Kilobat

Kilobat CLI

Network diagnostics for macOS, in your terminal and your AI agent. Find which apps use your connection, diagnose Wi-Fi and DNS problems, trace a failing API request, and keep your Mac awake through a long build.

Free and open source under GPL-3.0-only. No account or telemetry. The CLI runs on its own; the optional Kilobat Mac app adds a menu-bar interface, recorded history, and network filtering.

Quick start · Mac app · AI agents · Build from source · Tool reference

Quick start

Requires macOS 14 or later. Homebrew builds from source and requires Xcode 16 or newer.

brew install seifip/kilobat/kilobatkilobat diagnose

Homebrew also installs kb as a short alias for kilobat.

Keep your Mac awake until a command finishes:

kilobat awake -- make test

Use --json for structured diagnostic output, or --watch --json for a live traffic stream:

kilobat diagnose --jsonkilobat why api.github.com --jsonkilobat status --watch --json

Run kilobat --help or kilobat <command> --help for more options. Commands that change system settings may require confirmation and administrator authorization. Network checks contact test endpoints; speed tests transfer data.

Kilobat for Mac

Prefer a view you can glance at? Kilobat puts live traffic in your menu bar and brings diagnostics, usage history, Wi-Fi tools, and app-level network controls into a native Mac app.

[Kilobat for Mac: Wi-Fi networks and the menu-bar dashboard with live traffic, data budget, and per-app controls]

Explore the Mac app →

The app is a separate product with free and paid features, under its own terms. You don't need it for standalone CLI diagnostics or MCP setup.

Some app-backed features also depend on the app's license tier and configuration. Saving a rule through the CLI does not by itself enable filtering.

Use with AI agents (MCP)

kilobat mcp runs a local stdio Model Context Protocol server. Install the CLI first, then connect your agent:

Claude Code

claude mcp add kilobat -- kilobat mcp

Codex CLI

codex mcp add kilobat -- kilobat mcp

Claude Desktop: configure a local stdio server with the full executable path returned by /usr/bin/which kilobat and argument mcp. See the local-server setup guide.

Cursor, Windsurf, Zed, Gemini CLI, Cline, and other MCP clients: add a stdio server with command kilobat and argument mcp.

Try asking:

• “Why is my internet slow?”
• “Is this a metered connection before I download 5 GB?”
• “Why can't this API connect from my Mac?”
• “Keep the Mac awake until this build finishes.”

Tools that change settings carry confirmation requirements in their descriptions; the client controls permission prompts. Connected clients discover available tools, input schemas, and annotations with tools/list.

See the agent setup guides for client-specific instructions. Optional agent skills teach agents when and how to use Kilobat:

npx skills add seifip/kilobat-skills

Build from source

Requires macOS 14 or later and Swift 6.

git clone https://github.com/seifip/kilobat-cli.gitcd kilobat-cliswift build -c release.build/release/kilobat --help

Run the tests with swift test.

MCP tool reference

The following names and titles are defined in v0.45.1. Use your installed server's tools/list for its full descriptions, input schemas, and annotations. Availability and returned data can depend on the companion app, its license tier, permissions, and configuration.

License

Kilobat CLI code is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3.0 only; see LICENSE. Bundled geolocation and device-manufacturer data have additional licenses documented in THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md. Kilobat's name and artwork are not licensed for use as trademarks. The separate Kilobat desktop app is distributed under its own terms.