Kiro Recipes: 21 Short How-To Guides

Recipes are the short way to get one thing done in Kiro. Each one is a single task with numbered steps, a check, and the problems people usually hit.

If a recipe assumes a term you do not know, the linked concept chapter explains it in plain language. The cheat sheet condenses the same commands and files on one page.

Set up your project

Recipe	What you get
Create your first steering file	product, tech, and structure rules the agent reads every time
Use AGENTS.md as steering	one file that other tools also read
Add an MCP server	external tools and data for the agent
Add a Power	a one-click bundle for a whole technology
Create a custom agent	a scoped assistant with its own tools
Build a read-only reviewer agent	an agent that can read but never write
Write a skill	reusable instructions the agent loads on demand

Automate the chores

Recipe	What you get
Run tests on save with a hook	tests that run themselves
Keep docs in sync with a hook	documentation that follows the code
Fix a bug with a bugfix spec	a written analysis and a regression test before the fix
Run Kiro CLI headless in CI	the agent inside a pipeline
Schedule a Web automation	recurring work that lands as pull requests
Start a cloud session from the CLI	an agent that keeps running when your laptop closes
Run Kiro Crew 24/7	an always-on agent on your own hardware

Stay safe and in control

Recipe	What you get
Set up permissions.yaml	deny, ask, and allow rules for every capability
Keep secrets out with .kiroignore	files the agent never reads
Undo with checkpoints and rewind	a way back when a turn goes wrong
Compact a long session	room to keep going before the context fills

Tune the model

Recipe	What you get
Change the default model	the right model for the job, and what Auto does
Set the reasoning effort	faster and cheaper, or deeper, per session
Use Kiro CLI in JetBrains or Zed	Kiro’s agent inside another editor over ACP

Frequently asked questions

How long does a recipe take?

Most take five to fifteen minutes. The Kiro Crew and CI recipes take longer because they involve another system.

Do recipes work in the IDE, the CLI, or both?

Each recipe says which surface it applies to. Steering, MCP, agents, skills, permissions, and .kiroignore work across surfaces. /compact, rewind, and ACP are CLI-only. Checkpoints are IDE-first.

What if a command in a recipe does not exist in my version?

Update Kiro first. Each recipe notes the version a feature arrived in when the docs state one, and links to the official page.