---
title: TUI
description: Using the opencode terminal user interface.
---

import { Tabs, TabItem } from "@astrojs/starlight/components"

opencode provides an interactive terminal interface or TUI for working on your projects with an LLM.

Running opencode starts the TUI for the current directory.

```bash
opencode
```

Or you can start it for a specific working directory.

```bash
opencode /path/to/project
```

Once you're in the TUI, you can prompt it with a message.

```text
Give me a quick summary of the codebase.
```

---

## File references

You can reference files in your messages using `@`. This does a fuzzy file search in the current working directory.

:::tip
You can also use `@` to reference files in your messages.
:::

```text "@packages/functions/src/api/index.ts"
How is auth handled in @packages/functions/src/api/index.ts?
```

The content of the file is added to the conversation automatically.

---

## Bash commands

Start a message with `!` to run a shell command.

```bash frame="none"
!ls -la
```

The output of the command is added to the conversation as a tool result.

---

## Commands

When using the opencode TUI, you can type `/` followed by a command name to quickly execute actions. For example:

```bash frame="none"
/help
```

Most commands also have keybind using `ctrl+x` as the leader key, where `ctrl+x` is the default leader key. [Learn more](/docs/keybinds).

Here are all available slash commands:

---

### compact

Compact the current session. _Alias_: `/summarize`

```bash frame="none"
/compact
```

**Keybind:** `ctrl+x c`

---

### details

Toggle tool execution details.

```bash frame="none"
/details
```

**Keybind:** `ctrl+x d`

---

### editor

Open external editor for composing messages. Uses the editor set in your `EDITOR` environment variable. [Learn more](#editor-setup).

```bash frame="none"
/editor
```

**Keybind:** `ctrl+x e`

---

### exit

Exit opencode. _Aliases_: `/quit`, `/q`

```bash frame="none"
/exit
```

**Keybind:** `ctrl+x q`

---

### export

Export current conversation to Markdown and open in your default editor. Uses the editor set in your `EDITOR` environment variable. [Learn more](#editor-setup).

```bash frame="none"
/export
```

**Keybind:** `ctrl+x x`

---

### help

Show the help dialog.

```bash frame="none"
/help
```

**Keybind:** `ctrl+x h`

---

### init

Create or update `AGENTS.md` file. [Learn more](/docs/rules).

```bash frame="none"
/init
```

**Keybind:** `ctrl+x i`

---

### models

List available models.

```bash frame="none"
/models
```

**Keybind:** `ctrl+x m`

---

### new

Start a new session. _Alias_: `/clear`

```bash frame="none"
/new
```

**Keybind:** `ctrl+x n`

---

### redo

Redo a previously undone message. Only available after using `/undo`.

:::tip
Any file changes will also be restored.
:::

Internally, this uses Git to manage the file changes. So your project **needs to
be a Git repository**.

```bash frame="none"
/redo
```

**Keybind:** `ctrl+x r`

---

### sessions

List and switch between sessions. _Aliases_: `/resume`, `/continue`

```bash frame="none"
/sessions
```

**Keybind:** `ctrl+x l`

---

### share

Share current session. [Learn more](/docs/share).

```bash frame="none"
/share
```

**Keybind:** `ctrl+x s`

---

### themes

List available themes.

```bash frame="none"
/themes
```

**Keybind:** `ctrl+x t`

---

### undo

Undo last message in the conversation. Removes the most recent user message, all subsequent responses, and any file changes.

:::tip
Any file changes made will also be reverted.
:::

Internally, this uses Git to manage the file changes. So your project **needs to
be a Git repository**.

```bash frame="none"
/undo
```

**Keybind:** `ctrl+x u`

---

### unshare

Unshare current session. [Learn more](/docs/share#un-sharing).

```bash frame="none"
/unshare
```

---

## Editor setup

Both the `/editor` and `/export` commands use the editor specified in your `EDITOR` environment variable.

<Tabs>
  <TabItem label="Linux/macOS">
    ```bash
    # Example for nano or vim
    export EDITOR=nano
    export EDITOR=vim

    # For GUI editors, VS Code, Cursor, VSCodium, Windsurf, Zed, etc.
    # include --wait
    export EDITOR="code --wait"
    ```

    To make it permanent, add this to your shell profile;
    `~/.bashrc`, `~/.zshrc`, etc.

  </TabItem>

  <TabItem label="Windows (CMD)">
    ```bash
    set EDITOR=notepad

    # For GUI editors, VS Code, Cursor, VSCodium, Windsurf, Zed, etc.
    # include --wait
    set EDITOR=code --wait
    ```

    To make it permanent, use **System Properties** > **Environment
    Variables**.

  </TabItem>

  <TabItem label="Windows (PowerShell)">
    ```powershell
    $env:EDITOR = "notepad"

    # For GUI editors, VS Code, Cursor, VSCodium, Windsurf, Zed, etc.
    # include --wait
    $env:EDITOR = "code --wait"
    ```

    To make it permanent, add this to your PowerShell profile.

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

Popular editor options include:

- `code` - Visual Studio Code
- `cursor` - Cursor
- `windsurf` - Windsurf
- `vim` - Vim editor
- `nano` - Nano editor
- `notepad` - Windows Notepad
- `subl` - Sublime Text

:::note
Some editors like VS Code need to be started with the `--wait` flag.
:::

Some editors need command-line arguments to run in blocking mode. The `--wait` flag makes the editor process block until closed.
