Terminal-based AI coding agent with access to 500+ models. Plan, write, debug, and refactor code without leaving your terminal.
Prerequisites
- Node.js v18.0 or later
- npm
Installation
# Install globally (recommended)
npm install -g @kilocode/cli
# Or run without installing
npx @kilocode/cli
# Verify
kilo --version
Older CPUs (no AVX support): Download the
-baselinebinary from GitHub Releases for your platform instead.
First-Time Setup
kilo # launch TUI
/connect # add your API key interactively
Or configure manually at ~/.config/kilo/config.json:
{
"$schema": "https://app.kilo.ai/config.json",
"provider": {
"anthropic": {
"apiKey": "YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
Basic Usage
kilo # launch interactive TUI
kilo run "fix the login bug" # one-shot prompt
kilo --help # show all options
Key CLI Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
kilo |
Launch interactive TUI |
kilo run [message] |
Run a prompt non-interactively |
kilo upgrade |
Update to latest version |
kilo uninstall |
Remove Kilo |
kilo models |
List available models |
kilo stats |
Show token usage & costs |
kilo auth |
Manage providers & credentials |
kilo session |
Manage sessions |
kilo export |
Export session as JSON |
kilo pr <number> |
Checkout a GitHub PR and run Kilo |
Slash Commands (inside TUI)
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
/connect |
Add a provider / API key |
/models |
Switch AI model |
/agents |
Switch agent mode |
/new |
Start a new session |
/sessions |
Resume a previous session |
/compact |
Summarize the session |
/undo / /redo
|
Undo or redo a message |
/export |
Export transcript |
/themes |
Switch UI theme |
/exit |
Quit |
Agent Modes
Switch with /agents inside the TUI:
| Mode | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Architect | Plan features before coding |
| Ask | Ask questions about your codebase |
| Debug | Trace and fix bugs |
| Orchestrator | Run parallel multi-agent tasks |
| Custom | Define your own agent |
Update & Uninstall
kilo upgrade # update
npm uninstall -g @kilocode/cli # uninstall
Links
- Docs: https://kilo.ai/docs/code-with-ai/platforms/cli
- GitHub: https://github.com/Kilo-Org/kilocode
- npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@kilocode/cli