Kilo Code vs Roo Code
Kilo Code is the maintained open-source alternative to Roo Code — same philosophy, active development, migration path included.
Quick Comparison
Actively maintained — Roo is archiving
Matt Rubens announced the Roo Code sunset on April 21, 2026. The repo goes read-only May 15. Kilo ships to the extension every week — 188 PRs in the first week after the April 2026 GA.
Migration is mostly a rename
.roo/rules/ becomes .kilocode/rules/. .roomodes is read on startup and migrated automatically. MCP configs move to .kilocode/mcp.json. Custom modes keep their slug, roleDefinition, customInstructions, and groups fields.
Fully open source (Apache-2.0)
Inspect every prompt, audit context windows, self-host if you want to. Nothing about how Kilo drives the model is hidden — the prompts, the context policy, and the tool layer are all readable in GitHub.
Why developers choose Kilo Code over Roo Code
Roo Code archives May 15, 2026 — compare it with Kilo Code and migrate in minutes.
Actively maintained — Roo is archiving
Matt Rubens announced the Roo Code sunset on April 21, 2026. The repo goes read-only May 15. Kilo ships to the extension every week — 188 PRs in the first week after the April 2026 GA.
Migration is mostly a rename
.roo/rules/ becomes .kilocode/rules/. .roomodes is read on startup and migrated automatically. MCP configs move to .kilocode/mcp.json. Custom modes keep their slug, roleDefinition, customInstructions, and groups fields.
Fully open source (Apache-2.0)
Inspect every prompt, audit context windows, self-host if you want to. Nothing about how Kilo drives the model is hidden — the prompts, the context policy, and the tool layer are all readable in GitHub.
Rebuilt on OpenCode in April 2026
Kilo rebuilt the VS Code extension on the OpenCode server — a shared MIT-licensed engine powering the CLI, extension, and Cloud Agents. The UX is familiar from Roo; the internals are new.
Trusted by developers at the world's most innovative companies
Complete Feature Comparison
An honest look at where Kilo wins, where Roo Code wins, and where they're comparable
Extension Lifecycle & Maintenance
Agents & Subagents
Architecture & Core
Parallel & Multi-Agent Execution
Configuration & Migration
Model Access & Pricing
Extension Lifecycle & Maintenance
| Feature | Roo Code | Kilo Code |
|---|---|---|
Active development | Until May 15, 2026 | |
Repo archived | Scheduled May 15, 2026 | |
VS Code Marketplace installs | ~1.5M | ~1M |
License | Apache 2.0 | Apache 2.0 extension, MIT CLI core |
Agents & Subagents
| Feature | Roo Code | Kilo Code |
|---|---|---|
Built-in primary agents | Code, Architect, Ask, Debug | Code, Plan, Debug, Ask |
Built-in subagents | None | Explore, General |
Orchestration model | Orchestrator (Boomerang) mode | Subagent delegation built in |
Custom modes | Yes, .roomodes | Yes, reads .roomodes on startup |
Architecture & Core
| Feature | Roo Code | Kilo Code |
|---|---|---|
Shared engine across surfaces | Extension only | OpenCode server: extension, CLI, Cloud Agents |
Cross-device sessions | Roomote Control (Pro $20/mo) | Start in CLI, resume in editor |
Parallel tool execution | Limited |
Parallel & Multi-Agent Execution
| Feature | Roo Code | Kilo Code |
|---|---|---|
Agent Manager UI | n/a | |
Multiple agents at once | Single session | ✓ across git worktrees |
Multi-model comparison | n/a | Run the same prompt across models side by side |
Configuration & Migration
| Feature | Roo Code | Kilo Code |
|---|---|---|
Project config directory | .roo/rules/, .roo/rules-{slug}/ | .kilocode/rules/, .kilocode/rules-{mode}/ |
Custom modes file | .roomodes | .kilocodemodes (also reads .roomodes) |
MCP project config | .roo/mcp.json | .kilocode/mcp.json |
Auto migration on startup |
Model Access & Pricing
| Feature | Roo Code | Kilo Code |
|---|---|---|
Unified gateway | Roo Code Router | Kilo Gateway, 500+ models |
Auto routing tiers | Single auto mode | Frontier, Balanced, Free, Small |
Zero markup on model costs | ||
Teams plan | Team plan inside Roo Code Cloud | $15/user/mo |
Open source | Apache 2.0 |
Specialized agent modes Roo Code doesn't have
Orchestrator, Architect, Debug, Code, and Ask — each mode purpose-built for a different part of your workflow. Plus 500+ models and inline autocomplete.
Agentic Engineering
Glide through your workflow with a mode for every step
Ask mode
A knowledgeable technical assistant focused on answering questions without changing your codebase
Switch in under 5 minutes
No complicated setup. No vendor lock-in. No risk.
Install Kilo Code
Install kilocode.Kilo-Code from the VS Code Marketplace. Works in VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and VSCodium via Open VSX.
Rename your config directory
Run mv .roo .kilocode at the project root. Rename .roomodes to .kilocodemodes if you use project-level modes. Kilo reads the legacy Roo files on first run and migrates them.
Paste your API keys
Provider configuration lives in the extension UI. Paste your keys or sign in for Kilo Pass. Open the Agent Manager, pick Code or Plan, start a task.
Common Questions About Switching from Roo Code
Compare Kilo Code with more alternatives
See how Kilo stacks up against every major AI coding assistant.
Kilo Code vs Cursor
The open-source agentic platform inside your existing IDE vs the standalone AI-first code editor. 500+ models, zero markup, no editor switch required.
Kilo Code vs GitHub Copilot
Multi-model, multi-mode agentic coding vs a single-vendor autocomplete from GitHub.
Kilo Code vs Windsurf
500+ models at exact provider rates. No credit system. Full BYOK on all plans. Open source.
Kilo Code vs Claude Code
Open-source, multi-model CLI + IDE agent with inline autocomplete vs Anthropic's Claude-only terminal-first coding agent.
Ready to upgrade your AI coding experience?
Keep Roo Code running side-by-side if you want to switch at your own pace.