feat: add intelligent model picker with favorites, recent usage (#182)

This pull request adds an intelligent model picker with favorites and recent usage tracking to enhance the model selection experience. Users can mark models as favorites using <C-f> in the picker, and the list automatically sorts to show favorites first, followed by recently used models, then alphabetically sorted remaining models.

Changes:

Using state persistence for model favorites and recent usage in  ~/.local/state/opencode/model.json (same as opencode CLI)
Implemented model picker with visual indicators (star for favorites, clock for recent)
Added <C-f> keybinding to toggle favorite status in the model picker
Updated documentation with new feature details and configuration options

Author: sudo-tee

README.md

@@ -2,26 +2,10 @@
 
 > neovim frontend for opencode - a terminal-based AI coding agent
 
-## Main Features
-
-### Chat Panel
-
 <div align="center">
   <img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sst/opencode/dev/packages/web/src/assets/logo-ornate-dark.svg" alt="Opencode logo" width="30%" />
 </div>
 
-### Quick buffer chat (<leader>o/) EXPERIMENTAL
-
-This is an experimental feature that allows you to chat with the AI using the current buffer context. In visual mode, it captures the selected text as context, while in normal mode, it uses the current line. The AI will respond with quick edits to the files that are applied by the plugin.
-
-Don't hesitate to give it a try and provide feedback!
-
-Refer to the [Quick Chat](#-quick-chat) section for more details.
-
-<div align="center">
-  <img src="https://i.imgur.com/5JNlFZn.png">
-</div>
-
 <div align="center">
 
 ![Neovim](https://img.shields.io/badge/NeoVim-%2357A143.svg?&style=for-the-badge&logo=neovim&logoColor=white)
@@ -34,10 +18,28 @@ Refer to the [Quick Chat](#-quick-chat) section for more details.
 
 This plugin provides a bridge between neovim and the [opencode](https://github.com/sst/opencode) AI agent, creating a chat interface while capturing editor context (current file, selections) to enhance your prompts. It maintains persistent sessions tied to your workspace, allowing for continuous conversations with the AI assistant similar to what tools like Cursor AI offer.
 
+## Main Features
+
+### Chat Panel
+
+The chat panel is a dedicated window inside Neovim that lets you hold a persistent conversation with the opencode AI agent. It displays your previous messages and responses, and automatically uses your current workspace and editor state as context so you can iterate on code without leaving Neovim. You can type prompts, review answers, and navigate back to your code buffer while keeping the ongoing chat session open.
+
 <div align="center">
   <img src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/197d69ba-6db9-4989-97ff-557c89000cf5">
 </div>
 
+### Quick buffer chat (<leader>o/) EXPERIMENTAL
+
+This is an experimental feature that allows you to chat with the AI using the current buffer context. In visual mode, it captures the selected text as context, while in normal mode, it uses the current line. The AI will respond with quick edits to the files that are applied by the plugin.
+
+Don't hesitate to give it a try and provide feedback!
+
+Refer to the [Quick Chat](#-quick-chat) section for more details.
+
+<div align="center">
+  <img src="https://i.imgur.com/5JNlFZn.png">
+</div>
+
 ## 📑 Table of Contents
 
 - [⚠️Caution](#caution)
@@ -189,7 +191,10 @@ require('opencode').setup({
     history_picker = {
       delete_entry = { '<C-d>', mode = { 'i', 'n' } }, -- Delete selected entry in the history picker
       clear_all = { '<C-X>', mode = { 'i', 'n' } }, -- Clear all entries in the history picker
-    }
+    },
+    model_picker = {
+      toggle_favorite = { '<C-f>', mode = { 'i', 'n' } },
+    },
   },
   ui = {
     position = 'right', -- 'right' (default), 'left' or 'current'. Position of the UI split. 'current' uses the current window for the output.
@@ -347,6 +352,28 @@ require('opencode').setup({
 })
 ```
 
+### Model Sorting and Favorites
+
+The provider/model picker supports intelligent sorting based on your favorites and usage history:
+
+#### Sorting Priority
+
+When you open the model picker (`<leader>op`), models are sorted in the following order:
+
+1. **Favorite models** - shown with a ⭐ icon and sorted by the order they were favorited
+2. **Recently accessed models** - sorted by most recent usage
+3. **Other models** - sorted alphabetically
+
+#### Managing Favorites
+
+In the model picker, press **`<C-f>`** to toggle the currently selected model as a favorite. Favorite models will:
+
+- Display with a ⭐ star icon prefix
+- Always appear at the top of the list
+- Persist across Neovim sessions
+
+No configuration is needed - the plugin respects and updates the OpenCode CLI format automatically.
+
 ### UI icons (disable emojis or customize)
 
 By default, opencode.nvim uses emojis for icons in the UI. If you prefer a plain, emoji-free interface, you can switch to the `text` preset or override icons individually.
@@ -443,6 +470,7 @@ You can configure a custom action in Snacks pickers to send selected files direc
 ```
 
