Kilo Code: The Best AI Coding Agent for VS Code & JetBrains

Kilo Code

3.5 | 50 | 0
Type:
Extension Plugin
Last Updated:
2025/10/18
Description:
Kilo Code is the best AI coding agent for VS Code and JetBrains, designed to generate code, automate tasks, and provide suggestions for efficient coding.
Share:
AI coding
code generation
code automation
VS Code extension
JetBrains plugin

Overview of Kilo Code

Kilo Code: The Ultimate AI Coding Agent for VS Code and JetBrains

What is Kilo Code? Kilo Code is an open-source AI coding agent designed to boost developer productivity within VS Code and JetBrains IDEs. It combines the best features of existing AI coding tools, providing a comprehensive solution for code generation, task automation, and intelligent suggestions.

How does Kilo Code work? Kilo Code uses an orchestrator mode to break complex projects into manageable subtasks. It coordinates between specialized agent modes like 'architect' for planning, 'code' for implementation, and 'debug' for troubleshooting, ensuring seamless collaboration to bring your vision to life.

Key Features and Benefits

  • Your Code, Your Choice, Your Control:
    • Free to start with no commission fees.
    • Complete model freedom: Choose from 400+ hosted models, run locally, or bring your own key (BYOK).
    • Open-source approach ensures full control without vendor lock-in.
  • Focus on the Fun Parts:
    • Automate mundane programming tasks such as dependency management, bug fixing, documentation updates, test updates, and translation file updates.
    • Free up time for more interesting and challenging aspects of development.
  • Automate the Tedious:
    • The Orchestrator mode breaks down complex projects into manageable subtasks.
    • Specialized agent modes (architect, code, debug) work together seamlessly to deliver your vision.
  • Automatic Failure Recovery:
    • Automatically detects errors, runs test suites, and recovers on failure.
  • Hallucination-Free Code:
    • Looks up library documentation automatically to ensure best practices using Context7.
  • Context is King:
    • Automatically searches for the right context. Any context you add is a bonus, not required.
  • Kickstart Debugging:
    • The 'debug' mode goes through your codebase to find bugs, eliminating the most tedious part of programming.
  • Memory Bank:
    • AI keeps its own records of what it worked on and your preferences.
  • Open Source:
    • Fully open with no lock-in and no training on your data.
    • Use local or free models, or any API provider with your own API key.

Why Choose Kilo Code?

Kilo Code offers several advantages over other AI coding tools like Cursor and Claude:

  • Freedom: Kilo Code gives you complete freedom and control over your coding environment.
  • Unlimited Requests: Code without watching the clock. No hourly, daily, or weekly limits.
  • Model Control: You control the model with no surprise downgrades.
  • Transparent Pricing: Clear usage-based pricing with cost insights for optimization.
  • Full Context Retention: You are in control of the context window.

How to Use Kilo Code?

  1. Install in Your Editor: Kilo Code supports VS Code, VS Code Insiders, JetBrains IDEs, and Cursor.
  2. Get Started: Begin building your next great project with Kilo Code.

Who is Kilo Code for?

Kilo Code is designed for:

  • Developers who want to automate tedious programming tasks.
  • Teams looking to improve collaboration and productivity.
  • Engineers who value open-source tools and model freedom.

Pricing Options

  • Open Source (Free):
    • VS Code Extension with no cost or restrictions.
    • Full source code access on GitHub.
    • Community support on Discord.
  • Teams ($29/user/month):
    • All features from open source.
    • Centralized billing and invoicing.
    • Team management dashboard.
    • Priority support access.
  • Enterprise ($299/user/month):
    • All features from teams.
    • Audit logs.
    • Dedicated support channels.

Conclusion

Kilo Code is a powerful AI coding agent that empowers developers to write code more efficiently, automate tasks, and focus on the more interesting aspects of software development. With its open-source nature, model freedom, and transparent pricing, Kilo Code is the ideal choice for developers and teams looking to enhance their coding experience.

Best Alternative Tools to "Kilo Code"

Roo Code
No Image Available
116 0

Roo Code is an AI-powered VSCode extension that provides a whole dev team of AI agents in your code editor. Generate code, debug, refactor and more.

AI code assistant
code generation
Boxy
No Image Available
126 0

Bring your ideas to life faster by having AI contextually explain, generate and refactor code.

coding companion
code refactoring
Amazon Q Developer
No Image Available
213 0

Amazon Q Developer is a generative AI-powered assistant on AWS for software development, offering features like code implementation, testing, and refactoring to accelerate development lifecycle.

AI code assistant
AWS development
Doclin
No Image Available
80 0

Doclin is a real-time code commenting and discussion tool that automatically creates documentation knowledge bases while keeping code repositories clean and secure.

code-documentation
developer-tools
A-SWE
No Image Available
112 0

A-SWE is an AI platform designed to empower agentic software engineers, enabling AI agents to autonomously code, test, debug, and document, enhancing software development.

AI coding
autonomous software
Codex CLI
No Image Available
151 0

Codex CLI is OpenAI's open-source coding agent that runs in your terminal, offering AI-powered assistance for programming tasks. Install via npm or Homebrew for seamless integration into your workflow.

terminal coding agent
Potpie
No Image Available
127 0

Build task-oriented custom agents for your codebase that perform engineering tasks with high precision powered by intelligence and context from your data. Build agents for use cases like system design, debugging, integration testing, onboarding etc.

codebase agents
debugging automation
Roo Code
No Image Available
149 0

Roo Code is an open-source AI-powered coding assistant for VS Code, featuring AI agents for multi-file editing, debugging, and architecture. It supports various models, ensures privacy, and customizes to your workflow for efficient development.

AI agents
multi-file editing
Devassistant.ai
No Image Available
243 0

Devassistant.ai empowers developers with an AI co-programmer using GPT-4 for code editing, DevOps automation, and codebase analysis via cloud VS Code IDE. Free to start, no credit card needed.

co-programmer
devops automation
Gemini Code Assist
No Image Available
242 0

Gemini Code Assist is an AI coding assistant by Google that provides code completion, generation, and review features to help developers write code faster and more efficiently across various IDEs and platforms.

code completion
code generation
Goptimise
No Image Available
261 0

Build full-stack apps with AI using Goptimise. Generate code, edit in VS Code, and deploy with one click. Custom domains, real code, zero setup.

AI code generation
no-code
Refact.ai
No Image Available
392 0

Refact.ai, the #1 open-source AI agent for software development, automates coding, debugging, and testing with full context awareness. An open-source alternative to Cursor and Copilot.

AI coding assistant
code generation
Unfold AI
No Image Available
316 0

UnfoldAI is an AI coding assistant offering real-time bug and error solutions for developers within their IDEs, boosting productivity and saving time.

AI coding
debugging
code generation
SpellBox
No Image Available
388 0

SpellBox is an AI programming assistant that uses artificial intelligence to generate code from simple prompts. Solve coding problems faster with code generation, explanation, and bookmarking.

AI code generation
code explanation