← AI for Small Business and Entrepreneurs

Set up OpenCode

Install OpenCode, choose an AI, and check the connection in an empty folder.

OpenCode is an app that lets an AI read and write files and run programs for you. You choose which AI it uses. You can use another coding agent for the Get2Know and Standin guide; OpenCode is one option.

1. Install the app

Go to opencode.ai/download and download the desktop app for your computer. Open the downloaded installer and follow its instructions. If your computer asks whether to let the app run, check that you downloaded it from that address.

Use the desktop app to start. You do not need to install a code editor or learn terminal commands first. The official setup documentation also covers the terminal version. Follow the instructions for the version you installed: OpenCode’s documentation currently distinguishes versions 1 and 2.

2. Choose an AI

OpenCode is the app; the model is the AI it talks to. Choose a model in the app’s model picker. In the terminal interface, /models opens the choices and /connect adds a provider.

If a free model is offered, you can try it on made-up examples. Free offers and their terms change. Check the provider’s explanation of what it stores and whether it uses your inputs for training. A free trial may have usage limits.

For a paid provider, follow the app’s connection instructions. Depending on the provider, you may need to sign in or create an API key and add billing. A chatbot subscription does not necessarily include API use. Enter credentials only in the provider’s sign-in screen or the app’s connection settings; do not paste them into a conversation.

3. Open an empty folder and check the connection

Create a folder called ai-workshop-home somewhere easy to find. Open that folder as a project in OpenCode. Start with an empty folder rather than your Documents folder or a folder full of business records.

Send this message:

I'm learning to use a coding agent. Tell me which folder we're working in.
Create a file called hello.txt containing "This is a made-up example."
Then read it back. Don't change anything else.

Read any permission request before accepting it. Check that hello.txt appears in the folder and contains the sentence. You now have a working connection and have checked that the agent can work with local files.

4. Continue with Get2Know and Standin

Return to the small-business workshop page and follow the setup message there. It tells your coding agent to read the Use Get2Know with Standin guide.

If something does not work

  • No answer: check that a model is selected, its provider is connected, and you have an internet connection. If the app reports a quota or billing limit, check that with the provider.
  • It describes a file but does not create it: check that the agent is allowed to make changes, rather than being in a planning-only mode.
  • The app asks for a key: follow the provider’s connection instructions. Do not ask the AI to invent a key or paste a key into chat.
  • You need help: use OpenCode’s troubleshooting guide. Describe the error with a made-up example; leave account details and keys out of screenshots.

Setup references checked November 1, 2026: OpenCode documentation, models, providers.