Archon vs opencode
Two of the top projects in Coding agents and assistants, side by side: who leads on each score part and who each one suits, then setup, license, activity and what each review found.
Archon
YAML workflow engine that runs AI coding agents through fixed dev steps
opencode
Terminal coding agent with build and plan modes, plus a desktop app
Verdict
Archon ranks higher, 80 to 79. Of the 5 score parts we measure for both, Archon leads on 3, opencode on 1 and 1 is even.
- Adoptionopencode leads by 40 points, 99 to 59: a wide gap.
- FreshnessEven at 100.
- MaintenanceArchon leads by 2 points, 94 to 92: close to even.
- Easy to runArchon leads by 17 points, 67 to 50: a wide gap.
- Agent-readyArchon leads by 55 points, 85 to 30: a wide gap.
Pick Archon if you are
Developers who want repeatable, scripted AI coding runs across repos
- Workflows are YAML committed to the repo, with repo files overriding bundled defaults
- Each run gets its own git worktree, so parallel runs do not conflict
Pick opencode if you are
Developers who want an open source coding agent in the terminal or desktop
- Read-only plan agent denies file edits by default and asks before bash commands
- Many install paths: curl script, npm, brew, scoop, choco, pacman, mise, nix
| What we compare | Archon | opencode |
|---|---|---|
| Score parts, out of 100 | ||
| Adoption | 59, popular | 99, widely used |
| Freshness | 100, active | 100, active |
| Maintenance | 94, healthy | 92, healthy |
| Easy to run | 67, easy | 50, easy |
| Agent-ready | 85, ready | 30, minimal |
| Facts from GitHub and the README | ||
| Stars | 23.7k | 213.5k |
| License | MIT (permissive) | MIT (permissive) |
| Last commit | Oct 2026 | Oct 2026 |
| Last release | Sep 2026 | Oct 2026 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Docker | Yes | No |
| GPU | Not needed | Not stated |
| arm64 or Apple Silicon | Mentioned | Mentioned |
Archon
Archon lets you define development processes (plan, implement, validate, review, PR) as YAML workflows in `.archon/workflows/`, mixing bash nodes with AI nodes, loops and approval gates. Each run gets its own git worktree. It runs from a CLI, web UI, Slack, Telegram, Discord or GitHub webhooks, using Claude, Codex or Pi, and ships an `sdlc` workflow pack.
Who it is for: Developers who want repeatable, scripted AI coding runs across repos
Strengths
- Workflows are YAML committed to the repo, with repo files overriding bundled defaults
- Each run gets its own git worktree, so parallel runs do not conflict
- Deterministic bash nodes mix with AI nodes, loops and human approval gates
- Ships sdlc pack: triage, investigate, plan, implement, review, validate, PR
Weaknesses
- Claude provider needs Claude Code installed separately; compiled binaries do not bundle it
- Quick-install binary on x64 requires AVX2 CPUs
- Visual workflow builder is labeled experimental and covers a bounded set of nodes
- Sends anonymous telemetry events by default
- no GPU
- Docker + Compose
- Needs Bun, Claude Code, GitHub CLI, SQLite or PostgreSQL
- Models: Claude, Codex, Pi
opencode
OpenCode is an AI coding agent that runs in the terminal and as a beta desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux. It ships a full-access build agent, a read-only plan agent that asks before running bash commands, and a general subagent invoked with @general. It installs through a curl script, npm, Homebrew, Scoop, Chocolatey, pacman, mise or nix.
Who it is for: Developers who want an open source coding agent in the terminal or desktop
Strengths
- Read-only plan agent denies file edits by default and asks before bash commands
- Many install paths: curl script, npm, brew, scoop, choco, pacman, mise, nix
- Switch between build and plan agents with the Tab key
- MIT licensed, with desktop installers for macOS, Windows and Linux
Weaknesses
- README does not list supported model providers or formats
- Desktop app is marked BETA
- README gives no hardware requirements; configuration is only in external docs
- Primary install command pipes a curl script into bash
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