feat(web): Allow creating new sessions on connected remote CLI instances #8937

Feature request

Allow users to create new sessions on connected remote Kilo CLI instances directly from the Kilo Cloud web interface (app.kilo.ai), matching the functionality already available in the native Kilo mobile app.

Currently, the web interface allows users to view and interact with existing remote CLI sessions, but the New session button only opens the Cloud Agent creation flow.

I cannot find an option to create a session on an already connected CLI host, either with or without a repository provider integration configured.

Current behavior

I have Kilo CLI running on a persistent VM, connected to Kilo's remote sessions service.

Native Kilo mobile app:

• Can select the connected CLI instance using the Run on picker.
• Can create new sessions on the VM.
• Can select a working directory.
• Can interact with and exit those sessions.
• Works without a repository provider integration.

Kilo web interface (app.kilo.ai):

• Can list and interact with existing remote CLI sessions.
• Has a New session button in the sidebar.
• Clicking New session opens the Cloud Agent creation flow.
• There is no visible option to select an already connected CLI instance as the execution target.

Tested without a repository provider

Initially, no GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket integration was configured.

Clicking New session displayed:

Connect a repository provider

Cloud Agent needs access to your code before it can start a session.

The Cloud Agent prompt composer briefly appeared before being replaced by this screen.

The same behavior occurred in Microsoft Edge on Windows and Android.

Tested with a repository provider

I subsequently connected a GitLab repository provider to check whether this would unlock remote CLI session creation.

After connecting GitLab:

• The Cloud Agent new-session interface became available.
• I could select a GitLab repository and create a cloud-hosted session.
• A separate execution environment was provisioned, with a working terminal at /workspace/app.
• I still could not find an option to choose my existing connected CLI instance as the execution target.

The native Kilo mobile app continued to support creating sessions on the same remote CLI host.

The missing execution target therefore appears reproducible both with and without a repository provider integration.

Expected behavior

The web interface should support creating new sessions on connected CLI instances, just like the native mobile app.

Suggested flow:

1. Click New session.
2. Choose where to run the session:
   • Cloud Agent
   • Connected CLI instance
3. If selecting a CLI instance, choose from available connected machines.
4. Select a working directory within the allowed workspace.
5. Optionally select an agent, model, and initial prompt.
6. Create the session and open it in the existing web chat interface.

Ideally, the web interface would reuse the native mobile app's Run on functionality.

A repository provider integration should not be required when creating sessions against an existing local checkout on a connected CLI host.

Since the native mobile app can create sessions on these connected instances, the backend functionality appears to be available.

It is unclear whether the missing web functionality is an intentional product limitation or simply something not yet exposed in the web UI.

If the functionality is already available through another web UI flow, documentation or guidance on how to access it would also resolve this request.

Related issues

• [Kilo-Org/cloud#8930](bug(web): /exit in remote CLI sessions incorrectly uses send_command instead of exit_cli #8930) — /exit is incorrectly routed through send_command instead of exit_cli in the web client. A separate bug, but also related to remote CLI session lifecycle management.

Environment

• Web client: https://app.kilo.ai
• Browsers: Microsoft Edge on Windows and Android
• Agent host: Kilo CLI running on a VM
• Remote protocol: 7.8.x
• Repository provider: Tested both without an integration and with GitLab connected
• Native mobile app: Remote CLI session creation works
• Web client: Existing remote CLI sessions are accessible and interactive; no remote CLI execution target is visible in the new-session flow