Essential Keyboard Shortcuts
Master these shortcuts to dramatically speed up your workflow.
Navigation
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Ctrl+C | Cancel current operation |
Ctrl+L | Clear screen |
Ctrl+R | Search command history |
Tab | Autocomplete commands |
↑/↓ | Navigate history |
Editing
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Ctrl+A | Move to line start |
Ctrl+E | Move to line end |
Ctrl+W | Delete word backward |
Ctrl+U | Delete entire line |
Ctrl+K | Delete to end of line |
Session Control
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Ctrl+D | Exit OpenCode |
Ctrl+Z | Suspend to background |
Esc | Cancel multi-line input |
Effective Prompting Techniques
Be Specific
Instead of:
bash
fix the bug
Write:
bash
Fix the null pointer exception in src/utils/parser.ts line 45
that occurs when parsing empty JSON arrays
Provide Context
Instead of:
bash
add validation
Write:
bash
Add email validation to the signup form in components/SignupForm.tsx
using the existing validator utility in lib/validators.ts
Use Step-by-Step Instructions
For complex tasks, break them down:
bash
I need to add a caching layer to our API:
1. First, analyze the current API structure in src/api/
2. Design a caching strategy for GET endpoints
3. Implement using Redis with 5-minute TTL
4. Add cache invalidation on POST/PUT/DELETE
5. Write tests for the caching logic
Slash Commands
Quick commands that boost productivity:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
/help | Show all available commands |
/clear | Clear conversation history |
/model | Switch AI model |
/compact | Summarize conversation |
/cost | Show token usage and costs |
/diff | Show pending file changes |
/undo | Revert last file change |
Custom Slash Commands
Create your own commands in ~/.config/opencode/commands.yaml:
bash
commands:
/review:
description: "Code review current changes"
prompt: |
Review the current git diff for:
- Code quality issues
- Potential bugs
- Security concerns
- Performance problems
Provide specific suggestions for each issue found.
/commit:
description: "Generate commit message"
prompt: |
Analyze the staged changes and generate a conventional commit message.
Format: <type>(<scope>): <description>
/doc:
description: "Generate documentation"
prompt: |
Generate comprehensive JSDoc/TSDoc documentation for the selected code.
Include parameter descriptions, return types, and examples.
Context Management
Using @ Mentions
Reference specific files or symbols:
bash
@src/components/Button.tsx add hover animation
@useAuth hook add token refresh logic
@package.json update React to latest version
Directory Context
Work with entire directories:
bash
@src/api/ refactor all endpoints to use async/await
@tests/ update all tests to use the new mock system
Git Context
Reference git state:
bash
@git:staged review these changes before commit
@git:branch:feature-auth show what's different from main
Workflow Optimization
Template-Based Development
Create reusable prompts for common tasks:
bash
You: /template component
OpenCode: Creating new React component...
- Name: [UserProfile]
- Props: [user: User, onEdit: () => void]
- Style: [Tailwind CSS]
- Tests: [Yes]
Iterative Refinement
Build complex features incrementally:
bash
Step 1: "Create basic CRUD API for products"
Step 2: "Add pagination to the list endpoint"
Step 3: "Add filtering by category and price range"
Step 4: "Add caching for frequently accessed products"
Step 5: "Add comprehensive error handling"
Parallel Tasks
Work on multiple things simultaneously:
bash
While you implement the frontend form, also:
1. Create the API endpoint
2. Set up form validation schema
3. Write integration tests
Configuration Tips
Optimize for Your Stack
bash
# ~/.config/opencode/config.yaml
context:
# Include relevant files automatically
auto_include:
- "package.json"
- "tsconfig.json"
- ".env.example"
# Exclude noise
exclude_patterns:
- "node_modules/**"
- "dist/**"
- "*.log"
# Stack-specific settings
presets:
react:
include: ["src/components/**", "src/hooks/**"]
api:
include: ["src/routes/**", "src/middleware/**"]
Custom Model Presets
bash
model_presets:
quick:
model: claude-3-5-haiku
max_tokens: 1000
thorough:
model: claude-opus-4-20250514
max_tokens: 8000
temperature: 0.1
creative:
model: gpt-4o
temperature: 0.8
Performance Tips
1. Use the Right Model
- Quick tasks: Use Haiku or GPT-4o-mini
- Complex analysis: Use Opus or GPT-4o
- Large codebases: Use Gemini with 2M context
2. Minimize Context
bash
# Only include necessary files
context:
max_files: 20
max_tokens: 50000
3. Enable Caching
bash
cache:
enabled: true
ttl: 3600 # 1 hour
max_size: 100MB
4. Use Compact Mode
For long sessions, compress context:
bash
/compact
Debugging Tips
Verbose Mode
See what OpenCode is doing:
bash
opencode --verbose
# or
export OPENCODE_DEBUG=1
View Token Usage
Monitor costs in real-time:
bash
/cost
Inspect Context
See what files are included:
bash
/context show
Best Practices
1. Start with Understanding
Before making changes:
bash
Analyze the authentication flow in this codebase and explain
how user sessions are managed.
2. Review Before Accepting
Always review proposed changes:
bash
/diff
3. Commit Frequently
Use atomic commits:
bash
/commit
git push
4. Document As You Go
Generate docs alongside code:
bash
After implementing this function, add JSDoc documentation.
5. Test-Driven Approach
Write tests first:
bash
First write failing tests for user registration, then implement
the feature to make them pass.
Common Patterns
Bug Fix Pattern
bash
1. "Show me the error and relevant code around line X"
2. "What's causing this issue?"
3. "Fix the bug and add a test to prevent regression"
4. "/diff" to review
5. "/commit" with descriptive message
Feature Development Pattern
bash
1. "Analyze how similar features are implemented"
2. "Plan the implementation for [feature]"
3. "Implement step by step, starting with [component]"
4. "Add tests for the new feature"
5. "Update documentation"
Code Review Pattern
bash
1. "@git:staged review these changes"
2. "Focus on [security/performance/readability]"
3. "Suggest improvements"
4. "Apply the approved suggestions"