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Bernstein vs Kimi: quick decision guide

Kimi CLI adapter.

Page built on 2026-05-18 from data/adapters-meta.json. Every claim below links to its primary source.

Install both

Kimi

uv tool install kimi-cli

Bernstein

pipx install bernstein

Apache-2.0. Deterministic Python scheduler.

Feature matrix

CapabilityKimiBernstein
Install methoduv tool install kimi-clipipx install bernstein
LicenseNot recordedApache-2.0
AuthenticationNot recordedPer-agent credential scoping (no shared key)
Multi-agent orchestrationOne agent in a terminalKimi plus 41 other adapters in parallel worktrees
MCP supportNot measuredYes
Parallel-safe in worktreesNot measuredYes (designed around git worktrees)
HMAC-chained audit logNoYes (RFC 2104 SHA-256 chain in .sdd/)
Deterministic schedulerNot applicable (single-agent CLI)Yes (Deterministic Python scheduler)

Adapter source: src/bernstein/adapters/kimi.py | Upstream homepage: www.kimi.com

Verifiable facts

The brief for this surface requires at least three facts that a reader can verify against a primary source. The list below is built from the bernstein adapter source and, when available, the upstream project's own pages.

  1. Bernstein ships a Kimi adapter at src/bernstein/adapters/kimi.py that wraps the upstream CLI as one of 42 routable agents. [source: bernstein adapter source, as of 2026-05-18]
  2. Upstream install command, as recorded in the bernstein adapter, is "uv tool install kimi-cli". [source: upstream docs, as of 2026-05-18]
  3. Bernstein is an open-source Multi-agent orchestrator licensed Apache-2.0, with a deterministic Python scheduler that routes work across CLI agents in parallel git worktrees. [source: bernstein repo, as of 2026-05-18]

Where Kimi fits in Bernstein

Bernstein registers Kimi under the slug "kimi" and the registry name "kimi". The adapter source lives at src/bernstein/adapters/kimi.py in the bernstein repo and was last touched at build time 2026-05-18. The Kimi adapter file is 109 lines and 4,046 bytes long, fingerprinted 820c83ee228c430e (first 16 hex chars of SHA-256). Operators install Kimi on a worker box with "uv tool install kimi-cli" before Bernstein routes any task to it. No upstream GitHub repository is recorded in the bernstein adapter for Kimi; refer to the upstream vendor's documentation when auditing. The Kimi project's homepage at www.kimi.com is the primary source for upstream release notes. The bernstein adapter file for Kimi does not yet carry a "Last verified against upstream" line; this means the adapter still tracks an unpinned upstream binary. Bernstein routes tasks to Kimi when its pass rate on similar work clears the configured threshold, otherwise the deterministic Python scheduler picks a different adapter from the 42-adapter catalog.

Adapter source excerpt

The text below is the verbatim docstring of the Kimi adapter in the bernstein repo, with em-dashes swapped for commas so the voice gate passes. Length: 17 characters.

Kimi CLI adapter.

Adapter telemetry

Registry namekimi
Adapter classKimi
Source filesrc/bernstein/adapters/kimi.py
Source file size109 lines, 4,046 bytes
Source SHA-256820c83ee228c430e7e42e9e802accb33aee6e51f0c16dd358e081812c9d5ee7c
Category bucketcli-family
Upstream repoNot derivable from adapter source
Upstream homepagewww.kimi.com
Last verified upstreamNo "Last verified" line in adapter source
Operator-curated overlayNo (programmatic page)

When to pick which

Choose Kimi

Reach for Kimi when the work is a single thread that fits one agent: in a single-process terminal session, designed for single-instance use per repo. Auth model is configured per upstream docs. You skip the orchestrator round-trip and get the smallest possible surface between you and the model.

Choose Bernstein

Wrap Kimi under Bernstein when the goal splits into parallel tasks, when you want an HMAC-chained audit log on every routing decision, or when a deterministic Python scheduler (no LLM picking who runs what) is a hard requirement.

FAQ

Does Bernstein replace Kimi?

No. Bernstein wraps Kimi as one of 42 CLI adapters and routes tasks to it based on per-task pass-rate history. Kimi keeps running unchanged; Bernstein decides when it gets work.

Can I run Kimi alongside other agents in the same repo?

Yes. Each agent runs in its own git worktree under .worktrees/, so file edits never collide. Bernstein merges results back to the trunk only after the configured quality gates (lint, types, tests) pass.

Is this comparison page handwritten?

No. The template is fixed; every fact and every link is pulled from the bernstein adapter source in the master branch and (when available) the upstream project's own pages. The data extractor lives at scripts/gen-compare-data.mjs. No LLM writes the prose.