# Kilo Code

[**Kilo Code**](https://kilocode.ai/docs/) is one of the most popular coding assistants available today, and it’s completely free as a Visual Studio Code extension. By combining Kilo Code with Cortecs, you can create a privacy-preserving coding assistant. This guide will walk you through the setup.

{% hint style="info" %}
*Before you begin: Make sure you have generated your Cortecs API key. If not, check out our* [*QuickStart*](/quickstart.md) *guide.*
{% endhint %}

## 1. Install Kilo Code 

First, install the **Kilo Code** extension in your VS Code. You can find it in the [Visual Studio Code Marketplace](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=kilocode.Kilo-Code). Follow the official installation instructions.

Once installed, you’ll need to configure an **external provider**.

The first thing is to install the extension in your VSCode. See the [official documentation](https://kilocode.ai/install) to see how to do that.

## 2. Connect to cortecs

Cortecs provides **OpenAI-compatible API endpoints**, making it easy to integrate with Kilo Code and many other tools.

Use the following settings to connect Kilo Code to Cortecs:\
– **API Provider:** OpenAI Compatible\
– **Base URL:** <code class="expression">space.vars.DEFAULT\_API\_BASE\_URL</code>\
– **API Key:** Your API Key\
– **Model:** <code class="expression">space.vars.DEFAULT\_CODING\_MODEL</code> (feel free to pick another one from the [catalogue](https://cortecs.ai/serverlessModels))

## 3. (Optional) Enable Local Code Indexing

To improve context awareness, enable [**code indexing**](https://kilocode.ai/docs/features/codebase-indexing). It can be deployed locally, so no code is stored outside of your computer.

1. Start a local Qdrant vector database: docker `docker run -p 6333:6333 qdrant/qdrant`
2. In Kilo Code, click the **Indexing** button in the bottom-right corner (see screenshot).
3. Configure the embedding model:

   – **API Provider:** OpenAI Compatible\
   – **Base URL:** <https://api.cortecs.ai/v1/\\>
   – **API Key:** Your API Key\
   – **Model:** bge-large-en-v1.5 (feel free to pick another one from the [catalogue](https://cortecs.ai/serverlessModels))

   \- **Model dimension:** 1024 (reasonable default)
4. Save the settings and press *Start indexing*.

Once complete, Kilo Code will have full local context of your codebase — without sending data to external servers.

<figure><img src="/files/cAUrvj0QYOfZjPEVMQ7g" alt="" width="188"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Enjoy your **privacy-preserving coding assistant** with the power of Cortecs and Kilo Code. Explore other models, tweak the setup to your needs, and join the conversation on our [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/bPFEFcWBhp) to share feedback 👩‍💻👨‍💻


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.cortecs.ai/integration-examples/coding/kilo-code.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.