Research Notes

MiMo Code Windows CLI

3 min read

A China-friendly Windows 11 terminal setup for MiMoCode, Xiaomi’s open-source AI coding agent with cross-session memory.

Recommended default: use MiMo Auto first. It is the built-in free-for-limited-time channel, so you can start without adding an API key.

1. Install Node.js and Git

Open PowerShell:

winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS
winget install Git.Git

Close and reopen PowerShell, then check:

node -v
npm -v
git --version

2. Install MiMoCode

Use npm on Windows PowerShell:

npm install -g @mimo-ai/cli
mimo --version

Alternative if you already use Git Bash or WSL:

curl -fsSL https://mimo.xiaomi.com/install | bash

The GitHub release assets include Windows builds, including mimocode-windows-x64.zip, mimocode-windows-x64-baseline.zip, and mimocode-windows-arm64.zip.

3. First launch: choose MiMo Auto

Run MiMoCode inside a project:

cd C:\dev\your-project
git status
mimo

On first launch, choose:

MiMo Auto

Use this first because it is the lowest-friction free/cheap path:

  • no API key pasted into config
  • no DeepSeek token required
  • no paid provider setup required before testing the tool
  • good enough for basic repository exploration and small coding tasks

If MiMo Auto asks you to sign in later, use the Xiaomi MiMo Platform login. If you need a specific model or company-paid API, add a Custom Provider after the basic setup works.

4. Useful first prompts

Start with read-only exploration:

Use plan mode. Inspect this repository and explain the architecture.
Do not edit files yet.
Tell me the smallest safe first change for <task>.

Then for a small implementation:

Goal: make the smallest safe change that implements <task>.
Before editing, inspect the relevant files and explain the plan.
Do not touch unrelated files.
After editing, run the smallest relevant test or check.
Summarize changed files, commands run, and remaining risks.

5. Optional: custom provider later

Only do this after MiMo Auto works.

MiMoCode supports adding OpenAI-compatible providers in the TUI. Its config lives in .mimocode/mimocode.json for a project, or globally under ~/.config/mimocode/mimocode.json.

Good rule:

  • Use MiMo Auto for onboarding and cheap daily checks.
  • Use a custom provider only when you need a specific paid model.
  • Do not put reusable API keys, SSH keys, or company secrets in docs.

Why MiMoCode

MiMoCode is a terminal-native coding assistant. The upstream README describes:

  • build, plan, and compose agents
  • persistent project memory through MEMORY.md
  • session checkpoints
  • subagents
  • task tracking
  • /goal, /dream, and /distill
  • voice input for logged-in MiMo users

It is built as a fork of OpenCode, keeping provider, TUI, LSP, MCP, and plugin capabilities while adding MiMo’s memory and autonomous workflow features.

Sources