custom-models

Custom Models

Kilo Code ships with a curated list of models for each provider, but you can use any model your provider supports — including models that aren't in the built-in list. This is useful for:

• Using a newly released model before it's added to the built-in catalog
• Running a custom or fine-tuned model via LM Studio, Ollama, or another local provider
• Connecting to a self-hosted model through a custom API endpoint
• Configuring model-specific options like token limits, pricing, or reasoning settings

Defining a Custom Model

Add custom models under the provider.<provider_id>.models key in your config file. The model key becomes the model ID you reference elsewhere.

{% tabs %} {% tab label="VSCode" %}

1. Open Settings (gear icon) and go to the Providers tab.

2. Scroll to the bottom of the provider list and click Custom provider.

1. Fill in the custom provider dialog:

• Provider ID — A unique identifier using lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens, or underscores (e.g., myprovider). This becomes the provider_id in the provider_id/model_id format.
• Display name — A human-readable name shown in the UI (e.g., My AI Provider).
• Provider API — The protocol used by the provider. Use OpenAI Responses for OpenAI and xAI models. Use Anthropic Messages for Anthropic and MiniMax models. OpenAI Compatible is the default for other OpenAI Chat Completions-compatible endpoints.
• Base URL — The provider's API endpoint (e.g., https://api.myprovider.com/v1). When a valid URL is entered, Kilo automatically fetches available models from the endpoint if it exposes an OpenAI-compatible models endpoint.
• API key — Your provider's API key. Optional — leave empty if you manage authentication via headers.
• Models — Add models manually by ID and display name, or select from the auto-fetched list that appears after entering a valid base URL.
• Headers (optional) — Add custom HTTP headers as key-value pairs if your provider requires them.