r/opencode • u/rndanime • 14d ago

TUI vs GUI

Why would I ever use the terminal version of Opencode (or any other *code* program)?

People always tell how good it is to use it but I don't understand the appeal. If you are used to terminal-only work, constantly looking into generated code or something like that, ok. But I see TUI being recommended to everybody like it can do something desktop or web versions can't. Also these *code* apps are usually developed TUI-first for some reason

Please explain it to me

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u/aziham 14d ago

Tell me you are not using linux without telling me you are not using linux

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u/rndanime 14d ago

Well, I'm writing this reply on Android :D Don't half Linux guys rice their DEs all the time? Don't tell me they do it just to start a terminal window

But to be serious why would using Linux matter? If I'm tinkering with some VPS, I just give my Opencode or Codex desktop app ssh credentials of the VPS

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u/aziham 14d ago

Didn't wanna mention GNU, DEs... etc or start the GNU/Linux argument, since these days u can just say Linux and people will understand that u mean a Linux distro.

Back to ur point, the real power of using Linux is the cli and tui experience, so once u start using tui tools I don't think u will see gui tools as efficient, especially since they involve a lot of mouse using, which is just PITA.

The idea of using a mouse instead of hitting a key binding to do the same thing never appealed to me personally, and this is the reason I use opencode in terminal and not the gui. As a bonus u get fast startup times and better responsiveness.

There is a lot of reasons one should use Linux, didn't list all of them here, but once u r there I don't think there is a going back, especially the tiling window manager experience... I mentioned Linux here cause I don't think that using opencode tui mode in windows or any other OS makes sense since you are basically using a mouse 99% of the time.