opensrc
CLI tool to fetch source code for packages/repos, giving AI coding agents deeper implementation context.
When to Use
- Need to understand how a library/package works internally (not just its interface)
- Debugging issues where types alone are insufficient
- Exploring implementation patterns in dependencies
- Agent needs to reference actual source code of a package
Quick Start
# Install globally or use npx
npm install -g opensrc
# Fetch npm package (auto-detects installed version from lockfile)
npx opensrc zod
# Fetch from other registries
npx opensrc pypi:requests # Python/PyPI
npx opensrc crates:serde # Rust/crates.io
# Fetch GitHub repo directly
npx opensrc vercel/ai # owner/repo shorthand
npx opensrc github:owner/repo # explicit prefix
npx opensrc https://github.com/colinhacks/zod # full URL
# Fetch specific version/ref
npx opensrc zod@3.22.0
npx opensrc owner/repo@v1.0.0
Commands
| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| opensrc <packages...> | Fetch source for packages/repos |
| opensrc list | List all fetched sources |
| opensrc remove <name> | Remove specific source |
| opensrc clean | Remove all sources |
Output Structure
After fetching, sources stored in opensrc/ directory:
opensrc/
├── settings.json # User preferences
├── sources.json # Index of fetched packages/repos
└── repos/
└── github.com/
└── owner/
└── repo/ # Cloned source code
File Modifications
On first run, opensrc prompts to modify:
.gitignore- addsopensrc/to ignore listtsconfig.json- excludesopensrc/from compilationAGENTS.md- adds section pointing agents to source code
Use --modify or --modify=false to skip prompt.
Key Behaviors
- Version Detection - For npm, auto-detects installed version from
node_modules,package-lock.json,pnpm-lock.yaml, oryarn.lock - Repository Resolution - Resolves package to its git repo via registry API, clones at matching tag
- Monorepo Support - Handles packages in monorepos via
repository.directoryfield - Shallow Clone - Uses
--depth 1for efficient cloning, removes.gitafter clone - Tag Fallback - Tries
v{version},{version}, then default branch if tag not found
Common Workflows
Fetching a Package
# Agent needs to understand zod's implementation
npx opensrc zod
# → Detects version from lockfile
# → Finds repo URL from npm registry
# → Clones at matching git tag
# → Source available at opensrc/repos/github.com/colinhacks/zod/
Updating Sources
# Re-run same command to update to currently installed version
npx opensrc zod
# → Checks if version changed
# → Re-clones if needed
Multiple Sources
# Fetch multiple at once
npx opensrc react react-dom next
npx opensrc zod pypi:pydantic vercel/ai
References
For detailed information:
- CLI Usage & Options - Full command reference
- Architecture - Code structure and extension
- Registry Support - npm, PyPI, crates.io details