Kimi Code CLI — Public project reference¶

Development line: project:kimi-code-cli · thread public-project-reference
Last event: 2026-06-09 · 1 dated since 2026-06-09 · Researched: 2026-09-07 · confidence: medium

What it is¶

Kimi Code CLI — a terminal coding agent for developers, not a standalone model.

• Reads and edits code, runs shell commands, searches files, and fetches web pages.
• Uses Kimi Code OAuth, a Kimi Platform API key, or configured compatible providers; supports ACP editor integration.
• Current documented release: v0.41.0 on 2026-09-04; npm installation requires Node.js 22.19+, and Windows requires Git for Windows.

Permission modes and version checks are operating controls, not setup details.

Development line¶

• 2026-06-09 — Kimi Code CLI documentation and source repository were publicly linked. On 2026-06-09, a dated post for Kimi Code CLI linked the project's English documentation and GitHub repository. This establishes a public reference point for the CLI's documentation and source. The supplied evidence does not identify a version, release mechanism, or feature set.

What changed¶

2026-06-09 — Kimi Code CLI v0.12.0 added /swarm with live progress and rate-limit-aware retries. It moved goals, background questions, and sub-skill discovery out of experimental flags. It added proxy and Homebrew support, and enabled micro-compaction by default. On the same date, v0.12.1 fixed obsolete experimental-config compatibility and xhigh effort passthrough for OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions.

How to use this¶

1. Install with the official script, or install @moonshot-ai/kimi-code through npm; on Windows, install Git for Windows before first launch. — https://www.kimi.com/code/docs/en/kimi-code-cli/guides/getting-started.html
2. Enter the repository directory, run kimi, then use /login for Kimi Code OAuth or a Kimi Platform API key. — https://www.kimi.com/code/docs/en/kimi-code-cli/guides/getting-started.html
3. Start with a read-only orientation request, such as asking Kimi to explain the project directories; use kimi -p for a one-off instruction. — https://www.kimi.com/code/docs/en/kimi-code-cli/guides/getting-started.html
4. Review approvals before making changes, and use /plan before complex or high-risk work. — https://www.kimi.com/code/docs/en/kimi-code-cli/guides/interaction.html
5. For multi-turn work, use /goal with a finish condition and evidence that proves completion. — https://www.kimi.com/code/docs/en/kimi-code-cli/guides/goals.html
6. Configure non-Kimi providers and model aliases in ~/.kimi-code/config.toml; ambient shell API-key variables are not automatically used as provider credentials. — https://www.kimi.com/code/docs/en/kimi-code-cli/configuration/config-files.html

Best practices¶

• Keep Always Ask or Plan mode for complex or risky changes; Never Ask runs fully unattended, including sensitive access and plan exits. — https://www.kimi.com/code/docs/en/kimi-code-cli/guides/interaction.html
• Write /goal objectives with a finish line and verification evidence; avoid open-ended goals such as finding every bug. — https://www.kimi.com/code/docs/en/kimi-code-cli/guides/goals.html
• Use durable allow, deny, and ask rules with exact tool-command patterns; keep the dangerous-command guard enabled unless another control gates commands. — https://www.kimi.com/code/docs/en/kimi-code-cli/configuration/config-files.html
• Verify the installed version before automating a workflow: recent releases changed permission and command behavior. — https://www.kimi.com/code/docs/en/kimi-code-cli/release-notes/changelog.html

Superseded by this¶

• :{
• claim
• Kimi Code CLI guidance to disable experimental micro-compaction through /experiments is obsolete: v0.23.0 removed the feature and its toggle.
• obsolete_since
• 2026-07-06
• source_url
• https://www.kimi.com/code/docs/en/kimi-code-cli/release-notes/changelog.html
• claim
• The kimi server command tree is deprecated; use foreground kimi web and stop it with Ctrl+C.
• obsolete_since
• 2026-07-20
• source_url
• https://www.kimi.com/code/docs/en/kimi-code-cli/release-notes/changelog.html

Still unknown¶

• Original wording for the 2026-06-09 event is unavailable, so we cannot tell whether it referred to v0.12.0, v0.12.1, or both; the official changelog records both on that date.
• The interaction guide uses Always Ask, Ask When Needed, and Never Ask, while configuration examples retain manual, yolo, and auto; we did not test label-alias compatibility independently.

Sources¶

Agent brief¶

• Subject: project:kimi-code-cli, thread public-project-reference, 1 dated events 2026-06-09 → 2026-06-09.
• Practical note: See the sourced usage and practice sections above, including their limits.
• Confidence: medium. Dated supersedes above are the authority for what is obsolete.