Overview
“I want to pick up where I left off on OpenCode — without going back to my desk.” SSH feels clunky, and mobile makes it even worse. opencode serve/web may be the answer.
Key Insight: “The Server Is the Real Thing, Not the TUI”
There’s an important shift in perspective when thinking about opencode’s architecture. The TUI (terminal UI) is just a client connecting to the server — the actual work happens in the server (backend). Once you internalize this, remote development becomes natural.
opencode web
The most convenient option when you need it fast. Since it launches both the API server and the web UI together, you can open a phone browser and jump right back into the session you were working on — no app install, no SSH required.
Heavy lifting (repo access, tool execution, model calls) stays on the server machine. Your mobile device only handles input and display.
opencode serve
opencode serve starts a “headless backend.” It runs the API server without a web UI, so you can connect a custom client or integrate it into an automation pipeline.
Security: Tailscale + Password
Rather than opening a port directly, the recommended approach is to connect through Tailscale VPN. Since access is limited to your Tailscale network, there is no risk of external exposure.
Insight
The “server-client separation” pattern for AI coding tools is becoming the norm. GitHub Codespaces, code-server, and now opencode — the architecture of “heavy computation on the server, interaction on the client” is settling naturally into AI-assisted coding. The ability to give an AI agent a quick instruction from your phone can significantly reduce the time constraints in a development workflow.