Kiro: AI IDE for Spec-Driven Development

[baoshi.rao]

Introduction

Kiro is an AI IDE (Integrated Development Environment) designed to streamline the software development process from prototype to production. It helps developers by bringing structure to AI coding through 'spec-driven development,' enabling them to tame complexity, automate tasks with agent hooks, and integrate various tools and data. Visit Kiro.

How to Use Kiro

Users interact with Kiro by providing prompts, which the AI transforms into clear requirements, system designs, and discrete tasks. Developers collaborate with Kiro on specifications and architecture, and Kiro's AI agents then implement the spec. Tasks can be automated by delegating them to AI agents that trigger on events like 'file save.' Kiro also supports multimodal input, allowing users to provide UI designs or architecture whiteboarding photos to guide the implementation process.

Core Features

• AI IDE for prototype to production
• Spec-driven development
• Agent hooks for task automation (e.g., generating documentation, unit tests, code optimization)
• Multimodal chat
• Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration for connecting to docs, databases, APIs
• Autopilot mode for autonomous execution of large tasks
• Configurable agent interaction via steering files
• Support for state-of-the-art AI models (Claude Sonnet 3.7, Sonnet 4)
• VS Code compatibility (Open VSX plugins, themes, settings)
• Image input for UI design or architecture guidance
• Code diffs for reviewing changes

Use Cases

1. Building secure file sharing applications from scratch quickly.
2. Creating games without extensive manual coding.
3. Accelerating development from concept to working prototype in a short timeframe (e.g., a weekend).
4. Generating detailed user stories and capturing requirements like a product manager.
5. Automating routine development tasks such as documentation generation, unit testing, and code performance optimization.
6. Implementing complex features on larger codebases with fewer prompts and less repetition.

Pricing

• Kiro Free: $0/month (50 interactions/month)
• Kiro Pro: $19/month (1,000 interactions/month)
• Kiro Pro+: $39/month (3,000 interactions/month)

FAQ

• What is spec-driven development? How is it different from vibe coding?
• How can I get started with Kiro?
• What programming languages does Kiro support?
• What languages can I ask questions in?
• Can I import settings from my existing IDE?

For more information, visit Kiro's official website.