What is kiro?
Kiro is a next-generation AI tool that transforms how developers write AI code. Developed by Amazon Web Services and launched in July 2025, it’s a spec‑driven integrated development environment (IDE) designed to move teams from “vibe coding” to production‑grade, structured development. Kiro is described as an agentic IDE that turns plain‑language feature ideas into specifications, design, tasks, and fully implemented AI code workflows. With Kiro, writing AI code is less about ad‑hoc prompts and more about intentional, automated engineering.
Key Features of kiro
Kiro brings several groundbreaking innovations to AI code workflows:
- Spec‑Driven Development – Converts natural‑language prompts into structured spec.md files including user stories, design diagrams, API/stub scaffolds, and task lists
- Agent Hooks & Automation – Agents trigger on events like file saves or Git commits to auto‑generate documentation, unit tests, or enforce coding standards across the codebase
- Multimodal Context & Steering – Accepts text prompts, architecture diagrams, JSON or UI images to guide AI code generation; steering rules let you define behavior for agents project‑wide
- Full Codebase Intelligence – Unlike single‑file code assistants, Kiro plans, scopes, and applies multi‑step changes across multiple files with full context awareness
- VS Code Compatibility – Built on Code OSS, Kiro lets you import familiar VS Code settings, plugins, and extensions for smooth onboarding
- Privacy & Security Controls – Offers enterprise‑grade encryption, opt‑out of training data use, IAM integration, audit tracking, and compliance support
Use Cases – Who Should Use kiro?
Kiro excels wherever structured AI code workflows are needed:
- Software engineers in startups prototyping full-stack features rapidly with spec-first planning.
- Enterprise development teams working on legacy or monorepo codebases, needing consistent documentation, standards enforcement, and onboarding flows.
- Product managers / engineering leads defining feature specs in plain language and delegating implementation via AI agents.
- QA & compliance-focused engineers leveraging agent hooks to ensure tests, documentation, and coding practices stay current.
- Rapid prototyping for web, mobile or API products—teams can go from intent to production-ready AI code within days.
Example scenario: A fintech team wants to add secure user authentication across microservices. In Spec mode, they define the feature in natural language, Kiro generates diagrams, tasks, integration tests, documentation, and implements across files—automatically enforcing security policies.
How to Get Started with kiro
Here's your step-by-step guide to begin with Kiro:
- Visit https://kiro.dev and sign up or join the waitlist.
- Download the installer for your OS (Windows, macOS, Linux).
- Sign in using GitHub, Google, AWS SSO, or AWS Builder ID (Builder ID unlocks integration with Amazon Q and other agentic features)
- Import your existing VS Code settings and plugins if preferred.
- Choose between Vibe Mode (prompt-first prototyping) or Spec Mode (structured planning-first workflow).
- Start a new feature: describe your intent in plain language; Kiro will generate specs, questions, tasks, and scaffolding.
- Review diffs, approve agent‑initiated changes, and let hooks automate documentation and testing.
- Explore agent hooks and steering files to implement team standards project‑wide.
Pricing / Free Trial Info: Kiro is currently in a free public preview, offering up to 50 agent interactions per month at no cost. AWS plans to introduce tiered pricing soon:
- Free: 50 interactions/month
- Pro: ~$19/month for 1,000 interactions
- Pro+: ~$39/month for 3,000 interactions
Note: Due to early popularity, AWS has imposed usage limits and a waitlist to manage scaling.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Structured, spec‑driven workflows improve AI code quality and reduce technical debt.
- End‑to-end automation from spec to implementation, testing, and docs via agent hooks.
- Multi‑file context awareness, ideal for complex feature implementation across codebases.
- Seamless migration from VS Code with support for existing extensions and settings.
- Enterprise-ready privacy, encryption, audit logs, and steering policies ensure secure AI code practices.
Cons
- Still in preview, so final pricing and long-term scalability are not fully settled.
- Daily or per-user limits, early users have reported throttle warnings if exceeding usage
- Steeper learning curve than simple chat-based code assistants, especially for Spec Mode entry-level users.
Top Alternatives to kiro
| Tool | Comparison Notes |
|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | Excellent for autocomplete; lacks planning, spec generation, and multi-file automation. |
| Cursor | Strong context editing; doesn't enforce structured workflows or hooks. |
| Claude Code | Chat-based AI code assistant; planning features exist but not integrated into IDE. |
| Amazon Q | Complementary to Kiro in chat-based assistance; Kiro adds agentic autonomy. |
Kiro clearly stands out for its intentional AI code automation, spec-first planning, and built-in enterprise tools—allowing developers to build with consistency and production-readiness from the start.
Frequently Asked Questions about kiro
Q1: What makes kiro different from GitHub Copilot?
Kiro uses spec-driven AI agents that plan tasks, generate documentation, and operate across files—unlike Copilot’s token-level suggestions.
Q2: Can kiro work on legacy or large monorepos?
Yes. Its spec mode and agent hooks help you understand and implement features across a complex codebase while enforcing standards.
Q3: Is there a free version of kiro?
Yes—currently in preview, with 50 free agent interactions per month. Paid tiers are expected after preview
Q4: Can I use my VS Code plugins with kiro?
Absolutely. Kiro is built on Code OSS and supports Open VSX plugins, themes, and settings from VS Code.
Q5: Is my code private and secure?
Yes. Kiro encrypts code, offers IAM integration, audit logs, and data opt-out for model training—designed for enterprise security compliance.
Q6: What industries benefit most from kiro?
Software engineering across fintech, healthcare, education, logistics, startups, and enterprise teams benefit—especially where quality, documentation, and automation matter.
By combining strategic planning, multi-step execution, and enterprise features in one environment, kiro sets the bar high for developer productivity in 2025—and beyond.