Kiro, an AI-powered Integrated Development Environment (IDE) developed by a team at Amazon, is now available for public preview on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Built on the open-source foundation of VS Code, Kiro integrates AI agents into the development process, functioning as a pair programmer that can generate production-ready code and handle routine tasks.
Unlike traditional IDEs that immediately convert prompts into code, Kiro first creates a "spec" that outlines requirements, design, and tasks. This method, referred to as going from "vibe coding to viable code," allows developers to refine and review specifications before coding begins.
Once a spec is approved, Kiro divides the feature requests into manageable tasks and sub-tasks. The IDE incorporates "hooks," which are automated actions triggered by specific events, such as saving a file or committing code. These hooks can aid in generating documentation, running security checks, and identifying errors.
Kiro supports the Model Context Protocol for specialized AI behavior and features an embedded chatbot for queries, with context from files and documents. As it is built on Code OSS, it is compatible with existing VS Code settings and plugins.
During its public preview, Kiro is free to use and has "generous limits," allowing users to experiment with its features. After the preview, Kiro plans to offer a free tier alongside Pro and Pro+ paid options. Users can download Kiro as a 64-bit DEB package for Ubuntu or as a standalone binary compatible with most Linux distributions. Currently, it only supports English for prompts and specs, though additional languages are anticipated.
For further information and to download Kiro, visit Kiro’s official site.