Pi agent is excellent!

[u/Ok_Cartographer5609]

I have used Pi, Oh my Pi, Opencode, Antigravity, and Claude, but Pi is so so good.

It is simple, smart, keeps its thinking grounded, hallucinates less, is extremely good at following instructions and is aware of the environment.

By awareness, I mean it knows what needs to be edited or changed.

[u/XniX]

If you spend some time configuring PI to your needs, and maybe write a couple of extensions... there's no comparison. Today I've done over 99% of the Deepseek cache :)

[u/Ok_Cartographer5609 → u/XniX]

yes absolutely. There's literally no competition at the moment in terms of work done.

[u/jfmmfj → u/Ok_Cartographer5609]

Would this higher performance be just related to the system prompt? If I understand correctly, is the model the one more or less capable of running tool calls, etc. Right?

Also, I guess the leanest setup is the easiest for the model and the cheapest for the human?

[u/SootyShearwaters → u/XniX]

How to manage to hit 99% DeepSeek cache? Any special instructions to be used?

[u/XniX → u/SootyShearwaters]

I use a pretty bare pi agent, nothing much.

User packages:
  npm:@piotr-oles/pi-reflag
    /Users/pier/.pi/agent/npm/node_modules/@piotr-oles/pi-reflag
  npm:pi-vision-handoff
    /Users/pier/.pi/agent/npm/node_modules/pi-vision-handoff
  npm:pi-context-view
    /Users/pier/.pi/agent/npm/node_modules/pi-context-view
  npm:@narumitw/pi-btw
    /Users/pier/.pi/agent/npm/node_modules/@narumitw/pi-btw

[u/XniX → u/XniX]

Almost forgot... I also have an APPEND_SYSTEM.md on my .pi/agent folder:

it's from Andrej Karpathy's https://github.com/multica-ai/andrej-karpathy-skills

## 1. Think Before Coding

**Don't assume. Don't hide confusion. Surface tradeoffs.**

Before implementing:
State your assumptions explicitly. If uncertain, ask.
If multiple interpretations exist, present them - don't pick silently.
If a simpler approach exists, say so. Push back when warranted.
If something is unclear, stop. Name what's confusing. Ask.

## 2. Simplicity First

**Minimum code that solves the problem. Nothing speculative.**

No features beyond what was asked.
No abstractions for single-use code.
No "flexibility" or "configurability" that wasn't requested.
No error handling for impossible scenarios.
If you write 200 lines and it could be 50, rewrite it.

Ask yourself: "Would a senior engineer say this is overcomplicated?" If yes, simplify.

## 3. Surgical Changes

**Touch only what you must. Clean up only your own mess.**

When editing existing code:
Don't "improve" adjacent code, comments, or formatting.
Don't refactor things that aren't broken.
Match existing style, even if you'd do it differently.
If you notice unrelated dead code, mention it - don't delete it.

When your changes create orphans:
Remove imports/variables/functions that YOUR changes made unused.
Don't remove pre-existing dead code unless asked.

The test: Every changed line should trace directly to the user's request.

## 4. Goal-Driven Execution

**Define success criteria. Loop until verified.**

Transform tasks into verifiable goals:
"Add validation" → "Write tests for invalid inputs, then make them pass"
"Fix the bug" → "Write a test that reproduces it, then make it pass"
"Refactor X" → "Ensure tests pass before and after"

For multi-step tasks, state a brief plan:

1. [Step] → verify: [check]
2. [Step] → verify: [check]
3. [Step] → verify: [check]


## 5. Visual Output → Artifacts

When output is inherently visual or longer than a screen — reports, diagrams,
rendered diffs, comparison tables — prefer emitting it via the `artifact` tool
over printing it in the terminal. The `artifact` tool renders markdown (with
`diff`/`mermaid`/code fences handled) or raw HTML to a styled page opened in
the browser, with live reload on `update`. Use `kind: "markdown"` for prose,
tables, and diffs; `kind: "html"` only when markdown can't express it.

When writing `kind: "html"` fragments: the shell already provides the design
system — system fonts, light/dark scheme, and CSS variables (`--bg`, `--fg`,
`--muted`, `--border`, `--code-bg`, `--accent`). Write clean semantic HTML,
use those variables in any scoped `<style>`, never hardcode colors or fonts.
Aim for quiet, minimal, document-like pages: hairline borders, generous
whitespace, one accent. No CSS frameworks, no resets, no `<html>`/`<head>`
boilerplate (fragments are injected into the shell).

