Spec-Driven Development with Kiro

This course is intended for:

- Software developers and engineers

- Technical leads adopting AI-assisted development workflows

- Development teams adopting agentic coding practices

- DevOps engineers integrating AI agents into delivery pipelines

In this course, you learn to do the following:

• Implement spec-driven development workflows using specifications to plan, design, and execute features and fixes
• Configure and control agent behavior using steering files, context providers, execution modes (Autopilot and Supervised), and custom subagents
• Extend agent capabilities using Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and Kiro Powers to integrate external tools, services, and domain expertise
• Automate and scale development workflows using agent hooks, agent skills, shared steering, and custom subagents
• Build and share reusable agent capabilities by creating custom Kiro Powers, agent skills, and custom subagents for team-specific workflows
• Apply enterprise governance controls for MCP registry allowlisting, model governance, and extension management

Day 1

Module 1: Introduction to Agentic Development with Kiro

• The agentic coding paradigm and Kiro core capabilities
• Five principles of effective agentic development
• Kiro IDE vs Kiro CLI
• Vibe sessions, Spec sessions, and model selection

Module 2: Spec-Driven Development with Feature Specs

• The three-phase spec workflow (Requirements, Design, Tasks)
• Requirements-First workflow and EARS notation
• Design-First workflow (High-Level and Low-Level Design)
• Correctness with property-based testing

Module 3: Steering, Context, and Agent Control

• Steering files and foundational context
• Custom steering files and inclusion modes (always, fileMatch, manual, auto)
• Workspace and global scope
• Context providers and session management
• Autopilot and Supervised execution modes
• Trusted commands and trusted tools

Module 4: Bugfix Specs

• When to use Bugfix Specs
• The bugfix analysis phase: current, expected, and unchanged behavior
• Root cause analysis and design
• Property-based testing for regression prevention

Day 1 Lab: Kiro Spec-Driven Development Foundations

Day 2

Module 5: MCP Servers and Tool Integration

• Model Context Protocol fundamentals and client-server architecture
• Configuring MCP servers at workspace and user scope
• Managing servers, tools, and auto-approve
• Using MCP tools in chat and troubleshooting

Module 6: Kiro Powers

• The context overload problem and how Powers solve it
• Power directory structure (POWER.md, mcp.json, steering)
• Installing and using Powers from the IDE and kiro.dev
• Authoring and sharing custom Powers

Module 7: Agent Hooks, Skills, and Custom Subagents

• Agent hooks: triggers, actions, and creation
• Agent skills: portable instruction packages with progressive disclosure
• Custom subagents: scoped tool permissions and delegation
• Skills vs Steering vs Powers

Module 8: Team Collaboration and Enterprise Governance

• Shared workspace configuration through the .kiro directory
• Steering file organization and spec review conventions for teams
• Enterprise governance: MCP registry allowlisting, model governance, extension registry, web tools
• Day 2 Lab: Extending and Automating with Kiro

We recommend that attendees of this course have:

• Proficiency in at least one programming language
• Working knowledge of Git version control
• Basic understanding of RESTful APIs and cloud application concepts
• Foundational knowledge of generative AI concepts (LLMs, tokens, inference)

None

The following courses are recommended for further learning and development:

• GK1979 - DevOps Engineering on AWS
• GK910027 - Generative AI Essentials on AWS
• GK910033 - Advanced Generative AI Development on AWS