OpenCode is an open-source terminal AI coding agent with 95K+ GitHub stars — making it the most popular AI coding CLI on GitHub. It connects to any LLM provider, supports parallel agents, and has deep LSP integration that gives the AI compiler-level understanding of your code.

Why OpenCode?

OpenCode differentiates from Aider and Claude Code in three ways:

1. LSP integration — Hooks into Language Server Protocol for real understanding of variable definitions, types, and project structure
2. Parallel agents — Run multiple agents on the same project simultaneously
3. TUI + CLI + Desktop — Terminal UI, headless CLI, and desktop app options
4. Session sharing — Shareable links for collaborative AI coding sessions

Installation

# macOS/Linux
curl -fsSL https://opencode.ai/install.sh | sh

# Or with npm
npm install -g opencode

# Or with Homebrew
brew install opencode

Quick start

cd your-project
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-key"  # or any provider
opencode

OpenCode launches a terminal UI (TUI) with a chat interface, file browser, and diff viewer.

Provider configuration

OpenCode works with any LLM provider. Configure in ~/.opencode/config.json:

{
  "providers": {
    "anthropic": { "apiKey": "sk-..." },
    "openai": { "apiKey": "sk-..." },
    "openrouter": { "apiKey": "sk-or-..." },
    "ollama": { "baseUrl": "http://localhost:11434" }
  },
  "defaultModel": "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6",
  "cheapModel": "deepseek/deepseek-chat"
}

Use OpenRouter for access to 300+ models with a single key, or Ollama for fully local inference.

Key features

LSP integration

Unlike simple chatbots, OpenCode hooks into your project’s Language Server. This means:

• It knows every function signature, type definition, and import
• It understands errors exactly like your compiler does
• It can navigate to definitions and find references
• Refactors are type-safe

Parallel agents

Run multiple agents working on different parts of your codebase:

opencode --parallel 3  # Spawn 3 agents

Each agent works on a separate task but shares context about the overall project. Useful for large refactors or implementing multiple features simultaneously.

Headless/scripting mode

echo "Add error handling to all API routes" | opencode --headless --yes

Perfect for CI/CD pipelines or batch operations.

Session sharing

opencode --share
# Generates a shareable URL for the session

Colleagues can view your AI coding session in real-time — useful for pair programming or code reviews.

OpenCode vs Aider vs Claude Code

Feature	OpenCode	Aider	Claude Code
GitHub stars	95K+	30K+	N/A
LSP integration	✅ Deep	❌	❌
Parallel agents	✅	❌	❌
Session sharing	✅	❌	❌
Git integration	Good	Best (auto-commits)	Basic
TUI	✅ Polished	Basic	Basic
Model support	Any provider	Any provider	Claude only
Voice input	❌	✅	❌
Auto-lint	❌	✅	❌

Choose OpenCode for: LSP-powered understanding, parallel agents, session sharing, polished UI.

Choose Aider for: Git-native workflow, auto-linting, voice input, maximum model flexibility.

Choose Claude Code for: Best raw code quality (Claude Opus).

Tips

1. Enable LSP for your language — OpenCode is dramatically better with LSP active
2. Use parallel agents for large tasks — split work across agents for faster completion
3. Use cheap models for exploration — DeepSeek for browsing code, Claude for editing
4. Share sessions for code reviews — let teammates see what the AI is doing

Bottom line

OpenCode is the most polished open-source terminal coding agent. The LSP integration gives it a genuine advantage over Aider for type-safe refactoring, and parallel agents make it faster for large projects. If you want a beautiful terminal AI experience with full model flexibility, OpenCode is the pick.

FAQ

Is OpenCode free?

Yes, OpenCode is completely free and open-source. You only pay for the LLM API usage from whichever provider you configure (or nothing if you use local models).

How does OpenCode compare to Aider?

OpenCode offers a more polished terminal UI with LSP integration and parallel agents, while Aider excels at git-native workflows and auto-linting. OpenCode is better for type-safe refactoring; Aider is better for voice input and commit-based workflows.

Does OpenCode work with Ollama?

Yes, OpenCode works with Ollama and any OpenAI-compatible API endpoint. You can configure it to use locally-running models for fully private, free coding assistance.

Is OpenCode good for beginners?

OpenCode’s polished TUI makes it more approachable than many terminal coding agents, but it still requires comfort with the command line. Beginners who prefer a visual IDE might find tools like Continue.dev or Cursor easier to start with.

Related: Aider Complete Guide · Aider vs OpenCode · How to Choose an AI Coding Agent