1. Navigate to Your Project#

Open your terminal and navigate to a project folder:

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cd /path/to/your/project

If you don’t have a project yet, create a simple one:

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mkdir my-first-opencode-project
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cd my-first-opencode-project

2. Start Opencode#

Launch Opencode in your project directory:

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opencode

You’ll see the Opencode prompt appear, ready for your commands.

3. Understanding the Interface#

When you start Opencode, you’ll see:

• Prompt: Shows your current directory and context
• Input area: Where you type your requests
• Response area: Where Opencode displays results

The interface is simple: just type what you want to do in natural language.

Reading and Understanding Code#

Ask Opencode to explain code or analyze files:

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What does this project do?

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Explain the main function in app.js

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Show me all files in the src folder

Writing New Code#

Create new files by describing what you want:

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Create a simple Python script that calculates factorial

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Write a React component for a todo list

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Create an HTML page with a contact form

Editing Existing Code#

Modify files with specific requests:

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Add error handling to the login function

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Refactor this code to use async/await instead of callbacks

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Add comments to explain this function

Running Commands#

Execute terminal commands through Opencode:

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Run npm install

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Execute the test suite

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Start the development server

File Operations#

Manage your project files:

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Create a new folder called utils

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Delete the old test file

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Rename config.json to config.js

Step 1: Initialize the Project#

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Create a package.json file for a new Node.js project called "hello-opencode"

Step 2: Create the Main File#

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Create an index.js file that prints "Hello from Opencode!" and the current date

Step 3: Add a Feature#

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Add a function that takes a name as input and returns a personalized greeting

Step 4: Run the Code#

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Run the index.js file

That’s it! You’ve just created, modified, and executed a project using Opencode.

Start Small#

Begin with simple tasks to understand how Opencode works:

• Create a single file
• Make small edits
• Run simple commands

Be Specific#

The more specific your request, the better the result:

❌ Vague: “Fix this code” ✅ Specific: “Add input validation to the email field in the signup form”

Always Review Generated Code#

Before accepting changes:

1. Read what Opencode proposes
2. Check file modifications
3. Test the changes work as expected
4. Use version control to track changes

Use Git Alongside Opencode#

Always initialize a Git repository in your projects:

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git init
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git add .
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git commit -m "Initial commit"

This way, you can easily revert changes if needed.

Provide Context#

If Opencode doesn’t understand your project structure, help it:

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This is a Flask web application. The main routes are in app.py.

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We're using React 18 with TypeScript. The components are in the src/components folder.

Permission Errors#

If you see permission errors during installation:

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# On macOS/Linux, try with sudo:
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sudo npm install -g @opencode/opencode

Or better, fix npm permissions: npm docs on fixing permissions

Opencode Not Found#

If your terminal doesn’t recognize the opencode command:

1. Check if npm global packages are in your PATH
2. Try reinstalling: npm install -g @opencode/opencode
3. Restart your terminal

Slow Responses#

If Opencode seems slow:

• Large codebases may take longer to analyze
• Try being more specific about which files to focus on
• Check your internet connection

Unexpected Changes#

If Opencode modifies files you didn’t expect:

• Use /clear to reset context
• Be more specific in your requests
• Use Git to review and revert changes