Kiro
Kiro is an agentic IDE that works alongside you from prototype to production.
Kiro is an AI-powered code editor by Amazon that uses spec-driven development, you describe a feature as a structured plan, then Kiro breaks it into concrete tasks and helps write the code to fulfill it.
Kiro is an AI-assisted code editor and command-line tool built by Amazon. It is designed around the idea of spec-driven development, where instead of jumping straight into writing code, you first describe a feature in a structured specification that the tool helps break down into a concrete implementation plan. From there, Kiro can assist with writing the code to fulfill that plan.
The main capabilities described in the README are specs, hooks, agentic chat, steering, and powers. Specs are the structured planning documents. Hooks are automated triggers that run when files change or development events happen, intended to cut down on repetitive manual steps. Agentic chat lets you describe what you want in plain language and have Kiro respond with code changes while keeping track of your project context. Steering files are markdown documents you write to give Kiro project-specific rules or background to guide its behavior. Powers are add-on packages of specialized knowledge and tools for particular domains.
Kiro also supports the Model Context Protocol, which is a standard for connecting AI assistants to external tools and data. The IDE can import VS Code extensions and settings during setup, so switching from an existing editor does not require reconfiguring everything from scratch.
The desktop application runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. A command-line version is also available for scripting and automation. Both are distributed through kiro.dev rather than through this repository, which is used for documentation and issue tracking. Billing support is routed through AWS, and security vulnerabilities are reported directly to Amazon rather than as public GitHub issues.
Where it fits
- Write a spec describing a new feature, then let Kiro generate a step-by-step implementation plan and code for it.
- Set up hooks that automatically run checks or tasks whenever you save files, cutting out repetitive manual steps.
- Chat with Kiro in plain language to get code changes made while it tracks your full project context.
- Add steering files with your project rules so Kiro always follows your team's coding standards and architecture.