Cline vs OpenCode

Cline

Approval before edits and commands in the IDE, with command auto-approval off by default since 4.0.0. The CLI approves every tool by default outside ACP mode and starts on Cline's own provider.

OpenCode

Runs with no key or account on free OpenCode Zen models. Most permissions default to allow, and SECURITY.md says the permission system is not a sandbox.

Cline

1. Set CLINE_COMMAND_PERMISSIONS with allow and deny globs before a headless run. The CLI approves every tool by default
2. Pick a provider with -P and a key, or run cline auth. The default provider needs a Cline sign-in
3. Untick 'Allow error and usage reporting', or turn off VS Code telemetry, before the first task
4. Pin the CLI version. 2.3.0 was a malicious publish
5. Keep the hub on 127.0.0.1 or set ROOM_SECRET, and run 3.0.30 or later

OpenCode

1. Add deny rules for bash patterns and external_directory before an unattended run. Most tools default to allow
2. Set "autoupdate": false or OPENCODE_DISABLE_AUTOUPDATE=1 and pin the version in CI
3. Configure a provider key. With none, prompts go to free Zen models that may train on them
4. Set OPENCODE_SERVER_PASSWORD before opencode serve. Without it the server runs unauthenticated
5. Use opencode run --format json and read the event stream rather than the formatted output