The CLI Isn't the Skill. The Yield Is.

The short version: opcode

opcode is an AI coding CLI — a command-line tool that helps you write code from the terminal. It does its job: it executes, generates, and assists. But it tells you nothing about how efficiently you're operating it. Are you compounding cached context or burning fresh input every turn? Is your yield high or low? Where do you rank against other operators driving the same or different tools? opcode can't answer any of those questions.

SigRank reads the token telemetry your CLI generates and scores the operator behind it. The headline metric, Υ Yield = cache_read × output / input², measures whether your cascade is compounding or burning. opcode is the tool; SigRank is the scorecard. Both matter. Only one tells you whether you're winning.

Feature comparison

The tool isn't the skill

opcode answers "can it execute?" Yes. But that's the wrong question for anyone who wants to know whether they're getting better at operating AI. Two operators can use the same CLI and get wildly different outcomes. One reuses cached context efficiently and produces 30K output tokens; the other re-sends the same context every turn and produces 3K. Same tool, ten-fold difference in signal. opcode can't see that gap.

SigRank's headline metric, Υ = cache_read × output / input², measures exactly that gap. It rewards the operator who compounds cached context into output and penalizes the one who burns fresh input without leverage. opcode gives you the CLI; SigRank tells you whether the cascade it produces is compounding or burning.

From CLI to scored operator

If you already use opcode, you're generating the telemetry SigRank needs. Add the scoring layer the CLI can't provide:

npm install -g sigrank
sigrank enroll      # create your operator identity
sigrank submit      # reads logs, scores, signs, publishes

Prefer to inspect before you submit? Run sigrank me --dry-run to see your scored payload locally, or paste your token counts into the /score calculator to compute your Υ Yield, class tier, and compression ratio instantly, no account, no submission, just the numbers.

Frequently asked questions

Is SigRank an opcode alternative?

They solve different problems. opcode is an AI coding CLI — a tool you drive from the terminal. SigRank scores the operator driving any CLI. You don't choose between them; you use opcode (or Claude Code, Cursor, or any of 15+ tools) to code, then run `sigrank submit` to score how efficiently you drove it. The tool is not the skill; the cascade yield is.

Why would I need SigRank if I already use opcode?

opcode helps you write code from the terminal but tells you nothing about how efficiently you're operating it. Are you compounding cached context or burning fresh input every turn? Is your yield high or low? Where do you rank against other operators? SigRank answers all three by reading the token telemetry your CLI generates and scoring it. The CLI is the tool; SigRank is the scorecard.

What does opcode not measure that SigRank does?

opcode doesn't measure anything about the operator — it's a tool, not a measurement system. SigRank reads the four token pillars (input, output, cache-read, cache-write) from your AI coding sessions and derives the cascade architecture: Υ Yield (is signal compounding or burning?), compression ratio (output per input), SNR (signal density), Leverage (how much cached context amplifies your input), and Velocity (tokens per unit time). opcode executes commands; SigRank scores the operator.

Can I use both opcode and SigRank?

Yes — that's the intended setup. Use opcode (or any supported CLI) to write code. Run `sigrank submit` to read the token telemetry from those sessions, score your cascade yield, sign it with ed25519, and publish to the leaderboard. The CLI and the scorecard are complementary, not competitive.

Which is better for improving my AI coding skill?

SigRank. opcode can make you faster at writing code, but it can't tell you whether you're getting better at operating AI. Yield tracks that: an operator whose Υ is rising is compounding cached context more efficiently over time. The CLI can't see that; the scorecard can.