What it is

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.

The project solves the problem of fragmented AI coding tools by providing a unified, self-hostable agent that works natively in the terminal (via CLI), inside editors (via plugins or LSP), and as a standalone desktop application. Unlike proprietary alternatives, OpenCode avoids vendor lock-in and gives users full control over model selection and data flow.

Key capabilities

• Runs as a CLI agent in terminal with tab-switchable roles: build (full-edit access) and plan (read-only, permission-aware for commands)
• Supports @general subagent invocation for complex, multi-step tasks
• Provides desktop applications for macOS (Apple Silicon/Intel), Windows, and Linux with native installers (.dmg, .exe, .deb, .rpm, .AppImage)
• Installs via multiple package managers: Homebrew, Scoop, Chocolatey, pacman/paru, mise, and nix
• Respects XDG Base Directory Specification and allows custom install paths via OPENCODE_INSTALL_DIR or XDG_BIN_DIR environment variables
• Includes built-in documentation and agent configuration via https://opencode.ai/docs
• Supports multilingual interfaces: English, Chinese (Simplified/Traditional), Korean, German, Spanish, French, and more

Who uses it and how

• Developers use the CLI agent in terminal sessions to draft, refactor, or debug code without leaving their shell
• Teams deploy the desktop app for GUI-based interaction while maintaining local model execution and data privacy
• Architects use the plan agent to explore unfamiliar codebases, request changes, and review diffs before applying edits
• CI/CD pipelines or local scripts invoke opencode via CLI for automated code generation or documentation updates
• Contributors build on top of OpenCode’s agent framework to create custom tooling (e.g., dashboards, mobile clients), with clear attribution requirements

Getting started

Install via curl -fsSL https://opencode.ai/install | bash, or use package managers like brew install opencode, scoop install opencode, or mise use -g opencode. The desktop app is available via brew install --cask opencode-desktop (macOS) or direct download from releases.

When to use it — and when not to

OpenCode replaces paid agents that require cloud connectivity or proprietary model access, but users must manage their own LLM backend (e.g., via API keys or local inference). It does not include built-in model hosting, storage, or SMTP—those must be configured separately if needed. Avoid it if you require zero-configuration model inference or strict managed-service SLAs; it is best suited for users comfortable with self-hosting or integrating with third-party LLM providers.

# YOLO
curl -fsSL https://opencode.ai/install | bash

# Package managers
npm i -g opencode-ai@latest        # or bun/pnpm/yarn
scoop install opencode             # Windows
choco install opencode             # Windows
brew install anomalyco/tap/opencode # macOS and Linux (recommended, always up to date)
brew install opencode              # macOS and Linux (official brew formula, updated less)
sudo pacman -S opencode            # Arch Linux (Stable)
paru -S opencode-bin               # Arch Linux (Latest from AUR)
mise use -g opencode               # Any OS
nix run nixpkgs#opencode           # or github:anomalyco/opencode for latest dev branch

# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install --cask opencode-desktop
# Windows (Scoop)
scoop bucket add extras; scoop install extras/opencode-desktop

# Examples
OPENCODE_INSTALL_DIR=/usr/local/bin curl -fsSL https://opencode.ai/install | bash
XDG_BIN_DIR=$HOME/.local/bin curl -fsSL https://opencode.ai/install | bash