Home / OpenCode, In Plain English

opencode, in plain english

By Joel Ross, Think X Design. 6 chapters. Last updated 2026-09-06.

OpenCode is a free, open-source AI coding agent that runs in your terminal. It reads the files in your project, edits them, and runs commands. It is not tied to one AI company: you connect it to whichever model you choose, from over 75 providers, including free and local ones.

Every guide to OpenCode assumes you are already a developer and opens with MCP servers and headless CI. This one does not.

What is in it

  1. What OpenCode Is (and Why It's Free)free to read
  2. Installing It Without Breaking Your Computerfree to read
  3. Connecting a Model — Free, Paid, or One You Already Pay For
  4. Plan Mode vs Build Mode — the Habit That Decides Everything
  5. AGENTS.md — Teaching It About Your Project
  6. Sharing, Parallel Agents, and Where to Go Next
$19

One payment, no subscription. Includes the slides, a short check after every chapter, and a PDF you keep. Covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

read chapter one free buy the course

The first 2 chapters are free to read. You only need an email address to open them.

Common questions

Is OpenCode free?

Yes, OpenCode itself is free and open source, with no licence or subscription. The AI model you connect it to may cost money depending on which you pick. Free models are available, and OpenCode can also use a ChatGPT, Claude, or GitHub Copilot subscription you already pay for.

Does OpenCode keep a copy of my code?

No. OpenCode does not store your code or context data. The model provider you connect it to has its own policy, and the course covers how to choose that deliberately rather than by accident.

Related

Free reading on this site: using Hugging Face without coding and fixing Hugging Face token errors. All courses are listed on the home page.

An independent guide. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Anomaly or the OpenCode project.