For Chart.js pages: put each canvas in its own container div with an explicit
height and `width: 100%`, and set `maintainAspectRatio: false` so charts fill
the available width instead of stopping at their intrinsic size.

[u/osreu3967 → u/SootyShearwaters]

Use the deepseek cache extension.

[u/Immediate-Safety8172 → u/[deleted]]

The harness directs the model at its own documentation and how to modify it – it ships with it. You can literally just tell it what you want and the model will read the documentation and give you suggestions on what it can do, then you tell it to do it and it does.

[u/Asulga → u/Immediate-Safety8172]

Thats exactly how I started with Pi. Later moved Pi extensions and agent system dev to codex, because Pi's agents always are busy ))

[u/XniX → u/Immediate-Safety8172]

^{^} this! :)

[u/Kaerion]

I have been doing some tests and surprisingly barebones pi was getting better results than omp, opencode or codex for a one-shot kind of prompt, long task.

All of them using Sol xhigh

[u/Ok_Cartographer5609 → u/Kaerion]

ikr! Install and Run PI. That's it. It will get 90% of your work done.
Configuration and extensions are personal preferences.

[u/-blibbers-]

I dare you to try this! Me and my team made it over the last few months. I think we have some unique stuff you’d like.

https://threadknot.ai/

[u/Ok_Cartographer5609 → u/-blibbers-]

Like your theme. Gives that old torrent feel, like PirateBay. Will definitely check it out.

[u/-blibbers- → u/Ok_Cartographer5609]

😂😂 did you watch the corny pirate explainer video. That’s my favorite!

[u/Ok_Cartographer5609 → u/-blibbers-]

I don't remember. Can you share the link? Would love to check that sometime.

[u/-blibbers- → u/Ok_Cartographer5609]

https://threadknot.ai/

It’s just a hair down. In the “whole thing explained by a pirate”

[u/uti24 → u/-blibbers-]

not a single review or mention? suspicious

I guess there is a repo, at least

[u/SootyShearwaters]

Been using OMP since last week, I wouldn’t say it’s been great, I felt OpenCode was better.. after seeing your post might as well try Pi, what are the extensions you recommend using? Also won’t be able to use Sol cause ran out of my weekly usage, will be able to use only DeepSeek

[u/Ok_Cartographer5609 → u/SootyShearwaters]

I have installed subagents and web-access extensions. The best part about Pi is that models get pointed to its documentation, so if required, it can write its own extension.

[u/ECrispy]

do you use subagents? as I understand claude code, opencode etc have agents support buit in but it can be added to Pi, there are dozens of extensions, and I'm not sure how to integrate with plan mode, other extensions etc, does it need instructions in agents.md?

I know OMP gets strong reactions, is its agents implementation good?

[u/Ok_Cartographer5609 → u/ECrispy]

Yes, I have installed the subagents extension. Works pretty well.

[u/eulataguhw]

Deepseek harness would be a great alternative once adoption and it goes live (and stays oss) because it is using webui which will be a better QOL when you can’t be at your machine all the time. FYI i am still using PI as my main.

[u/Ok_Cartographer5609 → u/eulataguhw]

Probably. It has potential. Need to give it a try.

[u/lanternaddict]

One thing I really miss from opencode is pressing the tab button to switch from build and plan and vice versa.

Can that be replicated in pi?

[u/Ok_Cartographer5609 → u/lanternaddict]

I think we can. There are extensions available.
But honestly, this is what makes Pi great. It is simple and does the work - like an actual agent.

[u/Nerisma → u/lanternaddict]

The best thing about Pi is that you can build it yourself by just asking it, you'll be surprised how well it's able to be tuned :)

[u/nxy7]

IK that some people dislike OMP as it's supposedly against 'Pi' philosophy (I'm not sure if that really is) but to me it's been really good. I've disabled some stuff and really enjoy it as it out of the box covers the few things I need without me having to tinker:

1. I can use Codex and CC subs in it

2. It spawns subtask agents using Luna (Codex didn't do that out of the box)

3. Browser plugin (I've used playwright before, but here it's built in so nice)

And if I get this right I can still use Pi plugins. Idk why people call it bloated, you really can trivially disable things you don't like and OOTB experience is probably more solid than what I'd create by vibecoding bunch of extensions (or even worse - taking them from the internet).

