens
> Now add the email sending service
> Create the reset request endpoint
> Add the reset confirmation endpoint
> Write integration tests

Review Everything

AI code needs human review:

# Preview changes
opencode --preview "Make changes"

# Review diff
git diff

# Run tests
npm test

Use Version Control

Work safely with git:

# Create a branch
git checkout -b feature/ai-assisted

# Make changes with OpenCode
opencode "Implement feature"

# Review and commit
git diff
git add -p
git commit -m "Add feature (AI-assisted)"

Security Considerations

API Keys

Manage credentials safely:

# Use environment variables
export OPENAI_API_KEY=$(cat ~/.secrets/openai)

# Or secure config
opencode config set-secret api-key

Code Transmission

Understand data flow:

• Code sent to AI provider (unless self-hosted)
• Provider’s privacy policies apply
• Consider for sensitive projects

Self-Hosting

For complete control:

• Run local models
• No external API calls
• Full data sovereignty

Community and Contributing

Open Development

OpenCode is built in the open:

• Public roadmap
• Community discussions
• Regular updates
• Transparent decision-making

Contributing

Ways to participate:

• Bug reports
• Feature requests
• Code contributions
• Documentation improvements
• Plugin development

Getting Involved

# Fork and clone
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/opencode

# Set up development
npm install
npm run dev

# Submit PRs
git checkout -b feature/your-feature

Limitations

Current Constraints

OpenCode is actively developing:

• Some features still evolving
• Model support expanding
• Plugin ecosystem growing

General AI Limitations

As with all AI tools:

• Verify generated code
• Test thoroughly
• Don’t blindly trust suggestions

Roadmap

The team is working on:

• Enhanced IDE integrations
• More model providers
• Improved context handling
• Advanced plugin capabilities
• Team collaboration features

Conclusion

OpenCode represents a thoughtful approach to open-source AI coding assistance. By providing multiple interfaces—terminal, IDE, and desktop—it meets developers where they work rather than forcing new workflows.

The commitment to open source means you can inspect the code, self-host for privacy, and contribute improvements. For developers who value transparency and flexibility in their tools, OpenCode offers a compelling option.

Whether you’re looking for a Copilot alternative, want to self-host your AI coding tool, or simply appreciate open-source projects, OpenCode deserves consideration. The combination of accessibility, openness, and active development makes it a promising tool in the AI coding agent landscape.

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