Fastest: npx -y zephex setup --kilo (browser sign-in, writes kilo.jsonc with local npx zephex). Legacy VS Code extension users may still get .kilocode/mcp.json. Manual HTTP streamable-http is optional below.
Official Kilo Code MCP documentation: Kilo Code MCP docs
Without MCP, your agent guesses project layout and misses supply-chain risk. Zephex connects one hosted endpoint so every session gets the same ten tools — no per-machine npm installs, no version drift across the team.
HTTP and stdio setups both need a key from your Zephex dashboard. OAuth-only flows (ChatGPT, Claude.ai web) sign you in in the browser instead — skip this section for those.
Matches the published CLI (mcp-proxy/src/commands/setup.ts). One command signs you in, writes the correct transport, and verifies 10 tools.
Account teardown: logout vs disconnect · Connect MCP walkthrough
Search docs for “where is my MCP file” — the answer is always: run list first, then open the path it prints.
Documented paths: ~/.config/kilo/kilo.jsonc or project kilo.jsonc / .kilo/kilo.jsonc; legacy: .kilocode/mcp.json
Kilo CLI kilo.jsonc uses type local + npx zephex + ZEPHEX_API_KEY (normal MCP file). Legacy VS Code extension uses mcpServers stdio.
Runs the same code as mcp-proxy/src/commands/setup.ts — OAuth in browser, creates a CLI key, writes your editor config, verifies tools.
npx -y zephex setup --kiloSkip browser OAuth — paste a key from zephex.dev/dashboard/keys. Must start with mcp_prod_, mcp_dev_, or mcp_sk_.
npx -y zephex setup --kilo --api-key mcp_prod_your-key-hereRuns the same code as mcp-proxy/src/commands/setup.ts — OAuth in browser, creates a CLI key, writes your editor config, verifies tools.
npx -y zephex setup --kilo --projecttype local + command array + ZEPHEX_API_KEY: Transport: stdio (see ~/.config/kilo/kilo.jsonc or project kilo.jsonc / .kilo/kilo.jsonc; legacy: .kilocode/mcp.json).
{ "mcp": { "zephex": { "type": "local", "command": ["npx", "-y", "zephex"], "environment": { "ZEPHEX_API_KEY": "mcp_sk_your_key_here" }, "enabled": true, "timeout": 10000 } }}If globalStorage already exists, setup keeps mcpServers stdio: Transport: stdio (see ~/.config/kilo/kilo.jsonc or project kilo.jsonc / .kilo/kilo.jsonc; legacy: .kilocode/mcp.json).
{ "mcpServers": { "zephex": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "zephex"], "env": { "ZEPHEX_API_KEY": "mcp_sk_your_key_here" } } }}After CLI install, fully restart the app if tools do not appear. Manual JSON/TOML blocks below are equivalent — use them when CLI commands are unavailable.
Full comparison: HTTP vs stdio · npx zephex reference
Recommended: npx -y zephex setup --kilo writes kilo.jsonc (type local + npx zephex). Manual HTTP in Kilo UI is optional — do not enable both.
Replace mcp_sk_your_key_here with your key from Dashboard → API Keys. Copy the full key once at creation — paste into Authorization: Bearer … for HTTP configs, or into ZEPHEX_API_KEY for stdio/npx configs.
Official Kilo CLI shape: mcp + type local + command array + environment.ZEPHEX_API_KEY.
{ "mcp": { "zephex": { "type": "local", "command": ["npx", "-y", "zephex"], "environment": { "ZEPHEX_API_KEY": "mcp_sk_your_key_here" }, "enabled": true, "timeout": 10000 } }}Hosted MCP — no local Node process. Use "type": "streamable-http" and url https://zephex.dev/mcp. Matches Kilo’s HTTP / Streamable HTTP UI.
{ "mcpServers": { "zephex": { "type": "streamable-http", "url": "https://zephex.dev/mcp", "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer mcp_sk_your_key_here" }, "disabled": false } }}Same shape as `npx zephex setup --kilo`. Use only if you want the editor to spawn npx -y zephex — do not enable both HTTP and stdio zephex entries.
{ "mcpServers": { "zephex": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "zephex"], "env": { "ZEPHEX_API_KEY": "mcp_sk_your_key_here" } } }}Tip
If both global and project MCP files exist, know which one Kilo loads for this workspace — wrong file edits are the #1 silent failure.
Run these in a terminal when the editor UI is unclear — catches stale npm, wrong transport, and project shadows.
npx -y zephex@latest listnpx -y zephex@latest doctornpx -y zephex@latest repair# Fully quit the editor (Cmd+Q / Alt+F4), reopen, start a new agent sessionAfter saving your config, confirm Zephex is connected before you rely on it in real work.
Questions people ask when Kilo Code does not show Zephex tools — indexed for docs search.
Kilo Code MCP jsonc format
Parent key is mcp (not mcpServers). Setup writes type local with command array and environment.ZEPHEX_API_KEY.
You do not call tools yourself — ask your agent in plain language. Try these once Zephex is connected:
“Kilo agent mode: check_test for adding Stripe billing portal to our Next.js app.”
Scoped plan inside VS Code before Kilo edits routes and API handlers.
“get_project_context on this workspace — Kilo sees the VS Code root folder.”
Usually works when .kilocode/mcp.json sits at the repo root.
“read_code the middleware.ts edge handler only.”
Precise read for Vercel-style middleware files.
“check_package on @tanstack/react-query v5 migration target.”
Pre-install check before Kilo updates package.json.
“find_code all usages of useServerAction in app/.”
App router search without manual ripgrep in Kilo chat.
“audit_headers on our preview deployment URL from the last PR.”
Preview env security check from the IDE.
You do not pick tools from a menu — ask your agent in normal sentences. Half of the tools only need a package name or URL; the other half need to know which codebase you mean (your Mac/Windows project folder or a GitHub repo).
These situations usually mean the setup cannot work until you fix the underlying issue:
Wrong transport / shape
CLI setup uses kilo.jsonc parent key mcp + type local. Run repair if doctor flags wrong shape.
401 Unauthorized
Header Authorization: Bearer mcp_sk_... in JSON or UI — no extra quotes around the key in the UI field.
Config saved but server missing
Reload VS Code window. Confirm file path is workspace/.kilocode/mcp.json.
Tools work for packages but not code
Open the correct workspace folder at repo root, or pass github: or absolute path in the prompt.
0 tools listed
Set disabled: false, enable server in Kilo MCP UI, start new agent session after reload.
Kilo streamable-http server exposes ten tools in agent mode inside VS Code:
get_project_context
Reads your project structure, dependencies, scripts, env vars, and framework markers in one call. Replaces manually opening package.json, tsconfig, and multiple config files at the start of every session.
read_code
AST-based code extraction: pass a symbol name and get the implementation without reading entire files. Supports symbol lookup, batched file reads, and structural outlines for large files.
find_code
Ranked search across the repo for definitions, usages, and patterns. Faster than blind grep when the agent does not know where a symbol lives.
check_package
Live registry lookup for npm, PyPI, Cargo, and Go modules. Surfaces typosquat risk, maintainer changes, and suspicious version jumps before you run install.
explain_architecture
Generates Mermaid diagrams for auth flows, service boundaries, and module dependencies so the agent reasons about structure instead of guessing.
check_test
Turns a task description into the smallest file set to read or edit, with risk ratings and caller impact notes.
audit_headers
Grades a deployed URL for CSP, HSTS, TLS, cookies, and redirects. Returns fix snippets for common hosts (Vercel, Cloudflare, Nginx).
keep_thinking
Structured multi-step debugging: tracks hypotheses and conclusions so long investigations do not loop.
Zephex_dev_info
Expert patterns for authentication, databases, frontend frameworks, deployment, and mobile stacks when the agent needs vetted guidance.
project_memory
Persists decisions, gotchas, and conventions per project in ~/.zephex/memory (SQLite FTS5). recall before unfamiliar areas; remember after discoveries. Local stdio only on npx zephex.