Agent Architecture

Kimi CLI

Kimi is best treated as a source-light model/product host row in this archive. Moonshot AI's Kimi family is strong in long-context and coding benchmarks, but connector claims must distinguish Kimi model/provider capability from a concrete local agent host.

Source reviewed #27Checked 2026-07-06

Setup guide Source

Run type

CLI

Adapter

json-stdio

Source

OSS · MoonshotAI/kimi-cli

Stars

★ 11k

Archive Context

This page is one host entry inside the full architecture archive and keeps multi-surface products visible instead of collapsing them into a single run type.

42 host archive

Host page

kimi

Run cohort

CLI: 30

Archive route

/agents

Host Surface Perspectives

The host is the primary architecture boundary. Each runnable surface below separates what the host owns from what agent-connector can safely install for Kimi CLI.

1 surface entry

CLI

cli

Host entry: A terminal command owns the process, current working directory, stdin/stdout, shell environment, and project file discovery.
Host owns: The CLI host owns agent loop timing, approval prompts, tool execution, session files, and how hook or MCP subprocesses are launched.
Connector role: agent-connector can only write the host's documented CLI config, prompt, memory, hook, MCP, or package files and point them at the home binary. Current wired connector surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory.
Implementation consequence: A CLI surface is byte-addressable and smoke-testable from a temporary HOME, but terminal UI behavior still belongs to the host process. No visible host-native gap is currently tracked for this surface.

Verified Architecture

Source-checked on 2026-07-06. These notes are intentionally separate from the generated surface matrix below.

Sequence #27

Source pass

Current source review findings are kept as the first architecture section so readers can separate external evidence from the generated local coverage model.

Kimi CLI is a terminal AI agent that can read and edit code, execute shell commands, search/fetch web pages, and plan during execution.
It supports ACP as an agent server for compatible IDEs such as Zed and JetBrains, but this adapter row remains the terminal CLI entry point.
MCP is managed through `kimi mcp` and ad-hoc config files, so the page should treat MCP as a first-party CLI management surface.

Runtime boundary

The adapter row should be cautious: public Kimi evidence is strongest for Moonshot AI models, chatbot, API platform, and agentic model capabilities, while local host mechanics need separate confirmation.

Kimi should not be treated like a fully source-visible terminal host without local runtime evidence.
Provider capability and agent-host capability are different architecture layers.
Open Interpreter and other hosts may use Kimi models without becoming Kimi hosts.

MCP registration

MCP support should stay adapter-backed. A model API or chatbot product does not by itself define a host-side MCP server registry, and the archive should not infer one from Kimi's coding benchmark strength.

If a Kimi Code or local Kimi agent exposes MCP, it needs a separate source pass.
Moonshot API provider setup is not equivalent to MCP tool server setup.

Hook bridge

agent-connector currently records Kimi through local adapter evidence rather than rich public hook docs. Hook claims should therefore be minimal and tied to tests, not to model-family agentic performance.

Long-context reasoning and tool-call capability are model traits, not hook APIs.
A local hook bridge needs an executable host surface.

Content surfaces

Kimi content surfaces should be described as model/API context, chatbot sessions, long-context documents, and any separately verified local agent configuration. The page should teach the model-vs-host distinction explicitly.

Kimi's long-context identity is relevant to context architecture.
Local memory, commands, and skills need host evidence beyond model docs.

Marketplace and host-only affordances

The host-only affordance is mostly provider-side today: Kimi models, API platform, chatbot, and agentic benchmark positioning. That makes this row useful for explaining why model providers and agent hosts should not be conflated.

The coverage page should mark source-light status clearly.
If a concrete Kimi Code host matures, it should receive a separate deeper source pass.

Host-specific shape

Kimi CLI wires MCP, hooks, skills, and memory through json-stdio conventions, but command files, subagents, statusline, and actions are not confirmed writable surfaces.

Form factor: CLI.
Native surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory.
Wired surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory.
Visible gaps: none.

Hooks

Hooks enter through a host-launched command that exchanges event JSON over stdio.

MCP

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace and affordances

Current install is a direct native-file write path; any package artifact is manual unless a driver is added.

Runtime handlers: none.
User-visible affordances: Users see managed skills + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary..

Known Limits

Kimi model capability is not proof of local host capability.
MCP, hooks, commands, skills, and memory need local host evidence before upgrade.
Current source pass should be treated as source-light compared with open CLI projects.

Evidence checked

Kimi website Moonshot AI platform Kimi K2 report MoonshotAI/kimi-cli repository

Architecture Diagram

Host-specific flow for the CLI surface.

json-stdio

1
Entry point: CLI
Terminal agent process reads user/project config and invokes the connector home binary for runtime callbacks.
2
Connector package
defineConnector package declares server, hooks, content, memory, and actions.
3
Adapter module: kimi
json-stdio renderer at src/adapters/kimi/index.ts.
4
Native host artifacts
Adapter writes MCP config + hook config + content files + memory/rules through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
5
Runtime boundary
host launches JSON-stdio hook command
6
User-visible surface
Users see managed skills + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.
7
Coverage ceiling
4/4 native surfaces wired. No visible host-native gap in the current coverage matrix.

