Straight answers

OliveCode, explained.

What OliveCode does, what is free, and what you need to run it.

What is OliveCode?

OliveCode is a free, open-source terminal AI coding agent for macOS, Windows and Linux, derived from OpenCode. It works in your project folder: models can read files, propose or make edits, run tools and check results. It connects free cloud provider accounts and local Ollama models.

Is OliveCode free? Can I run out?

OliveCode has no subscription, credit packs or usage cap of its own. Cloud providers still have their own free-tier quotas and availability rules. Automatic switching needs another eligible model to be available. Local inference has no cloud request quota, but depends on your hardware. Compare cloud and local models.

Does it work on Windows and Linux?

Yes. The public preview includes installers for macOS Intel and Apple Silicon, Windows x64 and ARM64, and Linux x64 and ARM64, including glibc and musl packages. Coding and browser features run on supported systems. Native app control currently requires macOS 14 or later; native Windows/Linux app control is not available.

How do I install and launch it?

On macOS or Linux, use the shell command below. On Windows, use the PowerShell command. Then open a new terminal, go to your project folder and run olivecode. The installer installs to your user account and checks the downloaded package checksum.

curl -fsSL https://olivecode.dev/install | sh

irm https://olivecode.dev/install.ps1 | iex

The current release is a public preview. Binaries are not yet code-signed or notarized. Review the release notes and downloads and installation guide before installing.

What are Teamwork and Follow-through?

Assist can add planning, a second opinion, progress checks and follow-through reviews. It is intended to help models check task completion rather than stop after a small partial result. Use the Assist button beside your prompt to change these options. Multiple models can still make mistakes: inspect the diff and run checks.

Can I send tasks from my phone?

Yes, through a paired private Telegram chat. Open Computer → Remote from phone, connect your own Telegram bot and pair your account. Your computer must stay on, awake and online with Remote running. This is not a hosted, always-on cloud agent. See the Telegram Remote guide.

Can it use my computer while I keep working?

Visible control shares your Mac’s mouse and keyboard. Background browser uses a separate browser. Background Mac app control requires an isolated macOS VM or second Mac and remains a setup-required preview; switching to another ordinary virtual desktop alone does not provide independent input.

Who approves computer and remote actions?

You choose approvals. Telegram Remote can approve once or for 90 minutes in the current project and mode; captures still ask separately. /stop ends a task and /lock cancels timed approval. The Computer guide explains control modes and their requirements.

Does my code stay on my computer?

Local model inference runs on your computer. Connected cloud models receive the content needed for their requests under their provider’s terms. Browser, computer and messaging tools can send information to the services you use; Telegram bot chats are not end-to-end encrypted. Choosing a local model does not make every tool offline. Read the privacy page.

How is the free app supported?

OliveCode is designed to support clearly labeled sponsor placements inside the app. Sponsorship does not turn a free provider quota into unlimited cloud access. The website does not use advertising trackers. See sponsor information.

Is OliveCode the same project as OpenCode?

OliveCode is a separate project derived from OpenCode, with its own free-model focus, interface, Assist, local-model setup and optional Computer/Remote workflows. The upstream foundation and MIT license are acknowledged in the project information and source repository. It is not an official OpenCode product.

Where can I get help or report a problem?

Use the GitHub issue tracker or email [email protected]. Include your operating system and the exact error, but remove tokens, private code and personal information.