Kilo Code vs OpenCodeComparisonUpdated 2026-03-18
SUMMARY
Kilo Code (IDE) uses markdown configuration while OpenCode (CLI) uses markdown. They differ on 4 of 11 compared features. Both tools provide AI-assisted development but take different approaches to project configuration.
FEATURE COMPARISON
| Feature | Kilo Code | OpenCode |
|---|---|---|
| Config format | markdown | markdown |
| Hierarchy support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Global config | ✗ | ✓ |
| Project config | ✓ | ✓ |
| Subdirectory scoping | ✗ | ✓ |
| File inclusion / imports | ✗ | ✗ |
| Ignore file | ✗ | ✗ |
| IDE integration | ✓ | CLI |
| Schema / structure | Free-form (Markdown) | Free-form (Markdown) |
| Git committed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Encoding | UTF-8 | UTF-8 |
FILE MAPPING
| Purpose | Kilo Code | OpenCode |
|---|---|---|
| Settings / configuration | .kilocodemodes | opencode.json |
SIDE-BY-SIDE CODE SAMPLES
Kilo Code
.kilorules
markdown
# Project Rules
## Stack
- TypeScript 5.x with strict mode
- React 19 + Next.js 15 (App Router)
- Tailwind CSS v4 for styling
- Drizzle ORM for database access
## Code Standards
- Named exports only (no default exports)
- Prefer `const` assertions and satisfies operator
- Use Result<T, E> pattern for error handling
- Maximum 30 lines per function
## File Organization
- Colocate tests: `foo.ts` → `foo.test.ts`
- One component per file
- Barrel exports (index.ts) for public module APIs
## Git
- Conventional commits: feat|fix|chore|docs|test
- Squash merge feature branches
- Branch naming: type/description
OpenCode
AGENTS.md
markdown
# Project Instructions
## Overview
This is a TypeScript monorepo using pnpm workspaces.
## Code Style
- Use strict TypeScript with no implicit any
- Prefer functional components with hooks
- All exports should be named (no default exports)
## Architecture
- /packages/core — shared business logic
- /packages/ui — React component library
- /apps/web — Next.js frontend
## Build & Test
Run tests with: pnpm test
Build all packages: pnpm build
All PRs must have >80% coverage on changed files.
## Conventions
- Use conventional commits (feat:, fix:, chore:)
- Prefer composition over inheritance
- See @docs/api-guidelines.md for API design patterns
KEY DIFFERENCES
Kilo Code: Not supported. OpenCode: Supported.
Kilo Code: Not supported. OpenCode: Supported.
Kilo Code: Not supported. OpenCode: Supported.
Kilo Code: Supported. OpenCode: CLI.
WHICH SHOULD I USE?
Choose based on your IDE/CLI preference. If you use Kilo Code, configure .kilocodemodes. If you use OpenCode, configure AGENTS.md. Many projects include config files for multiple tools so each team member can use their preferred editor.
PORTABILITY TIP
sync-instructions.sh
bash
# Maintain a single source of truth:
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md CLAUDE.md
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md .cursorrules
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md AGENTS.md
SEE ALSO
File references:
agentconfig.ing2026-03-18COMPARE(1)