Kiro

Kiro AI is an agentic Integrated Development Environment built to deliver structured, production-ready software development through spec-driven methodology. Think of it as a combination of traditional IDEs and AI planning tools, but much smarter. It uses advanced language models and incorporates intelligent agents that can analyze, plan, and implement complex software features autonomously.

The main difference from regular development tools is revolutionary: instead of jumping straight into coding, Kiro first creates comprehensive specifications, design documents, and task breakdowns. Each project gets detailed requirements using EARS format, technical architecture diagrams, and step-by-step implementation plans. Built on Code OSS platform, this tool supports multiple programming languages including Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Java, and more. Founded by Amazon Web Services, Kiro has become popular because it bridges the gap between rapid prototyping and production-grade software development with built-in quality checks and documentation.

Using Kiro is straightforward and developer-friendly. First, visit kiro.dev and download the desktop application for your operating system (Mac, Windows, or Linux). You can sign in using Google, GitHub, Builder ID, or AWS SSO authentication - no AWS account required.

The interface feels familiar to VS Code users since it's built on Code OSS. Here's how to get the best results:

Getting Started:

• Create a new project or open an existing codebase

• Start with spec-driven development by typing a simple prompt like "Build a user authentication system"

• Choose between different modes: Specs for structured development, Chat for quick coding help, or Hooks for automation

Advanced Features:

• Use steering files to set project standards and coding preferences

• Configure agent hooks to automate tasks like testing and documentation

• Enable Autopilot mode for autonomous development or Supervised mode for manual control

• Connect external tools through Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration

The tool remembers your project context, so you can ask follow-up questions and make iterative improvements. Always review generated specs and code before implementing to ensure they match your requirements.

• Spec-driven development with automated planning

• Agent hooks for task automation and quality checks

• Multi-model AI support (Claude Sonnet 4.0/3.7)

• Natural language coding assistance

• MCP integration for external tools

• VS Code compatibility and settings import

• Multi-language programming support

• Autopilot and supervised development modes

• Real-time documentation updates

• Privacy-first security architecture