Agent Architecture

Kiro

Kiro is an AWS-backed agentic IDE with product tabs for CLI, IDE, Web, Mobile, and Enterprise. Its docs emphasize specs, steering, hooks, agentic chat, MCP servers, privacy controls, and a downloads-based IDE setup.

Source reviewed #26Checked 2026-07-06

Setup guide Source

Run type

Desktop

Adapter

json-stdio

Source

OSS · kirodotdev/Kiro

Stars

★ 4k

Archive Context

This page is one host entry inside the full architecture archive and keeps multi-surface products visible instead of collapsing them into a single run type.

42 host archive

Host page

kiro

Run cohort

Desktop: 9

Archive route

/agents

Host Surface Perspectives

The host is the primary architecture boundary. Each runnable surface below separates what the host owns from what agent-connector can safely install for Kiro.

1 surface entry

Desktop

desktop

Host entry: A desktop app or standalone editor owns window state, sign-in, project indexing, embedded terminal behavior, and local product storage.
Host owns: The desktop host owns orchestration UI, model routing, approval UX, background jobs, and any cloud or app-store managed extension points.
Connector role: agent-connector can write documented workspace/global config and content files, but it does not replace the desktop runtime or UI shell. Current wired connector surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory, Action affordances.
Implementation consequence: Desktop surfaces need source-review separation because product pages often document capabilities while runtime state lives in app-managed storage. No visible host-native gap is currently tracked for this surface.

Verified Architecture

Source-checked on 2026-07-06. These notes are intentionally separate from the generated surface matrix below.

Sequence #26

Source pass

Current source review findings are kept as the first architecture section so readers can separate external evidence from the generated local coverage model.

Kiro describes itself as an agentic IDE, matching the desktop form-factor classification.
The adapter treats skills, memory, hooks, MCP, and manual-trigger actions as writable, while command prompt and subagent file surfaces remain outside current coverage.
Because Kiro is open, follow-up passes can inspect repository paths before promoting command or subagent gaps.

Runtime boundary

The adapter target is the IDE/extension style host, while Kiro product navigation now also exposes CLI, Web, Mobile, and Enterprise surfaces. agent-connector should show Kiro as multi-surface and avoid assuming one file contract across all clients.

Kiro docs describe it as an agentic IDE.
The docs list specs, steering, hooks, agentic chat, MCP servers, and privacy controls as core capabilities.
The product is AWS-branded through site terms and policy links.

MCP registration

Kiro documents MCP Servers as a core capability for connecting external tools and data sources. The connector should keep MCP configuration scoped to the Kiro surface being targeted, especially now that CLI and IDE tabs both exist.

MCP server support is host-native rather than inferred.
CLI and IDE configuration paths should be verified independently.

Hook bridge

Kiro explicitly documents hooks as intelligent triggers for repetitive tasks. This makes Kiro an important extension-host case for hook SDK design, but event-level claims should stay tied to Kiro docs and adapter tests.

Hooks are a documented core capability, not only a generic extension concept.
Specs and steering should remain separate from hook triggers.

Content surfaces

Kiro content surfaces include specs, steering, agentic chat context, MCP server setup, and privacy controls. Specs are especially important because they turn planning artifacts into a first-class host workflow.

Specs plan and build features through structured specifications.
Steering guides the AI with custom rules and context.
Agentic chat is the conversational execution surface.

Marketplace and host-only affordances

Kiro's host-only affordance is the combination of specs, steering, hooks, MCP, and multi-client product surfaces under a single agentic IDE brand. This makes it a strong reference for extension and IDE architecture.

The row should show IDE, CLI, Web, Mobile, and Enterprise as host nature labels where supported.
Amazon Q Developer CLI successor context should be kept related but separate.

Host-specific shape

Kiro is a desktop IDE/agent host with MCP, hooks, skills, memory, and manual-trigger actions wired; command prompts and writable subagents remain outside the adapter surface.

Form factor: Desktop.
Native surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory, Action affordances.
Wired surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory, Action affordances.
Visible gaps: none.

Hooks

Hooks enter through a host-launched command that exchanges event JSON over stdio.

MCP

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace and affordances

Current install is a direct native-file write path; any package artifact is manual unless a driver is added.

Runtime handlers: Action affordances.
User-visible affordances: Users see managed skills + actions + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary..

Known Limits

Do not transfer Amazon Q Developer CLI behavior into Kiro without Kiro-specific evidence.
Verify CLI and IDE storage separately before claiming shared adapter support.
Hook event details require current Kiro documentation, not generic trigger language.

