I tried out KimiCode, specifically the desktop app, and honestly, I can't recommend it.
If that was the only option, I wouldn't have used it at all—there are just too many downsides.
What I CAN recommend is using VS Studio with the KimiCode extension. You can find it right within VS-Studio, and honestly, this extension opens up completely new horizons! 🚀✨
Previously, you might've done most things yourself, sure, maybe some code snippets from AI here and there. But with KimiCode, things have changed. Plus, it even supports PowerBasic, and if you provide different code bases, it understands those too—which is remarkable! Sometimes, you do need to help it out a bit.
Here are my tips:
First, keep some text files in your project folder. The most important is a Compiling Guide explaining how to correctly call the PowerBasic or which compilers with their respective command-line parameters.
If you don't tell KimiCode that, it'll try to figure it out via trial-and-error.
Another key thing:
When its context memory goes above 80%, VS-Kimi-Code performs what's called "context compression"—resetting from 80% down to 5%.
Doing so, it also forgets your compiler instructions!
So, pause it, remind it reading your Compiler Guidelines file, and let it continue.
Then it gets back to compiling smoothly.
There are a few quirks, like not knowing that PowerBasic's INSTR can search backwards. For these special cases, write style and guidance notes in a text files and have KimiCode read them before starting. This way, it learns your preferences and codes better.
The game changer is this:
KimiCode now handles the WHOLE coding cycle!
It writes the code, compiles it, runs the PowerBasic compiler, reads any log files, fixes the code if there are errors, and even tests intelligently toward a goal! 🛠�🤖
You can tell it, "This subroutine isn't working—make a test program for it and fix it." While you're watching TV or working out, it keeps progressing toward your set goal. 🏃�♂️📺
Regarding Kimi K2 subscription (https://www.kimi.com/), I'm using the "Medium" plan for $30/month. So far, it feels like a true flat rate! I can run it all day—just one instance at a time, but it never hits a limit or complains. So you can have it code for you the whole day, just updating goals every half hour or so. Your role shifts from being the coder to being the director—guiding the AI and delegating tasks. 🎬💻
For those wanting even more, higher tier plans allow multiple concurrent instances (costs more, of course), enabling work on several projects at once with even less human involvement.
The AI writes its own compile scripts, extends programs, and makes changes all by itself—as long as tasks are achievable within about 100 steps (compile, test, debug, etc.). Once you try it, you really won't want to go back to the old, much slower way of coding by hand. It's like having an employee programmer for $30/month who does what you want, just by asking! 💸🧑�💻
A downside: all your source code is sent to either China or the US, depending on the chosen assistant. The Chinese options are generally much cheaper. Still, productivity is way up: the AI debugs much faster than a human, immediately reading error logs and making changes. Bonus: on the Medium plan, it can launch parallel tasks, like editing 8 files simultaneously if it sees the opportunity (doesn't love doing this, so might need a nudge 🤏⚡).
Overall, this feels like the future of programming! You can't tell it to make an entire finished program in one go—it still works in goal-driven steps and always asks how to proceed after about 100 actions, which is actually good as you can review and redirect as needed. The AI doesn't 100% know what you want, so staying involved and adjusting direction makes sense. 🤝🌐
#KimiCode #AIcoding #SoftwareDevelopment #ProductivityHacks #FutureOfProgramming #VSstudio #PowerBasic #TechReview #ProgrammingLife #AIAssistant 🚀💡🤖💻🔧🛠�📝✨👩�💻🧑�💻🎬💸🌏