VS Code Extension

Kilo Code is available as two VS Code extensions: the VSCode (Legacy) extension and the current VSCode version built on the Kilo CLI core.

Installation

  1. Open VS Code
  2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
  3. Search for "Kilo Code"
  4. Click the dropdown arrow next to Install and select Install Pre-Release Version

The extension bundles its own CLI binary and spawns kilo serve as a background process. All communication happens over HTTP + SSE.

Key Features

Key features include:

  • SolidJS-based UI — Rebuilt sidebar with a modern component architecture
  • JSONC config files — Portable settings in kilo.jsonc instead of VS Code settings
  • Granular permissions — Per-tool permission rules with glob patterns
  • Agents — Customizable agents (.kilo/agents/*.md) replacing the modes system
  • Agent Manager — Enhanced with diff panel, multi-model comparison, PR import, and code review annotations
  • Autocomplete — FIM-based with Codestral, status bar cost tracking
  • Workflows — Repeatable prompt templates as .md files
  • Skills — Load specialized domain knowledge from SKILL.md files
  • Custom Subagents — Define specialized sub-agents for the task tool
  • Open in Tab — Pop the chat out into a full editor tab
  • Sub-Agent Viewer — Read-only panels for viewing child agent sessions
  • Legacy Migration — Automatic migration wizard for VSCode extension settings

Shared Settings

The extension shares its configuration with the CLI. Settings in ~/.config/kilo/kilo.jsonc (global) and ./kilo.jsonc (project) apply to both the CLI and the extension.