kincode

What does kincode do?

kincode's README calls it "a lightweight AI coding assistant for your terminal. Written in Go. Single binary. Zero dependencies." It talks to Anthropic, OpenAI, Ollama or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, and has 14 built-in tools: bash, bash_output, file_read, file_write, file_edit, multi_edit, glob, grep, git, web_fetch, web_search, memory, agent_spawn and todo_write.

Several features set kincode apart from a plain CLI. An approval gate uses a rule grammar inside a "soul file", so bash(go test*) lets go test ./... through but still stops go test ./... > ~/.zshrc because the rule is checked against "every simple command the shell would run." After every round that edits files, kincode runs go build ./..., cargo check, tsc --noEmit or swift build, and the compiler's answer goes to the model so the edit-verify-fix loop is mechanical rather than something the prompt asks for. An /api/undo endpoint takes back the last turn's file changes and only those.

Key facts

• Licence: MIT, verified from the LICENSE file.
• Written in Go. The README says "single binary, ~10MB, zero runtime dependencies."
• Providers: Anthropic, OpenAI, Ollama or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint.
• A Claude login path exists for Free, Pro and Max plans with kincode -login, defaulting to Haiku 4.5; no API key needed.
• 14 built-in tools, listed above.
• Soul files: YAML plus Markdown that set the provider, model, approval rules, allow and ask lists, and system prompt.
• Approval gate rule grammar: a tool name, prefix* or tool(param-prefix*). "Irreversible commands reach a human even when no rule matches."
• Build-after-edit: Go, Rust, TypeScript and Swift projects run their native build or type check automatically.
• Plan mode toggles a read-only gate so the agent investigates and drafts a markdown plan without changing anything.
• Named subagents: drop a .md file at ~/.kincode/agents/<name>.md with YAML frontmatter and the parent dispatches with agent_spawn.
• MCP support: connect any MCP server; a -serve mode exposes HTTP+SSE for a desktop shell.
• Default web search is DuckDuckGo; set TAVILY_API_KEY to use Tavily instead.

What does it replace, and where does it fall short?

kincode replaces Claude Code for a developer who wants a single Go binary, an approval gate they can read in a soul file, and the ability to switch between Anthropic, OpenAI and Ollama in one place. It is a candidate on the open-source alternatives to Claude Code page.

Where it falls short: kincode is a terminal CLI, so there is no visual studio integration. The README does not promise a Claude-only feature parity, and Claude Code's own skills ecosystem is Anthropic-specific. For a visual-studio-style loop, use Cline, Kilo Code or Crush depending on the host. For a Rust-based Claude Code binary with a slightly different scope, claude-agent-rs is a nearby project.

How does kincode run?

Install with go install github.com/LocalKinAI/kincode/cmd/kincode@latest, or download the binary release. Set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, OPENAI_API_KEY, or run against Ollama with kincode -provider ollama -model qwen3:8b. For a Claude plan, run kincode -login to sign in through the browser.

A soul file sets provider, model and permissions, overridable per invocation by CLI flags. One-shot mode runs a prompt without the REPL (kincode "explain this codebase"). YOLO mode (-yolo) skips the approval gate entirely.

Who is kincode for?

A developer who prefers a terminal CLI, wants a readable soul-file approval rule, and does not want to install a Node runtime or an IDE extension. For a graphical editor, use another entry in the coding-assistants list.

What limits does the README state?

• Node is not required, but a toolchain is: Go, Rust, TypeScript or Swift for the build-after-edit step.
• -yolo skips the approval gate; the README names this flag plainly rather than hiding it.
• Default web search is DuckDuckGo; Tavily needs a key.
• The README does not state a performance or accuracy benchmark against Claude Code itself.

Questions people ask

Is kincode open source?

Yes. The LICENSE file is MIT, verified on the date on this page, and the README names "LocalKin" as the copyright holder. MIT is an OSI-approved licence with no added conditions.

Can kincode use my Claude plan?

Yes. The README has a "Claude Login" section that runs kincode -login, which signs in through the browser against a Free, Pro or Max Claude plan and defaults to Haiku 4.5. No API key is needed on that path. The README adds that the session auto-refreshes.

Does kincode run offline?

With Ollama or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint on your own machine, yes: kincode -provider ollama -model qwen3:8b. Web search is on by default; it uses DuckDuckGo rather than a paid API, but the request still leaves the computer.

How does kincode compare with Claude Code?

Claude Code is Anthropic's own closed-source CLI with its own skills ecosystem. kincode is an open MIT CLI that runs against Anthropic, OpenAI or Ollama, keeps 14 tools in-process, and reads a soul file for persona and approval rules. The open-source alternatives to Claude Code page lists more candidates.

What is a soul file?

A soul file is a Markdown file with YAML frontmatter that sets the model, provider, approval rules and system prompt for kincode. The README says soul files are "compatible with the kinclaw kernel", so the same file drives either tool. Save a soul at a path and run kincode -soul <path>.

Sources

• kincode README and MIT LICENSE: github.com/LocalKinAI/kincode, read 2026-10-19.