Claude Code vs Kiro: Anthropic's CLI vs Amazon's IDE
Compare Claude Code (Anthropic's terminal agent) and Kiro (Amazon's AI IDE). Both support Claude Skills but take different approaches to AI-assisted development.
Claude Code and Kiro both support Claude Skills but represent different development philosophies. Claude Code is a powerful terminal agent, while Kiro provides a structured, spec-driven IDE experience.
Development Approach
Claude Code is conversational and flexible: you describe what you want and Claude figures out how to do it. Kiro is structured: you define requirements, create a design spec, then execute tasks in order. Kiro's spec-driven approach helps with complex features that need clear documentation.
Skills Support
Both support SKILL.md format. Claude Code loads skills from .claude/skills/, while Kiro uses .kiro/skills/ and also has steering files (.kiro/steering/) for broader behavioral configuration. The skill ecosystems are largely compatible.
Interface
Claude Code: Terminal-first, works with any editor alongside. Power users love the efficiency. Kiro: Full VS Code-based IDE with visual diff review, task management, and built-in spec editor.
Pricing
Claude Code: Pro $20/month, Max $100-200/month. Kiro: Free tier available, Pro plans for additional features.
When to Choose Each
Choose Claude Code for maximum flexibility, terminal efficiency, and the largest skill library. Choose Kiro for structured development workflows, visual diff review, and spec-driven project management. They complement each other well — many developers use Claude Code within Kiro's terminal.