Kiro
Agent-centric IDE with spec-driven development by Amazon
Quick Take: Kiro
NaNInstall with Homebrew
brew install --cask kiroWhat is Kiro?
Kiro is Amazon's agent-centric IDE that introduces a fundamentally different approach to AI-assisted development: spec-driven development. While most AI code editors let you type a prompt and hope for the best, Kiro adds a structured planning layer where you define requirements, design decisions, and acceptance criteria before any code is generated. The AI agents then implement against this specification systematically, producing more predictable and higher-quality code that aligns with the original intent. Built on VS Code foundations with full extension compatibility, Kiro feels familiar but works differently. Its 'Steering Hooks' system lets you define automated workflows—like running tests after every code change, updating documentation when APIs change, or validating schema migrations before they're applied. These hooks turn Kiro's AI agents from reactive assistants into proactive team members that continuously monitor and improve your codebase. Kiro also has native AWS integration, making it particularly powerful for cloud-native development. You can scaffold Lambda functions, configure API Gateway, set up DynamoDB tables, and manage infrastructure directly from the IDE—all guided by specs that ensure consistency. The combination of structured planning, autonomous agents, and cloud integration positions Kiro uniquely in the AI IDE space: it trades the 'magic prompt' flexibility of Cursor for predictable, enterprise-grade AI output.
Key Features
Spec-Driven Development
Kiro's signature feature is structured spec creation before code generation. When you start a new feature, Kiro guides you through defining requirements, design decisions, and acceptance criteria in a structured format. The AI then implements against this spec step by step, checking off criteria as it goes. This produces significantly more predictable results than free-form prompting—especially for complex features that touch multiple files and services.
Steering Hooks (Automated Workflows)
Steering Hooks are event-driven automations that trigger agents on specific code changes. Configure hooks like 'run tests after every code change,' 'update API documentation when route handlers are modified,' or 'validate database migrations before applying them.' These hooks transform AI from a reactive tool into a continuous quality system that catches issues before they reach review.
Autonomous Background Agents
Kiro's agents work continuously in the background, monitoring your codebase for issues. They run type checks, identify potential bugs, flag security concerns, and suggest optimizations—all without you explicitly asking. This ambient intelligence means problems are surfaced immediately rather than discovered during code review or production incidents.
AWS-Native Integration
Kiro provides deep integration with AWS services directly in the IDE. Scaffold serverless functions, configure API Gateway endpoints, set up DynamoDB tables, manage S3 buckets, and deploy CloudFormation stacks—all from within the editor. The AI understands AWS best practices and generates infrastructure code that follows Amazon's Well-Architected Framework patterns.
VS Code Extension Compatibility
Built on VS Code foundations, Kiro supports the full VS Code extension marketplace. Bring your existing extensions, themes, and keybindings without any migration friction. This means you get Kiro's unique AI capabilities without sacrificing the tools and workflows you've already invested in.
Who Should Use Kiro?
1Enterprise Developer
A developer at a financial services company needs to implement a new payment processing endpoint that must comply with PCI-DSS requirements. They open Kiro's spec panel and define the requirements: input validation, encryption at rest, audit logging, idempotency, and specific error codes. Kiro's agents implement the feature methodically against each spec item, with Steering Hooks automatically running compliance checks after every change. The resulting code is auditable, documented, and traceable back to specific requirements—exactly what compliance teams need.
2AWS Cloud Developer
A cloud developer needs to build a serverless image processing pipeline: S3 upload trigger → Lambda resizer → DynamoDB metadata → CloudFront delivery. They describe the pipeline in Kiro's spec format, and the AI scaffolds the Lambda functions, SAM template, IAM roles, and S3 event configuration. Kiro's AWS integration ensures the infrastructure follows least-privilege principles and includes proper error handling for each service boundary.
3Junior Developer Learning Software Design
A junior developer is tasked with adding a caching layer to a REST API but isn't sure how to approach it. Kiro's spec workflow forces them to think through the design: what to cache, invalidation strategy, cache key structure, and failure modes. This structured approach teaches software design principles while the AI handles the implementation details. The spec becomes documentation that their senior engineer can review before any code is written.
Install Kiro on Mac
Kiro is available through Homebrew as a native macOS application. It's currently free during the preview period with an Amazon or AWS account.
Install Homebrew
If you don't have Homebrew, open Terminal and run: `/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"`
Install Kiro
Run the cask installation command: `brew install --cask kiro`
Sign In & Create Your First Spec
Launch Kiro, sign in with your Amazon or AWS account, and open a project. Use the spec panel (Cmd+Shift+K) to create your first structured specification for a feature—this is where Kiro's unique value starts.
Configuration Tips
Set Up Steering Hooks Early
Configure Steering Hooks in your project settings to automatically run tests after code changes, validate types, and check linting. This turns Kiro's agents into a continuous quality gate that catches issues the moment they're introduced.
Create Spec Templates
Build reusable spec templates for common feature types in your project: 'API Endpoint,' 'React Component,' 'Database Migration,' 'Lambda Function.' Templates speed up the planning phase and ensure consistency across your team's specifications.
Import VS Code Settings
On first launch, import your VS Code extensions, themes, and keybindings. Kiro supports the full VS Code ecosystem, so your existing workflow transfers directly while gaining spec-driven AI capabilities.
Alternatives to Kiro
Kiro's spec-driven approach is unique in the AI IDE space, but it competes with editors that take different approaches to AI-assisted development.
Cursor
Cursor is the market leader with free-form prompting, Composer for multi-file edits, and a massive community. It's faster to start using because you skip the spec phase, but the output can be less predictable for complex features. Kiro trades speed for structure—you spend more time planning but get more reliable results.
Trae
Trae (ByteDance) offers a similar AI IDE experience with its Builder agent mode, but uses adaptive learning instead of structured specs. Trae is currently free and learns your patterns over time, while Kiro enforces explicit specifications. Choose Trae for flexibility, Kiro for predictability.
Windsurf
Windsurf's Cascade agent provides autonomous multi-step coding similar to Kiro's agents, but without the spec-driven planning layer. Windsurf is faster for quick tasks; Kiro produces better results for complex, multi-file features where upfront planning pays dividends.
Pricing
Kiro is **free during the preview period** with generous AI usage limits. Amazon has not yet announced pricing for the general availability release. An Amazon or AWS account is required to sign in. Given Amazon's enterprise focus, expect competitive pricing that undercuts Cursor's $20/month Pro tier.
Pros
- ✓Spec-driven approach produces more predictable, traceable code
- ✓Steering Hooks automate testing, linting, and documentation
- ✓Autonomous background agents catch issues before code review
- ✓Deep AWS integration for cloud-native development
- ✓Free during preview with generous AI usage limits
Cons
- ✗Spec workflow adds upfront planning time compared to free-form prompts
- ✗AWS integration is less valuable for non-AWS teams
- ✗Preview stage means features are still evolving rapidly
- ✗Smaller community and fewer resources than Cursor
Community & Support
Kiro has a growing community centered around Amazon's developer ecosystem, with support through the Kiro documentation site, AWS developer forums, and social media. As a newer entrant backed by Amazon's resources, the community is smaller than Cursor's but growing quickly. Amazon actively collects feedback and ships frequent updates during the preview period.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kiro
Our Verdict
About the Author
Expert Tips for Kiro
Start with the spec workflow even for small features—it forces you to think through edge cases and acceptance criteria upfront, which produces dramatically better AI output than free-form prompting.
Configure Steering Hooks to run your test suite after every AI-generated change. This creates a tight feedback loop where the agent knows immediately if its code breaks something.
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