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OpenCode provides a comprehensive command-line interface for terminal-based AI assistance. Below is the complete reference for all available commands and subcommands.

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Root command

opencode [flags]
The root command launches OpenCode in interactive mode by default, providing a terminal user interface (TUI) for AI-assisted coding.

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Description

OpenCode is a powerful terminal-based AI assistant that helps with software development tasks. It provides an interactive chat interface with AI capabilities, code analysis, and LSP integration to assist developers in writing, debugging, and understanding code directly from the terminal.

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Examples

# Run in interactive mode with TUI
opencode

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Interactive mode

When launched without the -p flag, OpenCode starts in interactive mode with a full terminal user interface.

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Features

  • Interactive chat: Chat with AI models in real-time
  • Session management: Create, switch, and manage multiple conversation sessions
  • Tool integration: AI can execute commands, search files, and modify code
  • File tracking: Visualize file changes during sessions
  • External editor: Open your preferred editor for composing messages
  • LSP integration: Language server protocol support for code intelligence
  • Permission system: Control what actions the AI can perform

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Keyboard shortcuts

See the keyboard shortcuts documentation for a complete list of available shortcuts in interactive mode.

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Non-interactive mode

When you provide a prompt with the -p flag, OpenCode runs in non-interactive mode.

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Behavior

  • Processes the prompt immediately
  • Prints the AI response to standard output
  • Exits after completion
  • Auto-approves all permissions for the session
  • No TUI is launched

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Use cases

  • Scripting: Integrate OpenCode into shell scripts and automation
  • Quick queries: Get fast answers without launching the full TUI
  • CI/CD pipelines: Use AI assistance in automated workflows
  • Testing: Automate testing of prompts and responses

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Output formats

Non-interactive mode supports multiple output formats:
FormatDescription
textPlain text output (default)
jsonResponse wrapped in a JSON object
Use the -f or --output-format flag to specify the desired format.

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Spinner display

By default, a spinner animation displays while the AI processes your query. Use the -q or --quiet flag to disable the spinner, which is particularly useful when:
  • Running OpenCode from scripts
  • Piping output to other commands
  • Using in automated workflows
  • Logging output to files

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Built-in commands

OpenCode includes several built-in commands accessible via Ctrl+K in interactive mode:
Creates or updates the OpenCode.md memory file with project-specific information. This command helps the AI understand your project structure and context.
Manually triggers summarization of the current session, creating a new session with the summary. Useful when you want to reduce context size while preserving important information.

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Custom commands

OpenCode supports user-defined custom commands stored as Markdown files. These allow you to create reusable prompts for common tasks.

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Command locations

User commands (prefixed with user:):
  • $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/opencode/commands/ (typically ~/.config/opencode/commands/)
  • $HOME/.opencode/commands/
Project commands (prefixed with project:):
  • <PROJECT_DIR>/.opencode/commands/

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Creating custom commands

  1. Create a .md file in one of the command directories
  2. Add your prompt content to the file
  3. Use named arguments with $NAME syntax for placeholders
  4. Access via Ctrl+K in interactive mode

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Named arguments

Custom commands support named arguments using the format $NAME where NAME consists of uppercase letters, numbers, and underscores, and must start with a letter. 
# Review Context

RUN git ls-files
READ README.md

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Organizing commands

Organize commands in subdirectories for better structure: 
~/.config/opencode/commands/
├── git/
│   ├── commit.md
│   └── review.md
├── testing/
│   ├── unit.md
│   └── integration.md
└── refactor/
    └── optimize.md
Subdirectories create nested command IDs:
  • user:git:commit
  • user:git:review
  • user:testing:unit

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Exit codes

CodeDescription
0Success
1Error occurred
The command returns a non-zero exit code when an error occurs, making it suitable for use in scripts and automation workflows.

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