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Use Host-Native Models

Use your existing GitHub Copilot or Anthropic subscriptions in OpenCode via Subscription Bridges.

2 min read·guides / cookbook / use-host-native-models

Subscription Bridges allow you to use premium models from services you are already subscribed to, without needing direct API keys or paying extra per token. Construct manages local proxy services that bridge your host-native authentication (like the gh CLI for Copilot) to a standard OpenAI-compatible API that OpenCode can consume.

How it Works

  1. Detection: Construct checks for active authenticated sessions on your machine (e.g., gh auth status).
  2. Bridge Service: When you run construct dev, it starts a local "Bridge Service" (e.g., copilot-bridge on port 5174).
  3. OpenCode Sync: Construct automatically registers these bridges as custom providers in your opencode.json configuration.
  4. Agentic Use: You can now select these models in OpenCode's TUI or via the /models command.

Supported Bridges

GitHub Copilot

If you have a GitHub Copilot subscription, you can use GPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and other models supported by Copilot.

Prerequisites:

Usage:

  • Models appear as github-copilot/gpt-4o, github-copilot/claude-3.5-sonnet, etc.
  • No OPENAI_API_KEY or ANTHROPIC_API_KEY is required; auth is handled via your local GitHub session.

Anthropic (Claude Bridge)

Coming soon. This bridge will let you use your Claude Pro subscription or active claude CLI sessions.

Configuration & Management

Starting Bridges

Bridges are started automatically when you run the standard Construct services:

construct dev

You can check the status of active bridges via construct doctor.

Customizing Ports

If the default bridge ports (5174, 5175, etc.) conflict with other services, you can customize them in your ~/.config/construct/config.env:

COPILOT_BRIDGE_PORT=6000

Community Best Practices

Construct follows established community patterns for host-native bridging:

  • Zero-Trust (Local Only): Bridge services bind only to 127.0.0.1. Your tokens and code never leave your machine except to reach the official provider's API.
  • Provider Parity: Bridge models are treated as first-class citizens in OpenCode, supporting tool-calling and system prompts just like direct API models.
  • Cost Optimization: Use host-native models for high-volume "standard" tasks and save your OpenRouter/Anthropic API credits for high-stakes "reasoning" tasks.

Troubleshooting

Bridge Not Starting

  • Ensure the respective host CLI (e.g., gh) is installed and you are logged in.
  • Run construct doctor to see detailed error logs for the bridge service.

OpenCode Cannot See Models

  • Run construct sync to force-regenerate your opencode.json with the latest bridge provider info.
  • Check that BRIDGE_PORT in .env matches the port OpenCode is configured to use.