In one line
OpenCode is an open source coding agent with separate plan and build agents for exploring code and making changes.
Repository: anomalyco/opencode
A one-line maintenance request can lead into files spread across an unfamiliar service. If OpenCode caught your attention in our weekly AI briefing, try one small task with exploration and editing as separate stages.
What can you do with it?
The default build agent has full access for development work. The plan agent handles analysis and exploration: it denies file edits by default and requests approval before bash commands. Switch between them with Tab. The @general subagent is also available for complex searches and multistep tasks.
We suggest starting in plan, reading the supporting code, and switching to build once the change scope is clear. Ask which files informed an explanation, especially when the original maintainer is unavailable. That gives the reviewer a concrete place to start checking it.
Getting started
Install through npm:
npm i -g @opencode/cli@latest
Use the official setup documentation to prepare model access and the execution environment. The README also lists other distribution channels. Record the installed version and choose who will review updates. Before connecting a model, establish which provider will receive which code and prompts.
Scenario 1: Map an unfamiliar codebase
When an older service fails, start by understanding how inputs reach outputs. Select plan and try a request like this:
Explain this repository's main entry points and data flow.
Include the files and function locations supporting your explanation.
Separate anything you could not verify. Do not edit files;
propose an investigation order first.
Open the cited files and compare them with the explanation. Check whether separate features were merged into one story or error paths were skipped. A useful handover needs traceable references. Once the map checks out, narrow the investigation to the relevant path.
Scenario 2: Move a small requirement from plan to change
Choose a bounded task such as input validation or list ordering. Describe the user's problem and the behavior that must remain intact. In plan, you could ask:
I want to improve how empty input is handled.
Find the current behavior and affected code.
Propose a small change and validation steps while preserving
existing behavior for valid input.
Review the plan, then press Tab to select build and request only the approved change. Keep unrelated improvements for another task. Review the resulting diff for the requested condition and for files outside the agreed scope.
Scenario 3: Review the surrounding code after a change
A completed edit still needs review. Ask about callers, related tests, and what was actually checked. For a complex search, the README documents the @general invocation:
@general Find callers and tests related to this change.
Identify paths whose behavior could differ before and after the edit.
Separate validation that was run from items still unchecked.
Read the diff alongside the validation output. If a check failed, investigate whether the cause is the edit or its execution environment. We recommend repeating a small workflow like this while the team agrees on its review criteria.
Enterprise adoption checks
Useful capability: Separate exploration and editing stages let a team review code understanding, planning, and implementation independently. Start with a small maintenance task in an existing repository.
Operating burden: Assign responsibility for switching to build and reviewing the result. Agree on recovery steps and the repository's existing validation commands before editing.
Security: The plan defaults do not isolate the host. Restrict file access and execution permissions in the surrounding environment, and keep production credentials and customer data out of the first trial.
License: The repository uses MIT. Review LICENSE before modifying or redistributing it and assess connected model and service terms separately.
Original sources and further reading
- OpenCode repository
- README snapshot
- Official configuration documentation
- LICENSE
- Continue with team practices in mattpocock/skills and extension boundaries in DeepSeek Harness.
Wrapping up
The Hypemarc Builder Community will keep sharing the AI news and open source projects we explore each week. We'll continue gathering useful resources to share with fellow builders.
- Open chat: AI Builders
- Adoption advice and inquiries: Contact form
- Get the next post: Blog RSS · AI resource library