The open-source Claude Code alternative that works with any model
Darce is a terminal AI coding agent for 250+ models, with undo that covers what shell commands did. MIT licensed, free to try.
Updated October 2026
Claude Code is Anthropic's terminal coding agent, and it is very good. If you're happy with it, keep using it. People look for an alternative for a few recurring reasons: they want to use models from other vendors, they want an open source client they can read, they want undo to cover what shell commands did, or they want to try something without a subscription. Darce was built around exactly those points.
Facts about other tools are as of October 2026 and based on their public documentation. Tools change quickly; check their docs for the latest.
Darce vs Claude Code at a glance
| Darce | Claude Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Models | 250+ via OpenRouter: Claude, GPT, Gemini, Qwen, DeepSeek, Kimi, GLM, Grok… Switch mid-task | Anthropic's Claude models |
| Undo | /undo and /rewind cover Darce's edits and files changed by shell commands | Checkpoints rewind Claude's own file edits; Anthropic's docs note that changes made by bash commands aren't tracked |
| Risky commands | Every command scored; risky ones ask with the reason; a classifier double-checks scripts | Permission prompts and configurable allow/deny rules |
| Source | Open source, MIT | Proprietary |
| Try without an account | Yes: npx darce-cli, free trial | No: needs a Claude subscription or Anthropic API billing |
| Price | Free (daily allowance), $15, or $65 per month | Included with Claude Pro/Max plans, or pay per token via the API |
| Parallel agents | /swarm (split a task across worktrees), /derby (race 3 models) | Subagents |
| Ecosystem | Reads CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md; loads your Claude Code skills and plugin skills | Large: MCP servers, hooks, plugins, IDE integrations, SDK |
Where Darce is different
Use any model, and change your mind mid-task
Darce gives you 250+ coding models without separate provider keys. Start a task on a fast, cheap model like Qwen3 Coder, shift up to Claude Sonnet or GPT for the hard part with Shift+↑, and shift back down. Or run /derby to race three models on the same task and keep the diff you'd actually merge. See the model directory.
Undo that includes shell commands
When an agent runs a code generator, a formatter or an rm, those changes happen outside its edit tool. Darce snapshots your working tree before every change (using private git refs that never touch your branch, index or stash), so /undo reverses those effects too.
Careful by default
Every command is scored as read-only, changes the project, reaches outside, or destructive. In the default mode, reading and building run; installs, network access and destructive commands wait for you with the reason. Scripts like npm run deploy get a second look from a fast classifier, and effects /undo can't reverse (deploys, migrations, releases) always ask. See Safety.
Open source and free to try
The CLI is MIT licensed on GitHub. npx darce-cli lets you try it with no account; a free account gets a daily allowance.
Bring your Claude Code setup
Darce reads CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md, and loads skills from ~/.claude/skills/, your project's .claude/skills/ and installed Claude Code plugins, so moving over (or using both) is low effort.
When to pick Claude Code instead
- You already pay for Claude Max or Pro and mostly use Claude models: the usage included with those plans is hard to beat on value.
- You depend on its ecosystem: MCP servers, hooks, plugins, IDE extensions, or the Agent SDK.
- You want a first-party tool from the company that trains the model, with enterprise support.
When to pick Darce
- You want to mix models from different vendors, or use open models that cost a fraction as much.
- You want undo to cover shell commands, not just the agent's own edits.
- You want an open source client you can audit.
- You want to try it in one minute with no account.
Plenty of people use both: Claude Code on a subscription, and Darce when they want another vendor's model, a /derby, or a safety net.
Get started
npx darce-cliThen read Getting started, or see how Darce compares with OpenCode, Aider, Gemini CLI and Codex CLI.