kimi

moonshot AI's command-line agent for AI-driven coding and terminal operations

TLDR

Start an interactive session

$ kimi

Switch to agent modePress Ctrl+K in interactive sessionExecute shell commandsPress Ctrl+X in interactive sessionStart as ACP server for IDE integration

$ kimi acp

Add an HTTP MCP server

$ kimi mcp add --transport http [name] [url]

Add an stdio MCP server

$ kimi mcp add --transport stdio [name] -- [command] [args]

List configured MCP servers

$ kimi mcp list

Remove an MCP server

$ kimi mcp remove [name]

Kimi CLI is Moonshot AI's command-line agent for AI-driven coding and terminal operations. It features a dual-mode interaction design combining traditional shell operations with intelligent agent capabilities, switchable with a single keystroke.The tool supports three UI modes: shell mode for interactive terminal interface, print mode for non-interactive scripting, and ACP mode for editor integration. It can read and edit code, execute shell commands, search and fetch web pages, and autonomously plan and adjust actions during execution.Built on Python 3.13+ with async patterns, Kimi CLI defaults to Moonshot AI's Kimi API but supports any OpenAI-compatible endpoint through the kosong framework. It integrates with MCP servers for extended tool functionality.

COMMANDS

acp

Start as Agent Client Protocol server for IDE integration

mcp add

Add a new MCP (Model Context Protocol) server

mcp list

List configured MCP servers

mcp remove

Remove an MCP server

mcp auth

Authenticate with an MCP server

MCP OPTIONS

--transport TYPE

Transport type: http or stdio

--auth oauth

Use OAuth authentication for HTTP transport

--header "KEY: value"

Add custom headers for HTTP transport

--mcp-config-file PATH

Connect to MCP servers using a JSON configuration file

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

Ctrl+K

Switch to intelligent agent mode

Ctrl+X

Execute shell commands directly

CAVEATS

Currently in technical preview. Requires Python 3.13+ and Moonshot AI API access. MCP server configuration uses JSON format. The ACP protocol enables integration with editors like Zed but requires the /setup command for initial configuration.

HISTORY

Kimi CLI was developed by Moonshot AI and released as open-source under the Apache 2.0 license. It is powered by the Kimi K2 model, a state-of-the-art mixture-of-experts model with 32 billion activated parameters and 1 trillion total parameters, optimized for agentic capabilities.