How to Use DeepSeek V4 Pro in VSCode with KiloCode

Jul 18 · Tutorial

# How to Use DeepSeek V4 Pro in VSCode with KiloCode

KiloCode is a VSCode extension that brings AI coding assistance directly into your editor. Combined with [DeepSeek V4 Pro](https://aiwave.live/models/deepseek-v4-pro?utm_source=dev.to&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=SEO_ARTICLES) through [AIWave](https://aiwave.live/?utm_source=dev.to&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=SEO_ARTICLES)'s API, you get a powerful coding setup at a fraction of the cost of GitHub Copilot. Here's how to set it up end-to-end.

Prerequisites

**VSCode** (latest stable)

**KiloCode extension** (install from the VSCode Marketplace)

**[AIWave](https://aiwave.live/?utm_source=dev.to&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=SEO_ARTICLES) API key** — [sign up here](https://aiwave.live/sign-in?utm_source=dev.to&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=SEO_ARTICLES), get $5 free credit on signup

Step 1: Get Your AIWave API Key

Go to [https://aiwave.live](https://aiwave.live/?utm_source=dev.to&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=SEO_ARTICLES) and create an account (GitHub, Discord, or email login).

2. Navigate to the dashboard and generate an API key.

3. Copy the key — you'll need it in the next step.

Step 2: Configure KiloCode

Open VSCode and go to **Settings → Extensions → KiloCode** (or search `@ext kilocode` in settings). Configure these fields:

| Setting | Value |

|---------|-------|

| **API Base URL** | `https://aiwave.live/v1`?utm_source=dev.to&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=SEO_ARTICLES |

| **API Key** | Your AIWave API key (starts with `sk-...`) |

| **Model** | `deepseek-v4-pro` (default) |

In VSCode's `settings.json`, this looks like:

{
  "kilocode.apiBaseUrl": "https://aiwave.live/v1",
  "kilocode.apiKey": "sk-your-key-here",
  "kilocode.model": "deepseek-v4-pro"
}

Step 3: Verify the Connection

Open any project in VSCode, press `Ctrl+Shift+P` (or `Cmd+Shift+P` on macOS), and run the **"KiloCode: Test Connection"** command. You should see a success message confirming the API is reachable.

Step 4: Start Coding

Once configured, KiloCode works just like any AI coding assistant:

**Inline completions:** Start typing and accept suggestions with `Tab`.

**Chat panel:** Open with `Ctrl+Shift+P` → "KiloCode: Open Chat" to ask questions about your codebase.

**Command palette:** Use "KiloCode: Explain", "KiloCode: Refactor", "KiloCode: Generate Tests" for specific tasks.

Model Recommendations by Task

Not every task needs DeepSeek V4 Pro. Here's a practical guide based on current AIWave pricing:

|------|------------------|-----------|-----|

**Pro tip:** Set KiloCode's default model to `deepseek-v4-pro` for quality, but create a separate profile with `deepseek-v4-flash` for high-volume autocomplete — it's significantly cheaper and nearly as good for short suggestions.

Real Example: Generating a FastAPI Endpoint

With KiloCode's chat panel open and `deepseek-v4-pro` selected, try:

"Create a FastAPI endpoint that accepts a PDF upload, extracts text using pdfplumber, and returns a JSON summary with page count and word count."

The model will generate something like this:

from fastapi import FastAPI, UploadFile, File, HTTPException
import pdfplumber
import tempfile
import os

app = FastAPI()

@app.post("/summarize-pdf")
async def summarize_pdf(file: UploadFile = File(...)):
    if not file.filename.endswith(".pdf"):
        raise HTTPException(400, "Only PDF files are accepted")

    with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False, suffix=".pdf") as tmp:
        content = await file.read()
        tmp.write(content)
        tmp_path = tmp.name

    try:
        with pdfplumber.open(tmp_path) as pdf:
            pages = []
            total_words = 0
            for page in pdf.pages:
                text = page.extract_text() or ""
                pages.append(text)
                total_words += len(text.split())
        return {
            "filename": file.filename,
            "page_count": len(pages),
            "total_words": total_words,
            "preview": pages[0][:500] if pages else ""
        }
    finally:
        os.unlink(tmp_path)

Switch the model to `deepseek-v4-flash` for the same prompt and you'll get comparable output at lower cost. For complex multi-file refactors though, stick with `deepseek-v4-pro`.

Troubleshooting

| Problem | Solution |

|---------|----------|

| "API key invalid" | Double-check your key in [AIWave dashboard](https://aiwave.live/?utm_source=dev.to&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=SEO_ARTICLES). Regenerate if needed. |

| Slow responses | Switch to `deepseek-v4-flash` for speed, or check your internet connection to the Singapore-hosted API. |

| Context too long | DeepSeek V4 Pro supports 1M tokens, so this rarely happens. If it does, trim your chat history. |

| 403 errors | Ensure your AIWave account has credit. New accounts get $5 free. |

Switching Models at Runtime

You can also set the model per-request by adding a comment directive in KiloCode:

@model deepseek-v4-flash
Explain this function briefly.

This lets you use cheaper models for simple questions and reserve DeepSeek V4 Pro for the hard problems.

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*We're a small team behind AIWave. No VC money, no big marketing budget — just a few people who believe Chinese AI models should be accessible to everyone in the world. Your API calls keep this project alive. If you find value in what we're building, stick around. It means more than you know.*