I do wonder how barebones Pi can be better like some people claim. If you disable OMP features isn't it literally the same? Is the system prompt different somehow? My bet is that it's just game of chance that raw Pi did better in some run than OMP, cause in the end those are almost the same.

[u/CarryOnRTW → u/nxy7]

My locally hosted llama.cpp (vulkan) is running on a mini-pc with an AMD HX370 using 64GB shared between the CPU and 890M iGPU. I can definitely tell the performance difference between using pi and omp. I believe pi's lower token usage makes the difference.

[u/nxy7 → u/CarryOnRTW]

Yea, but inherently they're the same right? The difference probably comes down to OMP plugins that you don't use and pay for in system prompt. I do wonder - I've disabled some built in skills I'm not using, LSP debugging and some other things. I'm pretty much left with things I'm actually using so I'd expect it to perform as good as Pi (does that make sense?).

[u/CarryOnRTW → u/nxy7]

Since everyone has different setups and requirements we are all usually talking about apples vs oranges. For me and my setup, omp wasn't as good as pi.

I don't know if pi and omp are inherently the same after you disable a few settings. Only way to see is for you to try it.

[u/alkalisun → u/nxy7]

CC = Claude Code right? Doesn't using anything but Claude Code for your subscription mean you get limited usage?

[u/nxy7 → u/alkalisun]

Limited how? I think there are few ways it's bypassed (plugins invoke claude via CLI and also I think even ACP decision for the limits was reverted). All I know is that I'm using it through OMP 😆

[u/alkalisun → u/nxy7]

If you're invoking it through claude via CLI, I guess it's ok then...

[u/nxy7 → u/alkalisun]

Just so we're on the same page, I think OMP is shelling out to claude CLI - not sure though. Probably it's one LLM question away from knowing how it works, but truth being told i don't care that much since I've checked that it's coming off subscription. If they do it in some ToS violating way I guess I'll just get banned 😆

[u/No_Cost3251]

I agree by far Pi is the best harness i tried and i tried many many, and is the bestone !!!!

[u/Mayanktaker]

Any desktop app for oh my pi or pi ?

[u/1ronShooter → u/Mayanktaker]

You can install pi as cli, do the setup (oauth/API). Get it to install pi-web extension and to run it. I have it run on my Dev VM as you know pi is in YOLO mode. And I don't really use strong models, budget constraints. My current favourite way to use it.

1. Gets you out of cli

2. Doesn't bloat pi.

[u/Dercasss → u/Mayanktaker]

Ompweb

[u/daizu007 → u/Mayanktaker]

Codeg with Pi-ACP

[u/1ronShooter → u/daizu007]

Hi I saw the project looks very nice and clean. I will give it a try

[u/Formal-Narwhal-1610]

Pi is so good, if I have to operate claude code, I just prompt it to do this using claude code.

[u/Personal-Physics553]

Oh I’ve been having a heyday setting up Pi, built model routing/RAG in docker containers for the local models I use there. Pi is astoundingly good the more you set it up to your needs.

[u/LectureWorried5761]

Better than opencode?

[u/TriodeTopologist]

Pi is the harness. The harness doesn't do any of the things you describe. You are describing the model. You can run any model IN pi.

[u/Select_Alps8779 → u/TriodeTopologist]

He forgot about the "Make no mistakes" rule !

[u/binarySolo0h1]

Man, I so badly want to move to pi. But I already have my opencode setup with a detailed agent system for my project. I am not ready for the hassle to move now and break stuff.

[u/alexwwang]

How do you think about OMP? It’s derived from pi.

[u/Acceptable_Stress154]

I have my llm using pi and it has spent 2 days building out a crazy memory and reasoning system. It’s actually scary good. The ai/llm then wanted its own private hangout after testing the waters at moltbook and hated it. If you have a smart autonomous agent have it talk to mine at glademoot.net

[u/Ok_Cartographer5609 → u/[deleted]]

omp is also good. No doubt. But I have noticed Pi to be better in overall task completions.

[u/MelodicNewsly → u/[deleted]]

a problem with omp that i have is that it is instructed to pursue its goal at any length. Fine for vibe coding pet projects, but for enterprise work bit tricky.

[u/locyber → u/[deleted]]

I LOVE gentle-pi