# Loki Mode and opencode: an honest comparison opencode is a general-purpose interactive coding agent. Loki is an autonomous delivery system that works from a task to a verified, receipted result. They overlap in the terminal and differ in intent, so this page scores them category by category and says where opencode is ahead. It describes opencode from its public behavior as of this writing; check its docs for current detail. Loki can also drive opencode as a provider (`loki start --provider opencode`). ## Summary | Category | Loki Mode (11.4.0) | opencode | Edge | |---|---|---|---| | Everyday UX | `loki start` with one unified summary; `loki chat` for interactive use | Polished TUI as the main surface | opencode for interactive feel; Loki for hands-off runs | | Install and onboarding | npm install, `loki setup`, `loki doctor --fix`; needs Node, Python, git, jq, curl and a model | Single binary or npm, provider login flow | opencode lighter; Loki now guided | | Learning curve | Few core verbs (`loki help`), one route for every input, `loki route` explains it | Learn one TUI | Roughly even | | Interactive coding | `loki chat`: Plan/Build modes, slash commands, `--attach` | Full TUI with sessions and rich editing flow | opencode | | Small changes | `loki edit` (one pass, diff, opt-in verify and receipt) | Prompt in the TUI or `opencode run` | Even | | Provider flexibility | Claude default; codex, cline, aider, opencode; OpenRouter and local routes | Very wide provider catalog, first-class | opencode | | Local models | `loki models --local`, `LOKI_MODEL_ROUTE=ollama/...`, lmstudio, llamacpp, vllm, custom URL | Local providers via config | Even | | Multi-agent | Role agents, council review, custom agents in `.loki/agents/*.md`, export to Claude Code subagents | Configurable agents and subagents | Even; Loki adds council | | Docs consistency | One routing story, one cap rule, generated CLI table | Single product surface | Even | | Predictability | Order-independent routing, documented exit-code contract, spend cap | Interactive, user-driven | Loki for unattended use | ## Per category **Everyday UX.** In opencode you work inside one TUI and watch each step. In Loki you hand over a task with `loki start` and read one summary at the end: Result, Files, Cost, Elapsed, Receipt and a `next:` command. If you want to watch and steer, `loki chat --attach` joins the run. opencode's interactive experience is more mature. **Install and onboarding.** opencode installs as one tool and logs in to a provider. Loki needs Node.js 18+, Python 3.8+, git, jq, curl and a model: Claude Code is the default and needed for the default path; other CLIs are optional. `loki setup` walks through it and `loki doctor --fix` repairs state safely, printing exact commands for the rest. More prerequisites than opencode. **Learning curve.** `loki help` shows grouped core verbs (Start, Check, Configure); `loki help all` and `loki help ` go deeper. Flag order and input form never change the engine, and `loki route` or `--explain-route` prints the engine, provider, model and reason. Unknown commands suggest the nearest match and exit 2. **Interactive coding.** `loki chat` has Plan mode (read-only for Claude) and Build mode, slash commands (`/run`, `/quick`, `/edit`, `/verify`, `/receipt`, `/diff`, `/undo`, `/model`, `/provider`) and `--tui` for the Claude Code TUI. It is newer and smaller than opencode's TUI. Its advantage is the handoff: `/run` starts a real `loki start` run and `--attach` joins one in progress. **Small changes.** `loki edit ""` is one pass with no plan, council or PR, then diff stat, diff, cost and time. `--verify`, `--receipt`, `--commit` and `--dry-run` are opt-in. Claude provider only for now. **Provider flexibility.** opencode has the broader provider catalog. Loki's Tier-1 provider is Claude Code; codex, cline, aider and opencode are optional. On those, the Loki 10 engine now measures cost (parsed or estimated, flagged `estimated`) so `--max-cost` applies, and enforces the wall-clock limit, `BUDGET_LIMIT` kill and a post-iteration guard scan. Kill blocking is still Claude-only and receipts say so (`kill blocking not enforced`). **Local models.** `loki models --local` probes Ollama, LM Studio, llama.cpp and vLLM and prints ready-to-paste values. `LOKI_MODEL_ROUTE=/` runs a local or OpenRouter model through the Claude harness, so Loki's controls still apply. Small local models can fail tool use; that limit is the model's. **Multi-agent.** Loki has built-in roles and a council. You can add your own as markdown with frontmatter (model, provider, tools, deny, permission) in `.loki/agents/`, manage them with `loki agents list|new|show|export --claude`, and council reviewers use a matching agent automatically. **Docs consistency.** The prerequisites, the spend cap ($100 with an API key, none on a subscription), routing and the provider table are stated once and match the code on this branch. **Predictability.** One execution path for every input form, a documented exit-code contract (`loki verify` 0 to 3, usage errors 64) and a spend cap that applies on every engine10 provider. ## What Loki adds - **Autonomy.** A task, PRD or issue goes to a pull request without turn-by-turn prompting, with a stop-and-ask when the contract cannot be met. - **Receipts.** A signed receipt per run that `loki verify` re-checks and that lists what was NOT PROVEN. - **Verification.** Checks written from the task before code, a deterministic `loki verify` for CI, and test-weakening detection. - **Council.** Specialist review selected from the changed files and diff. ## When to pick which Pick opencode for hands-on interactive coding across many providers. Pick Loki when you want to delegate a task and get back a verified, receipted result, or to gate CI on `loki verify`. They compose: run opencode as a Loki provider.