llms.txt
# Kiro Docs
> Kiro is an AI coding agent built around one unified agent harness: the same agent, sessions, and configuration across every surface. Use it in the Kiro IDE, the Kiro CLI, on the web, on mobile (iOS), with Kiro Crew for orchestrating teams of agents, and in any ACP-compatible editor. Capabilities include spec-driven development, steering, hooks, MCP, custom agents and subagents, skills, powers, and capability-based permissions. This index lists every docs page.
Each page has a Markdown twin at the same path with a `.md` suffix (`/docs/specs` becomes `/docs/specs.md`). Fetch the `.md` version for clean Markdown without site chrome. Child pages are indented under their parent.
## Start here
> Curated entry points for installing Kiro, understanding the unified agent, and learning core capabilities. Use these pages for broad or introductory questions.
- [Installation](https://kiro.dev/docs/getting-started/installation.md): Install Kiro as an IDE, CLI, web app, or mobile app and start building in minutes.
- [Your first project](https://kiro.dev/docs/getting-started/first-project.md): A hands-on walkthrough of Kiro's core features - steering, specs, hooks, and MCP - using a real project
- [How Kiro works](https://kiro.dev/docs/how-kiro-works.md): One unified agent harness powers every Kiro surface. Learn how it connects the IDE, CLI, Web, and Mobile, and why your setup travels with you.
- [Specs](https://kiro.dev/docs/specs.md): Use Kiro's structured specifications to break down complex features into detailed implementation plans with tracking
- [Steering](https://kiro.dev/docs/steering.md): Guide Kiro's AI with persistent context through markdown documents that define your standards, architecture, and conventions
- [Hooks](https://kiro.dev/docs/hooks.md): Automate repetitive tasks and enforce best practices with event-driven agent hooks
- [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://kiro.dev/docs/mcp.md): Model Context Protocol (MCP) extends Kiro's capabilities by connecting to specialized servers that provide additional tools and context. This guide helps you set up, configure, and use MCP servers with Kiro.
- [Models](https://kiro.dev/docs/models.md): Choose the right AI model for your development tasks in Kiro.
- [Billing](https://kiro.dev/docs/billing.md): Detailed breakdown of Kiro's service tiers and feature comparison.
## Get Started
> Installation, authentication, and first-project guidance across Kiro surfaces. Use this section when someone is setting up Kiro or learning the initial workflow.
- [Installation](https://kiro.dev/docs/getting-started/installation.md): Install Kiro as an IDE, CLI, web app, or mobile app and start building in minutes.
- [Authentication](https://kiro.dev/docs/getting-started/authentication.md): Sign in to Kiro using GitHub, Google, AWS Builder ID, IAM Identity Center, or your organization's identity provider
- [Your first project](https://kiro.dev/docs/getting-started/first-project.md): A hands-on walkthrough of Kiro's core features - steering, specs, hooks, and MCP - using a real project
## Models
> Model availability, capabilities, lifecycle, and reasoning effort. Use this section to understand or choose among available models, not for billing or general agent behavior.
- [Models](https://kiro.dev/docs/models.md): Choose the right AI model for your development tasks in Kiro.
- [Available models](https://kiro.dev/docs/models/available-models.md): Detailed descriptions of every AI model available in Kiro, including capabilities, behavior differences, and lifecycle status.
- [Reasoning effort](https://kiro.dev/docs/models/effort.md): Control how much reasoning the model applies to balance speed, depth, and cost
- [AWS GovCloud (US) models](https://kiro.dev/docs/models/govcloud.md): Compare models available to Kiro Enterprise profiles in AWS GovCloud (US).
## Features
> Shared agent capabilities across Kiro surfaces, including ACP, specs, steering, hooks, MCP, permissions, custom agents, workflows, skills, powers, compaction, checkpoints, and tools. Start here unless the question concerns surface-specific behavior.
- [How Kiro works](https://kiro.dev/docs/how-kiro-works.md): One unified agent harness powers every Kiro surface. Learn how it connects the IDE, CLI, Web, and Mobile, and why your setup travels with you.
- [Local command sandbox](https://kiro.dev/docs/sandbox.md): Limit what local agent shell commands and child processes can reach, control their network access, and optionally wrap stdio MCP servers.