Evidence checked

Kiro docs Kiro website kirodotdev/Kiro repository

Architecture Diagram

Host-specific flow for the Desktop surface.

json-stdio

1
Entry point: Desktop
Desktop or standalone editor app reads global/product storage plus workspace files before handing control to its embedded agent runtime.
2
Connector package
defineConnector package declares server, hooks, content, memory, and actions.
3
Adapter module: kiro
json-stdio renderer at src/adapters/kiro/index.ts.
4
Native host artifacts
Adapter writes MCP config + hook config + content files + memory/rules + actions through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
5
Runtime boundary
host launches JSON-stdio hook command
6
User-visible surface
Users see managed skills + actions + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.
7
Coverage ceiling
5/5 native surfaces wired. No visible host-native gap in the current coverage matrix.

Component Diagram

Static parts of the Kiro integration and which side owns each one.

Kiro host
Desktop surface owns the model loop, UI shell, config discovery, and native lifecycle for this integration.
agent-connector package
Normalizes connector declarations into MCP, hook, memory, content, and action payloads before delegating to a host adapter.
kiro adapter
Implements the json-stdio translation layer in src/adapters/kiro/index.ts.
Native artifacts
Adapter writes MCP config + hook config + content files + memory/rules + actions through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
Runtime bridge
host launches JSON-stdio hook command
User-visible surface
Users see managed skills + actions + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.

Runtime Sequence Flow

Message order from install to runtime for the Desktop surface.

1 · User / project
Choose host adapter
Install or update starts against Kiro; the selected surface is Desktop.
2 · agent-connector
Resolve connector declaration
The package reads connector metadata and routes it to the kiro adapter instead of exposing a generic host contract.
3 · kiro adapter
Render host-native shape
Adapter writes MCP config + hook config + content files + memory/rules + actions through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
4 · Kiro
Host loads artifacts
host launches JSON-stdio hook command
5 · Agent runtime
Run through host boundary
Users see managed skills + actions + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.
6 · Coverage matrix
Expose remaining ceiling
5/5 native surfaces wired. No visible host-native gap in the current coverage matrix.

Architecture Archive

The same five study axes are rendered for every host: runtime shape, hooks, MCP, memory, and host-only affordances.

Host-specific shape

Kiro is a desktop IDE/agent host with MCP, hooks, skills, memory, and manual-trigger actions wired; command prompts and writable subagents remain outside the adapter surface.

Form factor: Desktop.
Native surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory, Action affordances.
Wired surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory, Action affordances.
Visible gaps: none.

Hooks

Hooks enter through a host-launched command that exchanges event JSON over stdio.

MCP

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace and affordances

Current install is a direct native-file write path; any package artifact is manual unless a driver is added.

Runtime handlers: Action affordances.
User-visible affordances: Users see managed skills + actions + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary..

Special Feature Inventory

Host-specific capabilities separated from the generic surface matrix: lifecycle hooks, MCP registration, memory/rules, marketplace delivery, and UI or content affordances owned by the host.

Lifecycle hooks

Wired

Hooks enter through a host-launched command that exchanges event JSON over stdio.

MCP registration

Wired

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory and rules

Wired

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace delivery

Direct files

Current install is a direct native-file write path; any package artifact is manual unless a driver is added.

Host-only affordances

2/2 wired

Wired host affordances: Skills, Action affordances. Host-native gaps: none. Not confirmed: Commands, Subagents, Statusline handler.

Source Review Notes

Latest source pass for host-specific architecture details. This is separate from generated adapter coverage and local drift guards.

Checked 2026-07-06Open review source

kirodotdev/Kiro repository

Kiro describes itself as an agentic IDE, matching the desktop form-factor classification.
The adapter treats skills, memory, hooks, MCP, and manual-trigger actions as writable, while command prompt and subagent file surfaces remain outside current coverage.
Because Kiro is open, follow-up passes can inspect repository paths before promoting command or subagent gaps.

Evidence Map

Each host page ties public source evidence to the local adapter and drift guards that keep the rendered archive aligned with code.

Public source: kirodotdev/Kiro

Primary public repository or product source used for current host status and source links.

external

Open source

Local adapter implementation

Defines the install/uninstall behavior, native config rendering, capability flags, and any runtime parse/format bridge for this host.

local

src/adapters/kiro/index.ts

Platform metadata and host-native matrix

Records the form factor, public source target, ranking source, native host surfaces, and current agent-connector coverage cells.

local

site/src/platform-data.ts

Architecture drift guard

Asserts that every registered host has a page, diagram, host-specific brief, source link, form-factor band, and adapter-aligned surface data.

local

tests/docs/platform-drift.test.ts

Runtime Shape

Hooks are dispatched through a host-launched command. The adapter parses host JSON, calls the connector handler, and formats the reply back to the host contract.

MCP registration: Wired through this adapter
Hook bridge: Wired

Connector Surfaces

Static content

MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory

Runtime handlers

Action affordances

Surface Matrix

Wired means agent-connector installs it now. Host native marks support we know about but have not wired yet.

SurfaceStatus

MCP server

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Hooks

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Commands

Static content

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A

Skills

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Subagents

Static content

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A

Memory

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Statusline handler

Runtime handler

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A

Action affordances

Runtime handler

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired