Kilo Code CLI Guide
A terminal coding agent with provider choice, task modes, MCP and skills.
Last verified: · How we verifySuitable workflows
Developers who want to choose models and switch between planning, debugging and implementation.
Limitations and billing
Current documentation targets CLI 1.0+; older CPUs may need a baseline binary.
Capabilities we verified
This is an evidence-based shortlist, not an exhaustive feature inventory. Omitted capabilities have not been checked for this record.
Pricing & usage
See official pricing
Provider usage or Kilo service billing. The cost of metered usage or an external agent can be separate from the subscription.
Check official pricing ↗Models & access
Connect a supported model provider; available models and prices follow that provider.
Official model information ↗Install and start the CLI
npm or an official standalone binary; check CPU architecture before downloading.
Installation command · npm
npm install -g @kilocode/cliOpen your project folder in a terminal, then run:
kiloAccount and authentication
Run /connect to configure provider credentials before selecting a model.
Project configuration and tools
Use kilo models to inspect access, kilo mcp for tool connections and kilo stats for usage.
First task to try
Choose a planning mode, examine the proposed steps, then move to implementation.
Script usage
This example asks for a project summary. Tool permissions still apply; a prompt is not a sandbox.
kilo run "Summarize the project structure without modifying files."Related CLI tools
All AI CLI tools →
Project evaluation checklist
- Open a small, familiar project and confirm that your essential language tooling works.
- Give the agent one bounded change with an observable acceptance criterion.
- Review the diff, run the project’s checks and compare the result with your current workflow.
- Inspect usage after the task. Estimate a month of similar work, including any separate model or agent bill.