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coreAnything pertaining to core functionality of the application (opencode server stuff)Anything pertaining to core functionality of the application (opencode server stuff)discussionUsed for feature requests, proposals, ideas, etc. Open discussionUsed for feature requests, proposals, ideas, etc. Open discussion
Description
Feature hasn't been suggested before.
- I have verified this feature I'm about to request hasn't been suggested before.
Describe the enhancement you want to request
Problem
The current system prompts are heavy and optimized for frontier models.
This causes issues with:
- Smaller local models hitting context limits
- Token waste for simple tasks
- Users who want minimal prompting for specific workflows
- Outdated instructions that don't match current model capabilities (some prompts unchanged for 7+ months)
- Conflicts between default prompts and user's AGENTS.md instructions
- Overspecification that degrades reasoning in high-capability models default system prompt materiallly freaks out / degrades reasoning of every high reasoning model #10927
Proposal
Add a system prompt mode setting with initial options:
- Default: current per-model prompts (anthropic.txt, gemini.txt, etc.) — no changes
- Light: minimal prompt with only essential info: tools, basic safety rules, environment
The current proposal covers several things at once:
- Non-breaking: Default behavior unchanged
- Extensible: Opens path for future custom mode where users provide their own prompt
- Addresses multiple issues without requiring prompt rewrites
Configuration
- Via settings menu (
Ctrl+P→ Settings) - Via
opencode.json:
{
"prompt": {
"mode": "light"
}
}
Related issues
- [FEATURE]: Allow custom system prompts in global, project or custom directories #7101
- default system prompt materiallly freaks out / degrades reasoning of every high reasoning model #10927
- Tool descriptions consume excessive tokens in system prompt #11995
- [FEATURE]: Unify provider system prompts #13605
- [FEATURE]: Evidence based refurbishment of openCode's System Prompt (Architecture) #14398
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coreAnything pertaining to core functionality of the application (opencode server stuff)Anything pertaining to core functionality of the application (opencode server stuff)discussionUsed for feature requests, proposals, ideas, etc. Open discussionUsed for feature requests, proposals, ideas, etc. Open discussion