Component Diagram

Static parts of the Kimi CLI integration and which side owns each one.

Kimi CLI host
CLI surface owns the model loop, UI shell, config discovery, and native lifecycle for this integration.
agent-connector package
Normalizes connector declarations into MCP, hook, memory, content, and action payloads before delegating to a host adapter.
kimi adapter
Implements the json-stdio translation layer in src/adapters/kimi/index.ts.
Native artifacts
Adapter writes MCP config + hook config + content files + memory/rules through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
Runtime bridge
host launches JSON-stdio hook command
User-visible surface
Users see managed skills + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.

Runtime Sequence Flow

Message order from install to runtime for the CLI surface.

1 · User / project
Choose host adapter
Install or update starts against Kimi CLI; the selected surface is CLI.
2 · agent-connector
Resolve connector declaration
The package reads connector metadata and routes it to the kimi adapter instead of exposing a generic host contract.
3 · kimi adapter
Render host-native shape
Adapter writes MCP config + hook config + content files + memory/rules through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
4 · Kimi CLI
Host loads artifacts
host launches JSON-stdio hook command
5 · Agent runtime
Run through host boundary
Users see managed skills + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.
6 · Coverage matrix
Expose remaining ceiling
4/4 native surfaces wired. No visible host-native gap in the current coverage matrix.

Architecture Archive

The same five study axes are rendered for every host: runtime shape, hooks, MCP, memory, and host-only affordances.

Host-specific shape

Kimi CLI wires MCP, hooks, skills, and memory through json-stdio conventions, but command files, subagents, statusline, and actions are not confirmed writable surfaces.

Form factor: CLI.
Native surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory.
Wired surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory.
Visible gaps: none.

Hooks

Hooks enter through a host-launched command that exchanges event JSON over stdio.

MCP

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace and affordances

Current install is a direct native-file write path; any package artifact is manual unless a driver is added.

Runtime handlers: none.
User-visible affordances: Users see managed skills + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary..

Special Feature Inventory

Host-specific capabilities separated from the generic surface matrix: lifecycle hooks, MCP registration, memory/rules, marketplace delivery, and UI or content affordances owned by the host.

Lifecycle hooks

Wired

Hooks enter through a host-launched command that exchanges event JSON over stdio.

MCP registration

Wired

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory and rules

Wired

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace delivery

Direct files

Current install is a direct native-file write path; any package artifact is manual unless a driver is added.

Host-only affordances

1/1 wired

Wired host affordances: Skills. Host-native gaps: none. Not confirmed: Commands, Subagents, Statusline handler, Action affordances.

Source Review Notes

Latest source pass for host-specific architecture details. This is separate from generated adapter coverage and local drift guards.

Checked 2026-07-06Open review source

MoonshotAI/kimi-cli repository

Kimi CLI is a terminal AI agent that can read and edit code, execute shell commands, search/fetch web pages, and plan during execution.
It supports ACP as an agent server for compatible IDEs such as Zed and JetBrains, but this adapter row remains the terminal CLI entry point.
MCP is managed through `kimi mcp` and ad-hoc config files, so the page should treat MCP as a first-party CLI management surface.

Evidence Map

Each host page ties public source evidence to the local adapter and drift guards that keep the rendered archive aligned with code.

Public source: MoonshotAI/kimi-cli

Primary public repository or product source used for current host status and source links.

external

Open source

Local adapter implementation

Defines the install/uninstall behavior, native config rendering, capability flags, and any runtime parse/format bridge for this host.

local

src/adapters/kimi/index.ts

Platform metadata and host-native matrix

Records the form factor, public source target, ranking source, native host surfaces, and current agent-connector coverage cells.

local

site/src/platform-data.ts

Architecture drift guard

Asserts that every registered host has a page, diagram, host-specific brief, source link, form-factor band, and adapter-aligned surface data.

local

tests/docs/platform-drift.test.ts

Runtime Shape

Hooks are dispatched through a host-launched command. The adapter parses host JSON, calls the connector handler, and formats the reply back to the host contract.

MCP registration: Wired through this adapter
Hook bridge: Wired

Connector Surfaces

Static content

MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory

Runtime handlers

No runtime handler surfaces wired

Surface Matrix

Wired means agent-connector installs it now. Host native marks support we know about but have not wired yet.

SurfaceStatus

MCP server

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Hooks

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Commands

Static content

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A

Skills

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Subagents

Static content

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A

Memory

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Statusline handler

Runtime handler

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A

Action affordances

Runtime handler

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A