- [Agent Client Protocol (ACP)](https://kiro.dev/docs/acp.md): Learn how ACP connects Kiro clients and compatible editors to Kiro's unified agent harness, and how ACP differs from MCP
- [Specs](https://kiro.dev/docs/specs.md): Use Kiro's structured specifications to break down complex features into detailed implementation plans with tracking
- [Feature Specs](https://kiro.dev/docs/specs/feature-specs.md): Build new features with structured requirements, technical design, and implementation planning
- [Requirements-First Workflow](https://kiro.dev/docs/specs/feature-specs/requirements-first.md): Start with the behavior of the system you want to create, then generate technical design
- [Design-First Workflow](https://kiro.dev/docs/specs/feature-specs/tech-design-first.md): Start with technical design and system architecture, then derive feasible requirements
- [Bugfix Specs](https://kiro.dev/docs/specs/bugfix-specs.md): Systematically diagnose and fix bugs with surgical precision while preventing regressions
- [Quick Spec](https://kiro.dev/docs/specs/quick-spec.md): Generate requirements, design, and tasks in one pass without approval gates between phases
- [Plan mode](https://kiro.dev/docs/specs/plan.md): Structured planning before execution - explore your codebase, gather requirements, and create implementation plans
- [Analyze Requirements](https://kiro.dev/docs/specs/analyze-requirements.md): Deep analysis that catches logical inconsistencies, ambiguities, and gaps in your requirements before implementation
- [Correctness with Property-based tests](https://kiro.dev/docs/specs/correctness.md): Ensuring specification quality through property-based testing and validation
- [Best practices](https://kiro.dev/docs/specs/best-practices.md): Best practices when using Specs with Kiro
- [Steering](https://kiro.dev/docs/steering.md): Guide Kiro's AI with persistent context through markdown documents that define your standards, architecture, and conventions
- [Hooks](https://kiro.dev/docs/hooks.md): Automate repetitive tasks and enforce best practices with event-driven agent hooks
- [Hook types](https://kiro.dev/docs/hooks/types.md): Learn about different hook trigger types and their use cases
- [Hook actions](https://kiro.dev/docs/hooks/actions.md): Learn about different hook actions and their use cases
- [Hook examples](https://kiro.dev/docs/hooks/examples.md): Practical examples and templates you can use in your projects
- [Hook management](https://kiro.dev/docs/hooks/management.md): Learn how to organize, edit, and maintain your hooks
- [Best practices](https://kiro.dev/docs/hooks/best-practices.md): Follow proven patterns for effective hook design and troubleshooting
- [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://kiro.dev/docs/mcp.md): Model Context Protocol (MCP) extends Kiro's capabilities by connecting to specialized servers that provide additional tools and context. This guide helps you set up, configure, and use MCP servers with Kiro.
- [Configuration](https://kiro.dev/docs/mcp/configuration.md): Configure Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers across IDE, CLI, and Web including configuration file structure, server setup, and management.
- [Server directory](https://kiro.dev/docs/mcp/servers.md): Directory of available Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and their capabilities.
- [Tools](https://kiro.dev/docs/mcp/usage.md): Learn how to use MCP tools, prompts, resource templates, and elicitation with Kiro for enhanced productivity and specialized capabilities.
- [Tool Search](https://kiro.dev/docs/mcp/tool-search.md): Reduce context window usage by loading MCP tools on demand
- [Examples](https://kiro.dev/docs/mcp/examples.md): Practical examples of using MCP servers with Kiro CLI
- [Best practices](https://kiro.dev/docs/mcp/security.md): Security best practices for configuring and using Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers with Kiro, protecting sensitive information and maintaining system security.
- [MCP registry](https://kiro.dev/docs/mcp/registry.md): Centrally managed MCP server access for enterprise teams using IAM Identity Center
- [Permissions](https://kiro.dev/docs/permissions.md): Control what the Kiro agent can do with capability-based permissions across IDE and CLI
- [Custom agents](https://kiro.dev/docs/custom-agents.md): Create and deploy specialized AI agents for your workflows
- [Built-in agents](https://kiro.dev/docs/custom-agents/built-in.md): Pre-configured agents that ship with Kiro for common workflows - planning, specs, debugging, and documentation help
- [Creating custom agents](https://kiro.dev/docs/custom-agents/creating.md): Learn how to create and configure custom agents for specialized workflows
- [Agent configuration reference](https://kiro.dev/docs/custom-agents/configuration-reference.md): Complete reference for agent configuration file format and advanced settings
- [Invoking as sub-agents](https://kiro.dev/docs/custom-agents/subagents.md): Delegate focused tasks to agents that run in parallel with isolated context
- [Agent examples](https://kiro.dev/docs/custom-agents/examples.md): Real-world examples of custom agents for common development workflows
- [Workflows](https://kiro.dev/docs/workflows.md): Keep working with Kiro while reusable, multi-step agent plans run in the background across IDE, CLI, and Web.