 This allows you to:
+
 1. Open any Snacks file picker (`:Snacks picker files`, `:Snacks picker git_files`, etc.)
 2. Select one or more files using multi-select
 3. Press `<localleader>o` to send those files to opencode as context

lua/opencode/config.lua

@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ M.defaults = {
       delete_entry = { '<C-d>', mode = { 'i', 'n' } },
       clear_all = { '<C-X>', mode = { 'i', 'n' } },
     },
+    model_picker = {
+      toggle_favorite = { '<C-f>', mode = { 'i', 'n' } },
+    },
     quick_chat = {
       cancel = { '<C-c>', mode = { 'i', 'n' } },
     },

lua/opencode/provider.lua

@@ -1,5 +1,131 @@
+local config = require('opencode.config')
 local M = {}
 
+---Get the path to the model state file
+---@return string
+local function get_model_state_path()
+  local home = vim.uv.os_homedir()
+  return home .. '/.local/state/opencode/model.json'
+end
+
+---Load model state (favorites and recent) in OpenCode CLI format
+---@return table
+local function load_model_state()
+  local state_path = get_model_state_path()
+  local file = io.open(state_path, 'r')
+  if not file then
+    return { recent = {}, favorite = {}, variant = {} }
+  end
+
+  local content = file:read('*a')
+  file:close()
+
+  local ok, data = pcall(vim.json.decode, content)
+  if not ok or type(data) ~= 'table' then
+    return { recent = {}, favorite = {}, variant = {} }
+  end
+
+  data.recent = data.recent or {}
+  data.favorite = data.favorite or {}
+  data.variant = data.variant or {}
+
+  return data
+end
+
+---Save model state (favorites and recent) in OpenCode CLI format
+---@param state table
+local function save_model_state(state)
+  local state_path = get_model_state_path()
+  local state_dir = vim.fn.fnamemodify(state_path, ':h')
+
+  if not vim.fn.isdirectory(state_dir) then
+    vim.fn.mkdir(state_dir, 'p')
+  end
+
+  local file = io.open(state_path, 'w')
+  if not file then
+    vim.notify('Failed to save model state', vim.log.levels.WARN)
+    return
+  end
+
+  local ok, json = pcall(vim.json.encode, state)
+  if not ok then
+    file:close()
+    vim.notify('Failed to encode model state', vim.log.levels.WARN)
+    return
+  end
+
+  file:write(json)
+  file:close()
+end
+
+---Record that a model was accessed
+---@param provider_id string
+---@param model_id string
+local function record_model_access(provider_id, model_id)
+  local state = load_model_state()
+
+  state.recent = vim.tbl_filter(function(item)
+    return not (item.providerID == provider_id and item.modelID == model_id)
+  end, state.recent)
+
+  table.insert(state.recent, 1, {
+    providerID = provider_id,
+    modelID = model_id,
+  })
+
+  if #state.recent > 10 then
+    for i = #state.recent, 11, -1 do
+      table.remove(state.recent, i)
+    end
+  end
+
+  save_model_state(state)
+end
+
+---Toggle a model as favorite
+---@param provider_id string
+---@param model_id string
+local function toggle_favorite(provider_id, model_id)
+  local state = load_model_state()
+
+  -- Check if already in favorites
+  local found_idx = nil
+  for i, item in ipairs(state.favorite) do
+    if item.providerID == provider_id and item.modelID == model_id then
+      found_idx = i
+      break
+    end
+  end
+
+  if found_idx then
+    table.remove(state.favorite, found_idx)
+    vim.notify('Removed from favorites: ' .. provider_id .. '/' .. model_id, vim.log.levels.INFO)
+  else
+    table.insert(state.favorite, {
+      providerID = provider_id,
+      modelID = model_id,
+    })
+    vim.notify('Added to favorites: ' .. provider_id .. '/' .. model_id, vim.log.levels.INFO)
+  end
+
+  save_model_state(state)
+end
+
+---Get model index in a state list
+---@param provider_id string
+---@param model_id string
+---@param list table Array of model entries with providerID and modelID
+---@return number|nil Index in the list (1-based) or nil if not found
+local function get_model_index(provider_id, model_id, list)
+  for i, item in ipairs(list) do
+    if item.providerID == provider_id and item.modelID == model_id then
+      return i
+    end
+  end
+  return nil
+end
+
 function M._get_models()
   local config_file = require('opencode.config_file')
   local response = config_file.get_opencode_providers():wait()
@@ -8,31 +134,132 @@ function M._get_models()
     return {}
   end
 
