Common Questions
General
What is Kiro?
Kiro is an agentic AI with an [IDE](/docs/) and [CLI](/docs/cli/) that helps you go from prototype to production with spec-driven development. From simple to complex tasks, Kiro works alongside you to turn prompts into detailed specs, then into working code, docs, and tests—so what you build is exactly what you want and ready to share with your team. Kiro’s agents help you solve challenging problems and automate tasks like generating documentation and unit tests. With Kiro, you can build beyond prototypes while being in the driver’s seat every step of the way.
What is spec-driven development? How is it different from vibe coding?
Developing with specs keeps the fun of vibe coding, but fixes some of its limitations: vibe coding can require too much guidance on complex tasks or when building on top of large codebases, and it can misinterpret context. When implementing a task with vibe coding, it’s difficult to keep track of all the decisions that were made along the way, and document them for your team. By using specs, Kiro works alongside you to define requirements, system design, and tasks to be implemented before writing any code. This approach explicitly documents the reasoning and implementation decisions, so Kiro can implement more complex tasks in fewer shots.
How can I get started with Kiro?
Kiro works as a standalone agentic [IDE](/docs/) or [CLI](/docs/cli). [Download](/downloads/) the installer for your operating system, and log in with GitHub, Google, AWS Builder ID, or AWS IAM Identity Center. You do not need an AWS account to use Kiro. For more, see [documentation](/docs).
What programming languages does Kiro support?
Kiro supports a variety of programming languages that developers use in their day to day work. This list includes, but is not limited to Python, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, C#, Go, Rust, PHP, Ruby, Kotlin, C, C++, shell scripting, SQL, Scala, JSON, YAML, and HCL.
Can I import settings from my existing IDE?
Kiro is based on Code OSS, so you can [import your VS Code settings, themes, and Open VSX compatible plugins](/docs/guides/migrating-from-vscode/) in the Kiro onboarding flow.
Is Kiro pricing different in AWS GovCloud (US) regions?
Yes, Kiro pricing in AWS GovCloud (US) regions is approximately 20% higher than standard commercial region pricing. All Kiro subscription tiers (Pro, Pro+, and Power) are subject to this regional pricing adjustment when accessed through AWS GovCloud (US) regions.
Is the free tier available for Enterprise, including AWS GovCloud (US), regions?
No, the free tier is not available in Kiro Enterprise and AWS GovCloud (US) regions. All Kiro subscription tiers (Pro, Pro+, and Power) are subject to this regional pricing adjustment when accessed through AWS GovCloud (US) regions.