Getting Started with Kiro CLI: AI-Powered Development in Your Terminal

Technology Update

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May 16, 2026

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Kiro is an AI agent that works directly in your terminal — reading, writing, and running code so you can focus on designing systems and making decisions.

Starting a Chat Session

The simplest way to get started is to open an interactive chat session:

kiro-cli chat

Describe what you want to build, and Kiro handles the rest — reading your codebase, writing code, running commands, and verifying results.

Agents: Specialized AI for Every Task

Agents are JSON configuration files that define Kiro’s behavior for a specific context — whether that’s Rust development, AWS operations, or code review.

List available agents:

kiro-cli agent list

Create a new agent:

kiro-cli agent create --name my-agent

Switch agents during a chat session:

/agent rust-expert

Agents are stored in two locations:

• .kiro/agents/ — project-specific agents
• ~/.kiro/agents/ — global agents available everywhere

Configuring an Agent

Agents are simple JSON files. Here’s a minimal example:

{
  "name": "my-agent",
  "description": "My dev agent",
  "prompt": "You are an expert developer...",
  "tools": ["fs_read", "fs_write", "execute_bash", "grep", "code"],
  "allowedTools": ["fs_read", "grep"],
  "resources": ["file://src/**/*", "file://README.md"]
}

Key fields explained:

• tools — the tools the agent is allowed to use
• allowedTools — tools auto-approved without a confirmation prompt
• resources — files automatically loaded into the agent’s context
• hooks — shell commands triggered on agent spawn, before/after tool use, etc.
• mcpServers — integrate external MCP tool servers for extended capabilities

Built-in Tools

Kiro comes with a powerful set of built-in tools:

ToolPurposefs_read / fs_writeRead and write filesexecute_bashRun shell commandsgrep / globSearch files and directoriescodeAST-based code intelligenceuse_awsAWS CLI operationsknowledgeSearch indexed knowledge bases

Slash Commands

Inside a chat session, slash commands give you quick control:

CommandWhat it does/agent <name>Switch to a different agent/agent createCreate a new agent with AI assistance/agent editEdit the current agent's config/helpList all available slash commands

Validating Your Agent Config

Before using a new agent, validate its configuration:

kiro-cli agent validate --path .kiro/agents/my-agent.json

This checks for valid JSON syntax and schema compliance, catching errors before they cause issues in a session.

A Real-World Example: AWS Operations Agent

{
  "name": "aws-ops",
  "description": "AWS operations and management",
  "tools": ["use_aws", "fs_read", "execute_bash"],
  "toolsSettings": {
    "use_aws": {
      "allowedServices": ["s3", "lambda", "ec2"],
      "autoAllowReadonly": true
    }
  }
}

Why Kiro?

• Works entirely in your terminal — no IDE required
• Agents are version-controllable JSON files — share them with your team
• Hooks let you automate workflows around every interaction
• MCP server support extends Kiro with any external tool

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Have a specific stack or workflow in mind? Create a custom agent and tailor Kiro exactly to your needs.