Amazon launches Kiro, a new specs-driven IDE for vibe coding with built-in AI agents

Amazon Web Services has introduced Kiro, a new AI-integrated IDE now in preview that helps developers turn ideas into production-ready code using AI. Unlike other agentic IDEs like Windsurf Editor, Firebase Studio or Cursor, Kiro centers on structured specifications rather than prompts. Its Kiro Specs feature lets developers define project requirements, which are then translated into Easy Approach to Requirements Syntax (EARS)-formatted user stories.

Kiro uses these specs or existing codebases to automatically generate design documents, including TypeScript interfaces, API endpoints, database schemas, and data flow diagrams. It breaks development into tasks and subtasks, such as testing and accessibility, each of which can be triggered and executed with AI assistance. Built on the open-source Visual Studio Code architecture, Kiro supports major programming languages and is compatible with Linux, macOS, and Windows. It uses Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet 4 model by default, with 3.7 as backup, and more model options on the way.

To extend functionality, Kiro integrates with external tools via Model Context Protocol and supports event-driven automations called Kiro Hooks, which trigger actions like code scans or documentation updates when files change. It also includes an AI coding assistant for inline development. The preview version is currently free, with paid plans starting at 19/month launching later.