kilo-ai

Coding

Updated 6/20/2025

Overview

Open-source AI coding assistant for VS Code, enhancing coding efficiency and automation.

Kilo Code is an open source AI coding agent extension for VS Code that combines features from Cline and Roo with additional enhancements, designed to automate and streamline complex programming tasks.

Key Features

Orchestrator Mode

Breaks complex projects into delegated subtasks and coordinates specialized agent modes.

Architect Mode

Designs elegant solutions before writing any code.

Code Mode

Transforms architectural plans into production-ready implementations.

Debug Mode

Automatically finds and fixes issues before they reach production.

Automatic Failure Recovery

Detects errors, runs test suites, and recovers from failures without user intervention.

Hallucination-Free Code

Uses Context7 to look up library documentation and ensure best practices.

Memory Bank

Keeps records of work done, user preferences, and project context to avoid re-explaining.

Multilingual Support

Supports multiple programming languages.

Customizable Agent Personas

Allows customization of AI agent behavior and model providers.

Batteries Included

Good defaults with no API keys required and $20 free credits to get started.

Use Cases

Automating Complex Project Management

Use Orchestrator mode to break down and manage large projects into manageable subtasks.

Code Architecture Planning

Leverage Architect mode to design clean and efficient solutions before coding.

Code Implementation

Transform plans into production-ready code with Code mode.

Debugging and Issue Resolution

Automatically detect and fix bugs using Debug mode.

Dependency and Documentation Management

Automate mundane tasks such as updating dependencies, documentation, tests, and translation files.

Benefits

Open source with no vendor lock-in or telemetry.

Automatic error detection and recovery saves developer time.

Ensures code accuracy by referencing official library documentation.

Supports multiple AI model providers and local models.

Free $20 credits to start using immediately.

Customizable AI agent personas and workflows.

Multilingual support for diverse coding environments.

Pricing

Free Tier Available

$20 free credits to get started with no upfront cost

Open Source

Free, pay only for LLM token usage at provider rates

No lock-in
No commission on token usage
$20 free credits included

Enterprise (Planned)

Contact for pricing

Audit logs (planned)
Role-based access control (planned)

Integrations

Context7

Provides automatic library documentation lookup to ensure accurate code generation.

Figma, Perplexity, Firecrawl, Magic UI, Git

Supported integrations through the MCP marketplace for enhanced functionality.

LLM Providers

Supports Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, and local models with customizable API keys.

Limitations

Enterprise features such as audit logs and role-based access control are currently planned but not yet available.

Pricing depends on external LLM providers' token rates, which may vary.

Try kilo-ai

Discover what this AI tool can do for you

FAQs

How did Kilo Code start?

Kilo Code started as a fork of Roo Code, which itself is a fork of Cline, combining features from both and adding new capabilities.

Is Kilo Code open source?

Yes, Kilo Code is completely open source with no lock-in and no telemetry.

Do I need to provide my own API keys?

You can use your own API keys, free or local models, or the included $20 free credits with no API keys required initially.

Quick Start

1 Install the Kilo Code extension from the VS Code marketplace or GitHub.
2 Configure your preferred AI model provider or use the default with free credits.
3 Start coding and let Kilo handle orchestration, architecture, implementation, and debugging.

Support

Email

Contact support and inquiries at [email protected]

Documentation

Comprehensive docs available at https://kilocode.ai/docs

Community

Join the Discord community at https://kilocode.ai/discord for discussions and help.

GitHub

Report issues and contribute at https://kilocode.ai/github

Security

No telemetry or data training on user data to protect privacy.

Open source codebase allows transparency and community auditing.

API

Available: Yes

Documentation:

API usage is based on external LLM providers such as Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google; users can bring their own API keys or use local models.

Rate Limits:

Rate limits depend on the chosen LLM provider's policies; Kilo itself does not impose additional limits.

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