Empryo vs OpenCode
Two terminal agents, two very different ideas of how an AI should touch your code.
OpenCode is a mature, widely adopted open-source coding agent with a clean client-server design and deep IDE reach. Empryo takes a different bet: it parses your repo into a live dependency graph (the Genome) and edits through the AST and LSP instead of text diffs. On the same model, repo, and prompt, Empryo finished a bug fix in 6m 22s vs OpenCode's 11m 18s, at $1.70 vs $3.52 per task, and scored 100% audit accuracy with zero false alarms against OpenCode's 57% and 3.
| Feature | Empryo | OpenCode |
|---|---|---|
| Editing model | AST-based: 65+ structural operations (rename, move, signature change) applied as atomic batches, gated by typecheck | Text/diff-based file edits with LSP awareness; no documented AST-level structural editing |
| Code understanding | The Genome — a live dependency graph of symbols and imports, ranked by PageRank + git co-change, with blast-radius before each edit | LSP integration auto-loads language servers; navigation is largely search and read over files |
| Benchmark: bug fix (same model/repo/prompt) | 6m 22s | 11m 18s |
| Benchmark: cost per task / audit accuracy / false alarms | $1.70 · 100% · 0 | $3.52 · 57% · 3 |
| Model choice | 22 providers, plus a per-slot task router (cheap model explores, strong model writes); BYO key or local models | 75+ providers via Models.dev, GitHub Copilot/OpenAI auth, plus the paid OpenCode Zen gateway |
| Interfaces | Terminal TUI with embedded Neovim, native desktop app, and headless mode with JSON output + exit codes for CI | Terminal TUI, desktop app (beta), and an official VS Code extension; client-server with OpenAPI spec |
| Safety / recovery | Git-checkpoint time machine: rewind code and conversation together per prompt; JSONL sessions, crash recovery | Undo/redo, plan (read-only) mode, and shareable session links |
| License & cost | Free to use; bring your own key or run local models | Free, open source (MIT); free models included, optional paid Zen gateway |
When to choose Empryo
Choose Empryo when correctness and the cost of a wrong edit matter more than ecosystem breadth. If you work in a large, interconnected TypeScript or JavaScript codebase where a rename or signature change ripples across dozens of files, Empryo's AST editing and Genome graph mean changes land where the compiler expects them, with typecheck as the gate and blast radius known before the edit. Its per-slot task router lets a cheap model explore while a strong model writes, which is where the measured cost and time savings come from. The git-checkpoint time machine makes risky refactors reversible. If you want an agent that understands structure rather than reading your code as text, Empryo is the closer fit.
When OpenCode fits better
Choose OpenCode when ecosystem maturity and reach are the priority. With roughly 177k GitHub stars, hundreds of contributors, an official VS Code extension, a desktop app, and a well-documented client-server architecture with an OpenAPI spec, it is the more battle-tested project with the larger community. Its 75+ providers via Models.dev and the OpenCode Zen hosted gateway make model setup frictionless, and shareable session links are genuinely useful for debugging and collaboration. If you work across many languages where AST-level editing is less relevant, want first-class editor integration today, or value the largest community and plugin surface, OpenCode is the safer, more established pick.
The verdict
OpenCode is the more established project — bigger community, broader provider list, deeper IDE integration, and a clean client-server architecture that has earned its ~177k stars. Empryo is not trying to win on reach. It is built on a single technical bet: that editing through the AST over a ranked dependency graph beats reading code as text. The head-to-head numbers on the same model, repo, and prompt back that up — 6m 22s vs 11m 18s, $1.70 vs $3.52 per task, and 100% audit accuracy with zero false alarms against 57% and 3. If you want the largest ecosystem and best editor reach, OpenCode is the safe choice. If you want an agent whose edits land where the compiler expects them, on a graph that knows what a change will touch, Empryo is built for exactly that.
FAQ
Is Empryo or OpenCode faster and cheaper?
In a head-to-head test using the same model, repo, and prompt, Empryo fixed a bug in 6m 22s vs OpenCode's 11m 18s and cost $1.70 per task vs $3.52. The gap comes largely from Empryo's per-slot task router (cheap models explore, strong models write) and from navigating a dependency graph instead of repeatedly grepping and re-reading files. Results vary by codebase and model, but this is the one direct comparison we publish.
What is the real difference in how they edit code?
OpenCode edits files as text (diff/patch style) with LSP awareness. Empryo edits through the AST: a rename is a structural rename across the workspace, not a regex, and 65+ operations apply as atomic batches gated by typecheck. On large interconnected TypeScript/JavaScript codebases this is why Empryo's changes are less likely to break on whitespace or miss a call site.
Are both free to use?
Both are free to use and you can bring your own model key. OpenCode is MIT-licensed (fully open source) with an optional paid OpenCode Zen model gateway. Empryo is free to use and can run local models for free, so you pay only your provider for the tokens you choose to spend.
Which has better IDE and editor integration?
OpenCode currently has the broader editor reach with an official VS Code extension and a client-server model exposing an OpenAPI spec. Empryo ships a terminal TUI with embedded Neovim, a native desktop app, and a headless JSON mode for CI. If you live inside VS Code or a VS Code-compatible editor (Cursor, Windsurf, VSCodium) today, OpenCode's extension is more mature; if you want Neovim or a structure-aware desktop and terminal experience, Empryo fits well.
curl -fsSL empryo.com/install.sh | bash