- [Author workflows](https://kiro.dev/docs/workflows/authoring.md): Create and validate declarative workflow recipes with steps, loops, branches, watches, templates, and artifacts.
- [Workflow examples](https://kiro.dev/docs/workflows/patterns.md): Adaptable workflow examples for investigation, feature delivery, verified troubleshooting, and pull request delivery.
- [Run and manage workflows](https://kiro.dev/docs/workflows/manage.md): Follow, steer, pause, stop, and recover declarative workflow runs across Kiro IDE, CLI, and Web.
- [Agent Skills](https://kiro.dev/docs/skills.md): Extend Kiro with portable instruction packages using the open Agent Skills standard
- [Powers](https://kiro.dev/docs/powers.md): Dynamic loading of context and MCP servers, giving your AI agent instant expertise for any framework or tool
- [Install powers](https://kiro.dev/docs/powers/installation.md): Install and manage powers from catalogs, GitHub repositories, or local directories
- [Create powers](https://kiro.dev/docs/powers/create.md): How to build your own powers using the Agent Plugins specification and share them with the community
- [Cloud sessions](https://kiro.dev/docs/cloud-sessions.md): Run agent sessions in a managed cloud sandbox and pick them up from the IDE, CLI, Web, or Mobile.
- [Memory](https://kiro.dev/docs/memory.md): Learn how Kiro carries useful project context across chat sessions.
- [Compaction](https://kiro.dev/docs/compaction.md): How Kiro automatically summarizes conversation history to keep sessions productive within model context limits
- [Kiroignore](https://kiro.dev/docs/kiroignore.md): Control which files Kiro can access using gitignore-style patterns
- [Checkpoints and rewind](https://kiro.dev/docs/checkpoints.md): Undo agent changes to your files or fork your conversation to explore a different path
- [Built-in tools](https://kiro.dev/docs/tools.md): The tools available to Kiro's agent - file operations, shell commands, web access, code intelligence, and more
- [Web tools](https://kiro.dev/docs/tools/web.md): Search the web and fetch page content - real-time internet access for the Kiro agent
- [Code intelligence](https://kiro.dev/docs/tools/code-intelligence.md): Tree-sitter and LSP-powered code understanding - symbol search, pattern matching, and codebase exploration
- [Configuration scopes](https://kiro.dev/docs/configuration.md): How Kiro resolves configuration across global, project, and agent scopes — complete reference of all configurable features
## IDE 1.x
> Desktop IDE setup, editor and chat interfaces, source control, terminal and dev-server integration, experimental features, troubleshooting, and 1.x/0.x release guidance. Use shared Features pages unless behavior or UI is specific to the IDE.
- [IDE](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide.md): Features unique to the Kiro desktop IDE — editor, specs, chat, and inline completions
- [What's new in IDE 1.0](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/whats-new-v1.md): New features, improvements, and migration steps for IDE 1.0.
- [Capability-based permissions](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/whats-new-v1/permissions.md): The new capability-based permissions model in Kiro IDE 1.0, replacing 0.x trusted commands and the command denylist
- [Hooks](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/whats-new-v1/hooks.md): The new structured JSON schema for hooks in Kiro IDE 1.0 — triggers, actions, and migration from the previous format
- [Agent config changes](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/whats-new-v1/agent-config.md): New optional fields and Markdown format for agent profiles in Kiro IDE 1.0
- [Improved compaction](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/whats-new-v1/compaction.md): How context compaction works in Kiro IDE 1.0 with checkpoint-based session persistence
- [Setup & First Run](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/setup.md): What to expect when you launch Kiro IDE for the first time - onboarding, settings import, and getting oriented
- [Kiro Interface](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/editor/interface.md): A comprehensive guide to navigating and using the Kiro IDE interface
- [Keyboard Shortcuts](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/editor/keyboard-shortcuts.md): A comprehensive guide to keyboard shortcuts in Kiro IDE
- [Source Control](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/editor/source-control.md): Manage Git operations with AI-powered commit message generation and comprehensive version control features
- [Multi-root Workspaces](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/editor/multi-root-workspaces.md): Understand how Kiro specs, steering files, hooks, etc. work in multi-root workspaces
- [Custom extension registry](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/editor/extension-registry.md): Configure Kiro to use a custom extension registry
- [Chat](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/chat.md): Learn how to use Kiro's chat interface for contextual conversations, development assistance, and code generation
- [Autopilot](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/chat/autopilot.md): Learn about Kiro Agent's Autopilot mode
- [Agent Artifacts](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/chat/artifacts.md): Review durable outputs that agents create during an IDE chat session.
