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unggul edited this page Mar 16, 2026 · 1 revision

Documentation Authority: SYSTEM_MODEL.md Section 1 (Tech Stack)

How to Choose and Use AI Models in OpenCode

OpenCode lets you switch between configured AI models directly in your development environment. This guide covers the current repo-level configuration points and the safest generic model-selection patterns.

Prerequisites

  • SYSTEM_MODEL.md - Primary authority for AI/Agent integration patterns
  • AGENTS.md - Implementation patterns and Context7 references

1. Quick Switch via UI

The easiest way to switch models is through the OpenCode interface:

  • Sidebar Header: Click the active model name shown in the OpenCode sidebar header to open the available model list.
  • Agent Manager: Switch to the Agent Manager view (usually via the gear icon or a specific tab) to see a comprehensive list of models and their capabilities.

2. Terminal Commands

You can interact with model settings using the OpenCode Terminal User Interface (TUI):

  • List Models: Type /models in the OpenCode terminal to inspect currently available models.
  • Connect Providers: Type /connect if your local OpenCode install supports interactive provider setup.
  • Select Model: Use /model <model-id> to switch directly to a specific model.

3. Keyboard Shortcuts

Boost your efficiency with these shortcuts:

  • Switch Model: Ctrl + O (Linux/Windows) or Cmd + O (Mac) opens the interactive model selection menu.
  • New Session: Ctrl + Shift + Esc (Linux/Windows) or Cmd + Shift + Esc (Mac) starts a fresh session, allowing you to pick a model from the start.

4. Configuration (opencode.json)

For advanced users, you can set your default model in the runtime configuration file:

  1. Locate your opencode.json file (the repo documents ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json as the standard runtime path).

  2. Set the "model" key:

    {
   "model": "openai/gpt-5.4"
 }

  3. Replace the example with any provider/model ID exposed by your configured runtime.

  4. OpenCode will prioritize this setting on startup.

5. Repo-Specific Notes

  • Repo MCP topology lives in mcp.json.
  • Runtime client configuration lives in ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json.
  • Use opencode mcp list to verify that the repo's documented MCP servers are connected before troubleshooting model or tool availability.

Tip

Prefer your team's default high-context reasoning model for cross-repo refactors, and switch to lighter/cheaper models only for narrow follow-up edits.

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