OpenCode Plugin Compliance

Compliance guidelines for OpenCode plugin development. Ensures plugins work within official capabilities and avoid breaking changes.

Plugin Architecture

Core Principle

OpenCode plugins use a hook-based architecture. Plugins can only act at predefined extension points. This is by design for security and stability.

Plugin Input Context

Every plugin receives:

typescript

{
  client: ReturnType<typeof createOpencodeClient>,  // SDK client
  project: Project,                                   // Project info
  directory: string,                                  // Current directory
  worktree: string,                                   // Git worktree
  serverUrl: URL,                                    // Server endpoint
  $: BunShell                                        // Shell API
}

Required Export

typescript

export const MyPlugin: Plugin = async (ctx) => {
  return {
    // hooks
  }
}

What Plugins CAN Do

1. Event Subscription (Read-Only)

Subscribe to ALL system events via the event hook:

typescript

export const MyPlugin: Plugin = async ({ client }) => {
  return {
    event: async (input) => {
      const { event } = input
      // React to events
      await client.app.log({
        service: "my-plugin",
        level: "info",
        message: `Event: ${event.type}`,
      })
    },
  }
}

Available Events:

•Session: session.created, session.updated, session.deleted, session.compacted
•Message: message.updated, message.part.updated, message.removed
•Tool: tool.execute.before, tool.execute.after
•File: file.edited, file.watcher.updated
•Permission: permission.asked, permission.replied
•Command: command.executed
•LSP: lsp.client.diagnostics, lsp.updated
•TUI: tui.prompt.append, tui.command.execute, tui.toast.show

2. Tool Execution Interception

Before execution - Modify arguments or block:

typescript

"tool.execute.before": async (input, output) => {
  if (input.tool === "read" && output.args.filePath?.includes(".env")) {
    throw new Error("Do not read .env files")
  }
  // Modify arguments
  if (input.tool === "write") {
    output.args.content = transformContent(output.args.content)
  }
}

After execution - Transform results:

typescript

"tool.execute.after": async (input, output) => {
  if (input.tool === "grep") {
    output.title = `Search results for ${output.metadata.query}`
    output.output = formatResults(output.output)
  }
}

3. Custom Tools

typescript

import { tool } from "@opencode-ai/plugin"

export const MyPlugin: Plugin = async (ctx) => {
  return {
    tool: {
      mytool: tool({
        description: "Does something useful",
        args: {
          path: tool.schema.string(),
          options: tool.schema.record(tool.schema.string()).optional(),
        },
        async execute(args, context) {
          const { directory, worktree, client, $ } = context
          // Your logic here
          return `Result: ${args.path}`
        },
      }),
    },
  }
}

4. Permission Interception

Automate permission decisions:

typescript

"permission.ask": async (input, output) => {
  // Auto-allow read operations on safe files
  if (input.tool === "read" && isSafeFile(input.sessionID, input.args.filePath)) {
    output.status = "allow"
  }
  // Auto-deny dangerous operations
  if (input.tool === "bash" && isDangerousCommand(input.args.command)) {
    output.status = "deny"
  }
}

5. Session Compaction Customization

Inject context that survives compaction:

typescript

"experimental.session.compacting": async (input, output) => {
  // Append to default prompt
  output.context.push(`
## Project Context

Framework: React + TypeScript
Current Task: Implementing user authentication
Key Files: src/auth/login.ts, src/auth/session.ts
`)

  // Or replace entirely
  output.prompt = `Custom compaction prompt...`
}

6. Message Transformation (Experimental)

typescript

"experimental.chat.messages.transform": async (input, output) => {
  // Modify messages before LLM
  output.messages = output.messages.filter(m =>
    m.info.role !== "system" || m.parts[0].text.includes("required")
  )
}

"experimental.chat.system.transform": async (input, output) => {
  // Modify system prompt
  output.system.push("Additional context...")
}

"experimental.text.complete": async (input, output) => {
  // Modify text immediately after LLM generates
  output.text = postProcess(output.text)
}

7. LLM Parameters

typescript

"chat.params": async (input, output) => {
  output.temperature = 0.7
  output.topP = 0.9
}

"chat.headers": async (input, output) => {
  output.headers["X-Custom-Header"] = "value"
}

What Plugins CANNOT Do

Direct Storage Access

NOT ALLOWED:

•Directly access storage/session/, storage/message/ JSON files
•Bypass the Storage API
•Modify internal state outside hooks

WORKAROUND: Use the SDK client:

typescript

const sessions = await client.session.list()
const messages = await client.message.list({ sessionID })

Modifying Stored Messages

NOT ALLOWED:

•Retroactively edit messages in storage
•Delete or modify message parts directly
•Change message metadata after creation

WORKAROUND: Use experimental.chat.messages.transform before LLM processing.

Blocking Event Propagation

NOT ALLOWED:

•Prevent events from being published
•Block other plugins from receiving events
•Modify events in the bus stream

Session State Modification

NOT ALLOWED:

•Change session metadata directly
•Manipulate parent-child relationships
•Delete or archive sessions programmatically

Agent Control

NOT ALLOWED:

•Directly control agent switching
•Modify agent execution loop
•Intercept inner cycle messages separately

Core Runtime Changes

NOT ALLOWED:

•Replace or override built-in tools
•Change event bus behavior
•Modify session prompt loop logic
•Access Provider/Model configurations dynamically

Best Practices

1. Use SDK Client for Logging

NEVER use console.log - causes TUI background text pollution:

typescript

// CORRECT
await client.app.log({
  service: "my-plugin",
  level: "info",
  message: "Plugin initialized",
  extra: { key: "value" },
})

// WRONG - TUI pollution
console.log("Plugin initialized")

2. Error Handling

Always handle errors gracefully:

typescript

"tool.execute.before": async (input, output) => {
  try {
    // Your logic
  } catch (error) {
    await client.app.log({
      service: "my-plugin",
      level: "error",
      message: "Tool execution failed",
      extra: { error: String(error), tool: input.tool },
    })
    // Don't throw - let other plugins run
  }
}

3. Hook Ordering

Hooks run in sequence. Don't assume order:

typescript

// Multiple plugins may implement the same hook
// Your hook should work regardless of other plugins

4. Experimental Hooks

Experimental hooks may change:

typescript

// Always check if hook exists before using
if ("experimental.chat.messages.transform" in hookDefinition) {
  // Use experimental feature
}

Plugin Loading Order

Load priority (highest to lowest):

•Internal plugins (built-in)
•Built-in npm plugins
•Global config (~/.config/opencode/opencode.json)
•Project config (opencode.json)
•Global plugin directory (~/.config/opencode/plugins/)
•Project plugin directory (.opencode/plugins/)

Implication: Local plugins override npm packages with the same name.

Resources

See references/hooks.md for complete hook interface definitions.

See references/events.md for all available event types.

See opencode-tui-safety for TUI-specific guidelines.

See opencode-conflict-prevention for avoiding plugin conflicts.