Kilo Code Integration with The Grid | VS Code and CLI Setup

Connect Kilo Code to The Grid in VS Code or the CLI. Add your consumption key, select The Grid, and choose instruments for each mode.

Kilo Code talks to The Grid through its built-in custom-provider flow. The CLI has a /connect shortcut; the VS Code extension exposes the same setup behind a gear icon. Either way, your requests go straight to api.thegrid.ai/v1 with your Grid consumption key, billed against your Grid credits.

Prerequisites

• Kilo Code installed (the VS Code extension or the CLI: npm install -g @kilocode/cli).

• A Grid account at app.thegrid.ai.

• Credits in your account. The Grid is prepaid; zero credits returns 402.

• A Grid consumption API key from Settings → API Keys → Create Consumption Key.

Setup

1. Get your Grid consumption API key

Log into app.thegrid.ai. Go to Settings → API Keys → Create Consumption Key and copy it.

2a. CLI: run /connect

kilo

Inside the TUI, run /connect, select The Grid from the provider list, and paste your consumption key when prompted. Kilo writes the provider config for you.

2b. VS Code: gear icon → Custom provider

In the Kilo Code panel, click the gear icon. In the Providers tab, choose Custom provider and select The Grid. Paste your consumption key and submit. Kilo populates the instrument list automatically.

3. Pick a default instrument

Set your default instrument in the Kilo model picker. code-prime is a good starting point for a coding agent; agent-prime fits agentic tool-use work; the Max tier handles hard architecture or long-horizon planning. The full tier guide lives in the current instruments list.

4. (Optional) Tier instruments per mode

Kilo Code's Architect, Coder, and Debugger modes each accept their own model. A common split: Code Max for Architect and Debugger, Code Prime for Coder, Code Standard for autocomplete.

Verification

Open a project and ask: "Add a rate limiter middleware to the Express app in src/server.ts and a test for it." If Kilo reads files, writes code, and runs the test, the integration is live.

Troubleshooting

401 Unauthorized. You used a Grid trading key, not a consumption key. Trading keys authenticate the order book, not inference. Generate a new consumption key and reconnect.

402 Payment Required. Your credits are at zero. Top up at app.thegrid.ai. Auto Top Up is on by default; if it's not catching this, check that your payment method is valid.

Instruments missing from the model picker. Confirm The Grid is in the connected providers list (gear icon → Providers in VS Code, or kilo models in the CLI). If you previously used another OpenAI-compatible provider with the ID openai-compatible, pick a fresh ID and reconnect.

Cost numbers don't match the Grid dashboard. Kilo Code's cost display uses static per-model fields. The Grid bills at market rate per fill, which varies by supplier. Treat the dashboard at app.thegrid.ai as the source of truth.