OpenCode 2.0

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OpenCode 2.0 is a major overhaul that makes its local service central to the CLI, web and desktop interfaces and adds a rebuilt API, code-mode tool orchestration, background tasks and an expanded plugin system. The release also brings breaking changes: version 1.0 plugins will not work, and the server API has been replaced.

OpenCode 2.0 is a major overhaul of the coding-agent platform, introducing a shared background service for its interfaces alongside a rebuilt API, scriptable tool use and background work. The release also includes breaking compatibility changes: the developers say plugins built for version 1.0 will not work in 2.0, and the server API has been replaced.

OpenCode says the service that underpins the application now runs automatically as a single background process on a user’s machine. The terminal interface, web interface and desktop app can all connect to that process. The release notes say programmatic clients can discover the local service automatically, while users can expose it to other hosts and connect through a pairing command.

The team says it rebuilt the API after reviewing use cases from people using OpenCode daily. Alongside it, the release adds @opencode/client, with JavaScript clients for creating sessions and sending prompts, and @opencode/sdk, which packages the same code used by the CLI for people building customized versions or server deployments. The notes also describe an optional Effect-based API as still in development.

Another addition is Code Mode, provided through the @opencode/codemode package. According to the release notes, it converts MCP servers and OpenAPI endpoints into functions an agent can use in JavaScript scripts. The agent can combine tool calls in a script, such as calling one tool, processing its results and then calling another, rather than making each call separately. The developers say MCP servers are opted into Code Mode by default in version 2.0.

One Service, More Ways to Build

The redesign could matter to both individual developers and teams building on OpenCode because it connects the application’s interfaces and programmatic tools to a shared local service. Scripts and scheduled tasks can use the same service as the interactive interfaces, according to the release notes, while the SDK gives developers a route to adapt the platform for specialized environments.

Code Mode and background execution also change how work can be delegated. OpenCode says agents can compose multiple tools in a script and run subagents or shell commands without pausing the main session. These are product capabilities described by the developers; the release material does not provide independent performance measurements or comparative results showing how much faster or more effective they are.

The plugin changes are relevant for people who have customized version 1.0. The project says it now has more than 80 internal plugins and that TUI plugins are stable, but the move to 2.0 also means older plugins will not run without changes. The release is therefore both an expansion of the platform and a migration point for existing users.

From Client-Server to Shared Service

OpenCode’s client/server design predates this release, but the project says it was previously used mostly by power users rather than being the default arrangement. Version 2.0 makes the local server a background process that the terminal, web and desktop interfaces can share. The developers also say OpenCode can use its own API for tasks such as moving a session into a Git worktree when starting new work.

The release notes frame the API rewrite as a response to a growing range of agent use cases. They describe version 2.0 as drawing on the experience of millions of daily users, but provide no methodology or usage figures beyond that characterization. The team says it built many features as internal plugins to keep the plugin API in active use, and that plugins can be hot-reloaded during a session.

For upgrades, the project instructs CLI users to first install the latest 1.x release and then run opencode upgrade –major. Desktop users are directed to download the latest app. The release notes also identify a configuration change: tui.json settings have moved to JSON, and they say other changes remain backward compatible.

““In 2.0 this server now automatically runs as a single background process on your machine.””

— OpenCode release notes

Migration and Performance Questions

The release material does not give a dated rollout schedule, independent benchmarks or quantified results for the performance improvements it mentions. It also does not specify how many existing plugins will be updated for version 2.0, or whether maintainers have migration tools beyond the general advice to point OpenCode at the migration documentation.

The server API is described as completely different, but the supplied notes do not detail which endpoints or workflows changed. The Effect-based SDK API is explicitly still in development, and native apps that use the pairing flow are described as in the works. Their release dates and final capabilities are not stated.

Upgrade Steps and Follow-Up

CLI users should move to the latest 1.x release before running opencode upgrade –major, according to the project’s instructions. Desktop users can install the latest app. Users with 1.0 plugins or integrations that depend on the old server API will need to check the migration documentation and assess compatibility before upgrading.

Further details to watch for include updates to the Effect-based API, the planned native apps using pairing, and guidance for adapting plugins and API clients. The release notes do not give dates for those developments, so their timing remains open.

Key Questions

What is OpenCode 2.0?

It is a major overhaul of the OpenCode coding-agent platform, with a shared local service, a rebuilt API, Code Mode, background tasks and changes to its plugin and SDK systems.

What is the biggest compatibility change?

The release notes say version 1.0 plugins will not work in 2.0 and that the server API is completely different. Users who depend on either should review migration guidance before upgrading.

How do CLI users upgrade?

OpenCode says to install the latest 1.x release first, then run opencode upgrade –major. Desktop users are directed to download the latest desktop app.

What does Code Mode do?

It turns MCP servers and OpenAPI endpoints into functions an agent can call from JavaScript scripts, allowing it to combine tool calls and process results within a script. OpenCode says MCP servers use Code Mode by default in version 2.0.

Are performance gains independently measured?

The release notes mention performance improvements, but the supplied material includes no benchmarks or independent measurements quantifying them.

Source: hn