head to head · open source
OpenCode vs Aider
OpenCode has 208,150 GitHub stars, 27,350 forks, 5,727 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Aider has 49,021 stars, 4,967 forks, 1,860 open issues and last shipped 4 months ago. OpenCode leads on adoption by 325% (208,150 vs 49,021 stars). OpenCode is written in TypeScript under MIT; Aider is written in Python under Apache-2.0. OpenCode has attracted 13% as many forks as stars, Aider 10%. OpenCode was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| OpenCode | Aider | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 208K | ★ 49K |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Python |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-05-22 |
| Forks | ⑂ 27K | ⑂ 5.0K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick OpenCode if
- You weight community size — 208K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Aider if
- You want the Aider feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and Aider fits your workflow better
About OpenCode
OpenCode is an open source AI coding agent designed to operate across terminal, IDE, and desktop environments. It integrates directly into developer workflows to assist with writing, editing, and understanding code using natural language prompts. Built in TypeScript and licensed under MIT, it runs locally or via a desktop app and supports multiple languages and platforms.
read the full OpenCode overview →
About Aider
Aider is an open source AI pair programming tool that runs in the terminal. It connects to large language models—cloud based or local—to assist with writing, editing, and debugging code directly within a developer’s existing workflow. Built in Python and licensed under Apache 2.0, it integrates with popular LLMs including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, and open source models like Llama.
read the full Aider overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is OpenCode or Aider more popular?
OpenCode has 208,150 GitHub stars and Aider has 49,021. OpenCode has the larger community by that measure.
Are OpenCode and Aider free?
Both are open source. OpenCode is licensed under MIT and Aider under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between OpenCode and Aider?
OpenCode is written in TypeScript and Aider in Python. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, OpenCode or Aider?
Choose OpenCode if you want the larger community (208,150 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose Aider if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.