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Kilo Code vs Roo Code

Roo Code is archived and unsupported; this page now prioritizes status, preservation, and migration.

What this comparison covers

This comparison covers the discontinued Roo Code VS Code extension. Roomote is an active, separate self-hosted cloud agent from the same organization and is not treated as Roo Code’s IDE successor.

Verdict

Roo Code remains useful source and an installable final release, but it is no longer a maintained product. Existing users should move to a maintained agent or consciously own the security and compatibility risk of an archived Apache-2.0 extension; Kilo offers the closest maintained open, model-flexible path.

Updated Verified against Roo’s shutdown notice, archived repository, final marketplace listing, settings documentation, and separate Roomote sources.
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Quick Comparison

Product status
Kilo Code
Actively maintained
Roo Code
Discontinued
Shut down May 15, 2026; repository archived
Primary surface
Kilo Code
VS Code, JetBrains, CLI
Roo Code
VS Code extension
Client price
Kilo Code
Free
Roo Code
Free final release
Models/BYOK
Kilo Code
500+
Roo Code
Broad provider support
Local models
Kilo Code
Roo Code
Custom modes
Kilo Code
Roo Code
Open source
Kilo Code
MIT
Roo Code
Apache-2.0 archived
Security updates
Kilo Code
Roo Code

Where Roo Code may fit better

Reasons to choose the competitor, depending on your workflow and constraints.

Rich custom-mode design

Roo offered per-mode tools, file restrictions, model profiles, subtasks, MCP, and project instructions.

Provider and local-model flexibility

The final release supports direct providers, OpenRouter, Ollama, LM Studio, and reusable provider profiles.

Preserved permissive source

The archived Apache-2.0 repository remains inspectable and forkable for users prepared to maintain it themselves.

500+ models without provider lock-in

Use Kilo-hosted models at provider rates, bring provider keys, or connect Ollama and LM Studio. Model choice applies across agent workflows rather than one vendor catalog.

Open agent stack

Kilo is MIT-licensed. Teams can inspect prompts, context assembly, tools, and configuration instead of treating the coding harness as a black box.

One workflow across editors and terminal

Kilo runs in VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, and the CLI, so adoption does not require a proprietary editor or a single model provider.

Roo Code alternative: why developers switch to Kilo Code

Roo Code was discontinued May 15, 2026. Compare its preserved capabilities with maintained Kilo workflows and plan a safe migration.

500+ models without provider lock-in

Use Kilo-hosted models at provider rates, bring provider keys, or connect Ollama and LM Studio. Model choice applies across agent workflows rather than one vendor catalog.

Open agent stack

Kilo is MIT-licensed. Teams can inspect prompts, context assembly, tools, and configuration instead of treating the coding harness as a black box.

One workflow across editors and terminal

Kilo runs in VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, and the CLI, so adoption does not require a proprietary editor or a single model provider.

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Complete Feature Comparison

An honest look at where Kilo wins, where Roo Code wins, and where they're comparable

Current viability

Active maintenance
Kilo Code
Roo Code
Marketplace install
Kilo Code
Roo Code
Listing includes shutdown notice
Future security fixes
Kilo Code
Roo Code
Supported team service
Kilo Code
Roo Code

Preserved capabilities

Agent modes and subtasks
Kilo Code
Roo Code
BYOK and provider profiles
Kilo Code
Roo Code
Ollama and LM Studio
Kilo Code
Roo Code
MCP and auto-approval
Kilo Code
Roo Code
JetBrains and CLI
Kilo Code
Roo Code

Migration assets

Settings export
Kilo Code
Roo Code
Roo export may contain plaintext API keys
Project rules
Kilo Code
.kilo/
Roo Code
.roo/
Custom mode file
Kilo Code
Kilo configuration
Roo Code
.roomodes
AGENTS.md support
Kilo Code
Roo Code
Optional setting

Specialized agents built into Kilo Code

Code, Plan, Debug, and Ask cover the primary workflow. Code, Plan, and Debug can delegate isolated work to Explore, General, or custom subagents, while Agent Manager coordinates parallel VS Code sessions across git worktrees.

Migrate off unsupported Roo Code safely

Validate models, permissions, reusable instructions, and team workflows before removing your current tool.

1

Inventory and rotate secrets

Export Roo settings only into a secure location. The export can contain plaintext API keys, so rotate exposed credentials after migration.

15 min
2

Port project behavior

Review .roomodes, .roo/rules, mode-specific rules, AGENTS.md, provider profiles, MCP servers, and approval settings; recreate only what is still needed.

Varies
3

Validate before removal

Run representative tasks in Kilo, verify permissions and local/provider models, then disable the unsupported extension and preserve only non-secret reference files.

One pilot

Factual basis

Last reviewed . Product details can change; these first-party sources support the comparison above.

Common Questions About Switching from Roo Code

Everything you need to know about moving to Kilo Code.

Compare Kilo Code with more alternatives

See how Kilo stacks up against every major AI coding assistant.

See all Kilo Code alternatives

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