Kiro Quick Start Guide

Download and Install Kiro 2 minutes

Kiro is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Download the latest version from the official website:

System Requirements:

• macOS: 10.15+ (Intel or Apple Silicon)
• Windows: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
• Linux: Ubuntu 18.04+, Fedora 32+, or equivalent
• Memory: 4GB RAM minimum, 8GB recommended
• Storage: 500MB free space
• Internet: Required for AI features

First Launch and Authentication 2 minutes

When you first open Kiro, you'll be prompted to authenticate. You can use:

• AWS account (if you have one)
• Google account
• GitHub account
• Create a new account

After authentication, Kiro will ask if you want to import VS Code settings:

Create Your First Project 1 minute

Let's create a simple todo app to demonstrate Kiro's spec-driven approach:

1. Click "New Project" or use Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + N
2. Choose "Empty Project" template
3. Name it "todo-app"
4. Select a folder location
5. Click "Create"

Kiro will create a new project with the basic structure:

todo-app/
├── .kiro/
│   ├── specs/
│   ├── hooks/
│   └── steering/
├── src/
└── README.md

Generate Steering Files 1 minute

Steering files provide context about your project to Kiro's AI. Click the ghost icon in the sidebar and select "Generate Steering Docs".

Kiro will create three foundational documents:

• product.md - Your app's features and business logic
• structure.md - How your codebase is organized
• tech.md - Your technology stack and conventions

For our todo app, you can accept the defaults or customize them. These files help Kiro understand your project context for better code generation.

Create Your First Spec 3 minutes

Now for the magic! Let's create a spec for adding todos:

1. Open the Kiro chat panel (bottom of screen)
2. Switch to "Spec" mode (toggle at top of chat)
3. Enter this prompt:

Add a todo list feature where users can create, view, and delete todo items. Each todo should have a title, description, and completion status.

Kiro will now generate a complete specification with:

• Requirements - EARS format user stories
• Design - Technical architecture and data models
• Tasks - Step-by-step implementation plan

Review each section and click "Approve" to proceed to the next phase.

Execute Tasks 2 minutes

With your spec complete, you'll see a task list in the Kiro sidebar. Each task has a "Play" button to execute it automatically.

Start with the first task (usually "Create data models"). Click the play button and watch Kiro:

• Generate the code files
• Add proper TypeScript types
• Include error handling
• Write unit tests
• Update documentation

Test Your Application 1 minute

After all tasks are complete, test your todo app:

# Install dependencies (if needed)
npm install

# Run tests
npm test

# Start development server
npm run dev

Your todo app should now be running with:

• ✅ Working CRUD operations
• ✅ Proper error handling
• ✅ Unit tests
• ✅ TypeScript types
• ✅ Documentation