kilocode

Kilo abstracts multiple LLM providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Bedrock, GitLab Duo) through a provider plugin system that transforms requests and responses into a canonical format. Each provider plugin handles authentication, request transformation, streaming protocol adaptation, and error mapping, allowing users to swap models without changing application code. The system maintains a configuration layer that routes requests to the appropriate provider based on user selection.

Kilo implements an agent loop that decomposes coding tasks into sub-steps using chain-of-thought reasoning, then invokes tools (file operations, shell execution, search, web fetch) based on LLM-generated function calls. The agent maintains session state across multiple turns, manages context windows to fit large codebases, and streams intermediate reasoning steps back to the UI. Tool invocations are validated against a permission system before execution.

Kilo supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP) standard, allowing agents to invoke tools provided by external MCP servers. The system handles MCP server lifecycle, tool discovery, request marshaling, and response parsing. This enables extensibility without modifying core Kilo code — teams can add custom tools by implementing MCP servers.

Kilo automatically detects project type and structure by analyzing configuration files (package.json, go.mod, Cargo.toml, pyproject.toml, etc.) and git metadata. It extracts project metadata (language, framework, dependencies, build system) to inform agent decisions about code generation, testing, and formatting. This metadata is cached and updated on demand.

Kilo exposes a comprehensive HTTP REST API that allows external applications to create sessions, send messages, invoke tools, and manage agent state. A JavaScript SDK wraps the HTTP API with type-safe methods and handles connection management. Both support streaming responses for real-time updates.

Kilo provides a plugin for JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm, etc.) that integrates agent capabilities directly into the IDE. The plugin hooks into JetBrains' inspection and intention APIs to provide code actions, connects to the opencode backend via HTTP, and maintains session state within the IDE.

Kilo provides an extension for Zed, a lightweight code editor written in Rust. The extension connects to the opencode backend and provides inline completions and chat capabilities within Zed's native UI.

Kilo provides a GitHub Action that enables agents to run code generation and modification tasks as part of CI/CD workflows. The action invokes the Kilo API, captures agent output, and can create pull requests with generated changes. It supports environment variable injection for secrets and configuration.

Kilo provides a cloud-hosted gateway (KiloClaw) that allows users to run agents without local infrastructure. The gateway handles authentication, manages agent sessions, and provides a unified API for accessing Kilo capabilities. It abstracts away backend complexity and provides scalable, multi-tenant execution.

Kilo analyzes project structure, detects file dependencies, and intelligently selects relevant code snippets to fit within LLM context limits. The system uses file system snapshots, git metadata, and semantic search to prioritize files by relevance. When context exceeds limits, it applies heuristics to truncate or summarize less-relevant files while preserving critical imports and type definitions.

Kilo provides a VS Code extension that connects to the opencode backend via HTTP, enabling inline code suggestions, refactoring actions, and chat-based code generation without leaving the editor. The extension hooks into VS Code's CodeLens, InlineCompletion, and CodeAction providers to surface agent capabilities directly in the editor. It maintains a local session cache to avoid redundant backend calls and streams responses incrementally.

Kilo provides cross-platform desktop applications (Tauri for macOS/Linux/Windows, Electron variant available) that bundle the opencode backend and provide native OS integration. The desktop app manages backend lifecycle, handles authentication via system keychain, and exposes platform-specific features like file dialogs and notifications. It communicates with the backend via local HTTP and maintains persistent session state.

Kilo provides a full-featured terminal interface built with a custom UI component library, enabling interactive agent sessions in the terminal. The TUI displays session history, renders code blocks with syntax highlighting, provides autocomplete for prompts, and supports dialog-based interactions. It connects to the opencode backend via HTTP and maintains session state across terminal sessions.

Kilo provides a tool system for file operations (read, write, create, delete, search) that runs within a permission-based sandbox. For safety, file modifications can be isolated to git worktrees, creating temporary branches where agent changes don't affect the main codebase. The system tracks file snapshots before and after operations, enabling rollback and audit trails.

Kilo provides a shell tool that allows agents to execute arbitrary shell commands (bash, zsh, PowerShell) and capture output in real-time. Output is streamed back to the agent and UI, enabling iterative refinement based on command results. The tool supports environment variable injection, working directory specification, and timeout management.

Kilo provides tools for searching code by semantic meaning (not just regex), enabling agents to find relevant functions, classes, and patterns without explicit file paths. The search uses embeddings or AST-based analysis to understand code structure and return contextually relevant results. Results include file paths, line numbers, and code snippets.

Kilo provides a web fetch tool that allows agents to retrieve external documentation, API references, and web content to inform code generation. The tool handles HTTP requests, follows redirects, parses HTML/JSON responses, and extracts relevant content. Results are cached to avoid redundant requests.