Using Alibaba Cloud With Kilo Code

Kilo Code supports Alibaba Cloud Model Studio (DashScope) through the native Alibaba AI SDK provider. Use it to run Qwen and other DashScope-hosted models directly from Kilo.

Website: https://www.alibabacloud.com/product/modelstudio

Getting an API Key

1. Sign in to Alibaba Cloud Model Studio or DashScope.
2. Open the API key section for your workspace.
3. Create a key and copy it immediately.
4. Store the key securely; do not commit it to your repository.

Configuration in Kilo Code

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

Open Settings (gear icon) and go to the Providers tab to add Alibaba Cloud. Enter your DashScope API key and choose a supported model from the model picker.

The extension stores this in your kilo.json config file. You can also edit the config file directly — see the CLI tab for the file format.

{% /tab %} {% tab label="CLI" %}

Set the DashScope API key as an environment variable or configure it in your kilo.json config file:

Environment variable:

export DASHSCOPE_API_KEY="your-api-key"

Config file (~/.config/kilo/kilo.json or ./kilo.json):

{
  "provider": {
    "alibaba": {
      "env": ["DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"]
    }
  }
}

Then set your default model:

{
  "model": "alibaba/qwen-plus"
}

Some regions and model catalogs may expose Alibaba models under alibaba-cn instead. In that case, use the same API key and set the model as alibaba-cn/<model-id>.

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Tips and Notes

• Native provider: Kilo uses the native Alibaba AI SDK provider, not a generic compatibility shim, when you select the built-in Alibaba provider.
• Cache controls: Kilo forwards provider cache controls for compatible Alibaba/DashScope models, which can reduce repeated context cost where the model supports caching.
• Regional catalogs: Model availability varies by account, region, and gateway. Check the DashScope console for the exact model IDs available to your account.
• Pricing and limits: Refer to Alibaba Cloud Model Studio pricing and rate-limit documentation for current usage details.

Troubleshooting

• Authentication errors: Verify DASHSCOPE_API_KEY is set in the same shell that launches Kilo, or stored in your Kilo provider config.
• Model not found: Confirm the model ID is available in your DashScope account and try the model picker to see Kilo's current catalog.
• Region mismatch: If your account uses the China-region catalog, try the alibaba-cn/<model-id> provider prefix.