- [Slash commands](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/chat/slash-commands.md): Access steering files, agents, and skills directly from the chat input using slash commands
- [Agent Notifications](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/chat/notifications.md): Configure notifications for agent events to stay informed about AI operations
- [Dockable chat](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/chat/chat-in-editor.md): Open chat sessions as editor tabs for a full-width conversation view alongside your code.
- [Export sessions](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/chat/chat-export.md): Export chat sessions to portable files for sharing, archiving, or reviewing outside Kiro.
- [Terminal integration](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/chat/terminal.md): Execute commands and interact with your system through Kiro's integrated terminal capabilities
- [Dev servers](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/chat/dev-servers.md): Manage long-running processes like development servers and build watchers without blocking your workflow
- [Experimental features](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/experimental.md): Preview features in Kiro IDE that are still being refined based on feedback.
- [Agent Focus Mode](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/experimental/focus-mode.md): A dedicated agent-first view that puts conversations, sessions, and specs at the center of your workflow.
- [IDE 0.x reference](https://kiro.dev/docs/ide/0x-reference.md): Reference documentation for Kiro IDE 0.x hooks and formats that changed in 1.0
## CLI
> Kiro CLI setup and terminal-specific workflows, including chat and session management, headless use, ACP, autocomplete, experimental features, and release migrations. Use Commands and Reference for exact CLI or slash-command syntax.
- [CLI](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli.md): Command-line interface for Kiro - build, test, and deploy from anywhere
- [What's new in CLI V3](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/v3.md): CLI V3 runs the unified agent harness in your terminal. What changed from 2.x, breaking changes, step-by-step migration, and new features.
- [Migration guide](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/v3/migration-guide.md): Step-by-step guide to migrate from Kiro CLI 2.x to V3
- [Upgrading agent configs](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/v3/upgrade-agent.md): Migrate older agent configurations to the V3 format with tag-based tools and unified permissions
- [Permissions migration](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/v3/permissions.md): Migrating from CLI 2.x per-tool rules to the capability-based permissions model in CLI V3
- [Hooks migration](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/v3/hooks-migration.md): Migrating CLI 2.x object-form Hooks to CLI V3 inline arrays or standalone Hook files
- [Migrate an ACP client to CLI V3](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/v3/acp-migration.md): Update an ACP client from the CLI v2 ACP server to the CLI V3 server
- [Agent config changes](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/v3/agent-config.md): New optional fields and Markdown format for agent profiles in CLI V3
- [New features in V3](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/v3/new-features.md): New capabilities in Kiro CLI V3 — plan mode, permissions, hooks, built-in tools, and more
- [Tangent](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/v3/tangent.md): Branch your conversation into side-conversations, explore freely, then jump back to exactly where you left off
- [Setup & First Run](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/setup.md): Get up and running with Kiro CLI in minutes — from first install to productive coding
- [Terminal UI](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/terminal-ui.md): A rich chat experience for Kiro CLI with syntax highlighting, interactive panels, and a polished terminal-native interface
- [Terminal UI vs classic](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/terminal-ui/comparison.md): A comparison of the terminal UI and classic interface in Kiro CLI, including what's new, what changed, and what's not available yet
- [Chat](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/chat.md): Interacting with Kiro CLI
- [Session Management](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/chat/session-management.md): Automatic session saving, resumption, and custom storage integration
- [Goal](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/chat/goal.md): Start an autonomous agent loop that iterates toward an objective with built-in verification
- [Queue steering](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/chat/queue-steering.md): Send messages to the agent while it's working to redirect its approach without cancelling
- [In-session settings](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/chat/settings.md): Configure response output, theme, keybindings, terminal input, display preferences, feature toggles, and prompt history from within a chat session
- [Manage prompts](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/chat/manage-prompts.md): Create, organize, and reuse custom prompts for efficient CLI interactions
- [File references](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/chat/file-references.md): Include file contents or directory listings inline using @path syntax
- [Context management](https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/c
