Kimi Code Overview

What is Kimi Code

Kimi Code is an intelligent programming service for developers included in Kimi membership benefits. Built on Kimi's latest flagship models, it provides AI-assisted capabilities—such as code reading, file editing, and command execution—through product forms like the Desktop app, CLI, and VS Code extension. Subscribers can also obtain an API Key to integrate Kimi Code's model capabilities into third-party development tools and platforms.

Core Advantages

1. Models and inference

Flagship K3 modelPowered by our strongest flagship model K3 — 2.8 trillion parameters — excelling at long-horizon programming, front-end visual design, knowledge work, and complex reasoning.

1M-token context windowA million-token context loads an entire large codebase with cross-module dependencies in one pass, enabling whole-project understanding and refactoring.

260 tokens/s inferenceChoose between the standard K2.8 Preview and the K2.7 Code HighSpeed tier, with output up to 260 tokens/s for a noticeably faster coding loop.

2. Ecosystem and extensibility

Professional data sourcesPlug in professional-grade data sources to extend what AI coding can do.

Works with mainstream toolsCompatible with Kimi Code CLI, Claude Code, VS Code, and other mainstream agent tools — switch models seamlessly.

Early access to experimental featuresBe first to try Kimi's latest model and inference capabilities as they land.

Getting Started

Kimi Code allows members to use their benefits in both the official client and third-party platforms, covering different development scenarios.

Using the Official Client

Choose the client that fits you and install with one click:

For developers who prefer a graphical app. Open a local project folder in Kimi Code Desktop and let the Agent read code, edit files, run commands, and verify results through conversation. Available on macOS and Windows.

Kimi Code DesktopmacOS · Apple SiliconKimi Code DesktopmacOS · IntelKimi Code DesktopWindows

After installing, open the app and sign in with your Kimi account as prompted—no API Key management needed. See Desktop Quick Start for more.

For developers who prefer terminal operations. Chat with AI in the terminal, letting it read code, edit files, execute commands, search the web, and autonomously complete development tasks.

📢 CLI Upgraded

Kimi Code CLI has gone through a major version upgrade — moving from Python/uv to Node.js, bringing a simpler install experience, faster startup, and a redesigned terminal UI. The legacy version will no longer be maintained. See Version Upgrade for details and migration instructions, or refer to the legacy Python-based Kimi Code docs if needed.

# macOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://code.kimi.com/kimi-code/install.sh | bash

# Windows (PowerShell)
irm https://code.kimi.com/kimi-code/install.ps1 | iex

After installation, run kimi in the terminal to start; on first use, log in to the Kimi Code platform with the /login command to complete the connection — no need to manually manage an API Key.

For developers who prefer the VS Code editor. Collaborate with AI in the editor sidebar, supporting code completion, file editing, web search, and automated tasks.

Search for "Kimi Code" in the VS Code Extensions marketplace to install, or visit Visual Studio Marketplace. After installation, complete the connection via the login button in the sidebar — no need to manually manage an API Key.

If the extension doesn't appear after installation, restart VS Code or run "Developer: Reload Window" from the Command Palette (Mac: Cmd+Shift+P, Windows/Linux: Ctrl+Shift+P).

Other editors such as JetBrains and Zed can connect via CLI's ACP protocol. See Using Kimi Code CLI in IDEs for details.

API Access

When integrating Kimi Code into third-party development tools, you need to manually configure an API Key to complete authentication.

Service Endpoint

The Kimi Code API is compatible with both OpenAI and Anthropic protocols. Different tools have different requirements for address configuration:

• Base URL: Some tools (e.g., Claude Code) only require the Base URL, and the tool will automatically append the subsequent path.
• Full Endpoint: Some tools (e.g., Trae) require the complete API request address.

Choose the corresponding address as needed:

Protocol	Base URL	Common Endpoint Example
OpenAI Compatible	China: https://api.kimi.com/coding/v1 Overseas: https://api.kimi.ai/coding/v1	https://api.kimi.com/coding/v1/chat/completions
Anthropic Compatible	China: https://api.kimi.com/coding/ Overseas: https://api.kimi.ai/coding/	https://api.kimi.com/coding/v1/messages

Model IDs

Different model IDs correspond to different membership tiers and context windows. See Membership Benefits for details.

Both protocols accept the following 4 model IDs:

Model ID	Description
k3	K3 — available to Moderato / Plus members and above; Allegretto and above / Pro and above members unlock the up-to-1M context window; supports low / high / max thinking effort levels. Best for large codebase analysis, multi-file refactoring, and long-document processing.
k3-256k	K3 256K context version — available to Moderato / Plus members and above; supports low / high / max thinking effort levels. Within 256k context, it delivers the same results as K3. k3 (1M) consumes about twice as much quota as k3-256k. Ideal for everyday Q&A, code completion, routine feature development, and single-file or small-file edits — video input is not supported.
kimi-for-coding	K2.8 Preview — available to Andante / Plus members and above; supports up to 1M context and low / high / max reasoning effort.
kimi-for-coding-highspeed	K2.7 Code HighSpeed — available to Allegretto and above / Pro and above members.

See Model configuration for model capabilities and setup details.

Obtaining an API Key

Kimi members can create and manage API Keys in the Kimi Code Console (up to 5 keys; each is shown only once upon creation—please keep it safe).

Configuring in Third-Party Tools

After obtaining an API Key, configure the corresponding Base URL and API Key in the environment variables of the respective tool to start using it. For detailed setup steps, see the corresponding tool guide:

Claude CodeAnthropic's command-line coding assistantOpenCodeA terminal-based coding agentCodexOpenAI's coding agent

Note: Please maintain the tool's real identity identifier when using. Tampering with the client identifier (User-Agent) is considered a violation and may result in suspension of membership benefits.

Platform Comparison

Kimi Code membership benefits are designed specifically for programming scenarios. If you need to call large model capabilities in your own product, or require team collaboration and usage management, please visit the Kimi Platform.

Comparison Item	Kimi Code Platform	Kimi Platform
Base URL	OpenAI Compatible: China https://api.kimi.com/coding/v1, Overseas https://api.kimi.ai/coding/v1 Anthropic Compatible: China https://api.kimi.com/coding/, Overseas https://api.kimi.ai/coding/	China https://api.moonshot.cn/v1 Overseas https://api.moonshot.ai/v1
Billing	Membership subscription, monthly/annual payment, with rate limiting	Pay-as-you-go, top up and use
Best For	Terminal/IDE Agent programming, multi-file engineering tasks	Product integration, enterprise-level calls, multimodal application development

Next Steps

• Kimi Code CLI Quick Start – Install, log in, and start your first conversation
• Kimi Code for VS Code Quick Start – Install the extension, log in, and typical workflows
• Using in More Third-Party Tools – Claude Code, OpenCode, Codex, and more
• Membership Benefits – Quota refresh and rate limits, quota sharing, Extra Usage, and more
• FAQ – Common issues with installation, login, and usage