Kilo Code Setup Guide

An open-source AI coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains, and CLI, with 500+ models through Xiaomai API.

Website: https://kilo.ai | GitHub: https://github.com/Kilo-Org/kilocode | Docs: https://kilo.ai/docs

Overview

Kilo Code is an open-source AI coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, and the command line. It supports custom APIs through an OpenAI-compatible interface. After configuring Xiaomai API, you can use Claude, GPT, Gemini, and other model families for code generation, debugging, and refactoring.

Supported Environment

• VS Code: installed through extension
• JetBrains: installed through plugin
• CLI: command-line usage

Features

• Multiple modes: Architect, Code, Debug, and other dedicated modes
• Orchestrator mode: splits complex tasks and coordinates sub-agents
• 500+ models: access many models through an OpenAI-compatible interface
• Custom agents: define dedicated agents with .kilo/agents/*.md
• Cross-platform: VS Code, JetBrains, and CLI share the same configuration style

Install Kilo Code

VS Code

1. Open VS Code and press Ctrl + Shift + X
2. Search for Kilo Code
3. Click Install

JetBrains

1. Open Settings -> Plugins -> Marketplace
2. Search for Kilo Code
3. Click Install and restart the IDE

CLI

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/kilo

Get a Xiaomai API Key

1. Sign in to the Xiaomai API console
2. Create a new key and choose the auto token group
3. Copy and save the key, such as sk-xxxx

Tip

If you do not have an account, register first, then create a key.

Configure Xiaomai API

Kilo Code supports both UI and configuration-file setup. The UI path is recommended first.

Method 1: UI Configuration (Recommended)

1. Open the Kilo Code panel and choose Use your own API key
2. In the Provider dropdown, choose OpenAI Compatible
3. Fill in:

Field	Value
Base URL	https://xiaomai.win/v1
API Key	Your Xiaomai API key, such as sk-xxxx
Model	Model ID, such as claude-sonnet-4-20250514

4. Save

Common Model IDs

• claude-sonnet-4-20250514 - Claude Sonnet 4
• claude-opus-4-20250514 - Claude Opus 4
• gemini-2.5-pro - Gemini 2.5 Pro
• gpt-5.4 - GPT-5.4

Method 2: Configuration File

Kilo Code uses kilo.jsonc.

Configuration File Locations

• Global config: ~/.config/kilo/kilo.jsonc
• Windows: C:\Users\用户名\.config\kilo\kilo.jsonc
• Project config: kilo.jsonc in the project root, with higher priority

Security

Do not commit a configuration file that contains an API key to Git. Environment variables are recommended for secrets.

Start Using

After configuration:

1. Open the Kilo Code panel in VS Code
2. Choose a working mode, such as Code, Architect, or Debug
3. Enter your request. Kilo Code can read and write files and run commands

Working Modes

• Code: daily coding and direct file edits
• Architect: architecture design with planning before execution
• Debug: analyze errors and fix them
• Orchestrator: split complex tasks and coordinate multiple agents

FAQ

API key is invalid

• Confirm the key was copied correctly, in sk-xxxx format
• Confirm account balance is sufficient
• Confirm Base URL is https://xiaomai.win/v1

Model request failed

• Check whether the network can access https://xiaomai.win
• Confirm the model ID is spelled correctly
• Try another model

More Questions

Read the FAQ or contact support.