KiloCode

Install context-mode in KiloCode as a native TypeScript plugin, sharing the fork-aware OpenCode adapter.

KiloCode is an OpenCode fork, so it loads context-mode through the same fork-aware native TypeScript plugin rather than JSON stdin/stdout hooks. The plugin keeps the bulk of raw payload bytes out of your window by routing data-heavy output into the sandbox and answering from the FTS5 knowledge base.

Like OpenCode, KiloCode exposes no real SessionStart hook. context-mode uses the same surrogates: the experimental.chat.system.transform stage stands in for SessionStart and restores session memory, while the chat.message stage stands in for user-prompt capture so each request is recorded for later search.

KiloCode and OpenCode share one adapter. Behavior, surrogate hooks, and caveats match the OpenCode page — the only difference is the config filename.

Install

KiloCode has no plugin marketplace, so install the package globally first, then point kilo.json at it.

Check the prerequisites

Install Node 22.5 or newer, or Bun. The sandbox and FTS5 knowledge base depend on a current runtime.

Check your runtime

node --version

Install the package

This installs the plugin entry point and the context-mode command line.

Global install

npm install -g context-mode

Register the plugin

Add the context-mode plugin to kilo.json in your project root (or ~/.config/kilo/kilo.json for a global install). The native TypeScript plugin registers all ctx_* tools in-process, so you do not add a separate mcp entry — doing so makes KiloCode register zero ctx_* tools (the plugin suppresses MCP duplicates, but a legacy mcp.context-mode entry confuses the loader).

kilo.json

{
  "$schema": "https://app.kilo.ai/config.json",
  "plugin": ["context-mode"]
}

Restart KiloCode after editing the config so the plugin loads.

Configure

The native plugin already exposes the ctx_* tools in-process and sets CONTEXT_MODE_EMBEDDED_PLUGIN_TOOLS=1 for itself, so the plugin-only config above needs no extra environment variable. If you ever run the standalone MCP server alongside the plugin (for example, a leftover mcp.context-mode entry), set this variable where the spawned server can read it — an env block in the kilo.json MCP entry, not a transient shell export — so the duplicate copy of each tool is suppressed:

kilo.json (only if you also run the standalone server)

{
  "$schema": "https://app.kilo.ai/config.json",
  "plugin": ["context-mode"],
  "mcp": {
    "context-mode": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": ["context-mode"],
      "env": { "CONTEXT_MODE_EMBEDDED_PLUGIN_TOOLS": "1" }
    }
  }
}

For the normal plugin-only install, prefer removing the mcp entry entirely (run context-mode upgrade) over running both. See /docs/configuration for the full list of environment variables, storage paths, and permission rules.

Verify

Confirm the install with the doctor. It checks language runtimes, the FTS5 knowledge base, and plugin registration, then reports anything that needs attention.

Verify the setup

context-mode doctor

A clean run means the plugin is loaded and context-mode is ready to route your next data-heavy command. In the KiloCode session you can also type ctx stats to your agent to confirm the tools respond.

If the ctx_* tools appear empty after install, a legacy mcp.context-mode entry from an earlier version is usually conflicting with the native plugin. Run context-mode upgrade to reconcile the config and rewrite the server entry — other MCP servers are preserved. Restart KiloCode once it finishes.

OpenCode & KiloCode

The shared adapter, surrogate hooks, and full caveats.

Troubleshooting

Fix empty tools, conflicting MCP entries, and more.