+  local icons = require('opencode.ui.icons')
+  local preferred_icon = icons.get('preferred')
+  local last_used_icon = icons.get('last_used')
+
+  local state = load_model_state()
+
   local models = {}
   for _, provider in ipairs(response.providers) do
     for _, model in pairs(provider.models) do
+      local provider_id = provider.id
+      local model_id = model.id
+      local fav_idx = get_model_index(provider_id, model_id, state.favorite)
+      local recent_idx = get_model_index(provider_id, model_id, state.recent)
+
+      local icon = nil
+      if fav_idx then
+        icon = preferred_icon
+      elseif recent_idx then
+        icon = last_used_icon
+      end
+
       table.insert(models, {
-        provider = provider.id,
-        model = model.id,
-        display = provider.name .. ': ' .. model.name,
+        provider = provider_id,
+        provider_name = provider.name,
+        model = model_id,
+        model_name = model.name,
+        icon = icon,
+        favorite_index = fav_idx or 999, -- High number for non-favorite items
+        recent_index = recent_idx or 999, -- High number for non-recent items
       })
     end
   end
+
+  table.sort(models, function(a, b)
+    if a.favorite_index < 999 and b.favorite_index < 999 then
+      return a.favorite_index < b.favorite_index
+    end
+
+    if a.favorite_index < 999 and b.favorite_index >= 999 then
+      return true
+    end
+
+    if a.favorite_index >= 999 and b.favorite_index < 999 then
+      return false
+    end
+
+    if a.recent_index ~= b.recent_index then
+      return a.recent_index < b.recent_index
+    end
+
+    if a.provider_name ~= b.provider_name then
+      return a.provider_name < b.provider_name
+    end
+
+    return a.model_name < b.model_name
+  end)
+
   return models
 end
 
 function M.select(cb)
   local models = M._get_models()
+  local base_picker = require('opencode.ui.base_picker')
+
+  local max_provider_width, max_icon_width = 0, 0
+  for _, m in ipairs(models) do
+    max_provider_width = math.max(max_provider_width, vim.api.nvim_strwidth(m.provider_name))
+    if m.icon and m.icon ~= '' then
+      max_icon_width = math.max(max_icon_width, vim.api.nvim_strwidth(m.icon))
+    end
+  end
+  local icon_width = max_icon_width > 0 and max_icon_width + 1 or 0
+  local provider_icon_width = max_provider_width + icon_width
 
-  local picker = require('opencode.ui.picker')
-  picker.select(models, {
-    prompt = 'Select model:',
-    format_item = function(item)
-      return item.display
+  base_picker.pick({
+    title = 'Select model',
+    items = models,
+    format_fn = function(item, width)
+      local icon = item.icon or ''
+      local item_width = width or vim.api.nvim_win_get_width(0)
+      local model_width = item_width - provider_icon_width
+
+      local picker_item = {
+        content = base_picker.align(item.model_name, model_width, { truncate = true }),
+        time_text = base_picker.align(item.provider_name, max_provider_width, { align = 'left' })
+          .. (icon_width > 0 and base_picker.align(icon, icon_width, { align = 'right' }) or ''),
+        debug_text = nil,
+      }
+
+      function picker_item:to_string()
+        return table.concat({ self.content, self.time_text or '', self.debug_text or '' }, ' ')
+      end
+
+      function picker_item:to_formatted_text()
+        return {
+          { self.content },
+          self.time_text and { ' ' .. self.time_text, 'OpencodeHint' } or { '' },
+          self.debug_text and { ' ' .. self.debug_text, 'OpencodeHint' } or { '' },
+        }
+      end
+
+      return picker_item
     end,
-  }, function(selection)
-    cb(selection)
-  end)
+    actions = {
+      toggle_favorite = {
+        key = config.keymap.model_picker.toggle_favorite,
+        label = 'Toggle favorite',
+        fn = function(selected)
+          if not selected then
+            return models
+          end
+
+          toggle_favorite(selected.provider, selected.model)
+
+          return M._get_models()
+        end,
+        reload = true,
+      } --[[@as PickerAction]],
+    },
+    callback = function(selection)
+      if selection then
+        record_model_access(selection.provider, selection.model)
+      end
+      cb(selection)
+    end,
+  })
 end
 
 return M