AI tools have changed how we code — but often, teams find themselves stuck in vibe coding. In this session, we explore how Spec-Driven Development with Kiro moves beyond reactive prompt-based coding toward intentional, structured approach. We explain how Kiro helps teams: - Capture and evolve specifications as living system blueprints. - Automate architecture, tests, and documentation directly from specs. - Align AI agents and developers around a shared context instead of ad-hoc prompts. - Integrate seamlessly with familiar workflows.

1. Malinda Kapuruge
Spec-driven Development with
November 2025

2. About me
Principal Engineer at Versent
AWS (SA-Pro certified)
PhD in Software Engineering (Adaptive Computing)
Play with new toys
A Tinkerer, a Dad and a Self-motivated Home Barista

3. Natural Language (prompts) ------> Code
Vibe coding

4. Intents
Requirements
Constraints

7. A Software Implementation is a projection
of a Requirement Specification

9. Spec-driven development
in the era of
AI agents needs
Unambiguous intent
Code generated via AI
agents needs traceability
and trust
AI agents can
use spec to
generate code
AI agents can cross-
check the generated
code using the spec
The spec itself
can be
generated using
natural language
via AI agents

10. Vibe
Coding
Natural Language -------------------------------------------------------------------------> Code
Spec-driven
Natural Language ---------------------------------[ Spec ]------------------------------> Code
AI Augmented Software Development

11. Preview in July 2025
Generally available - Since 17th of November

12. fork of VS Code
AI agent
powered IDE
Bi-directional
understanding
[specs <-> code ]
Opinionated
[ conventions, strong defaults ]
Durable agent memory
[steering, persistent spec]
AI model agnostic

13. Specification
Describe what the system
must do — the functional
expectations and behaviours
from a user or business
perspective.
EARS notation.
Describe how the
system will meet
requirements — the
architecture, data
structures, flows, and
technical decisions.
Breaks the design
into actionable
development steps
— that the agent
uses to generate or
modify code.
IF the subtotal of the cart is less than
100, THEN THE System SHALL prevent
free shipping
Implement access controls for
users of the shop
[ ] 8.1 Implement cart endpoints
- Create GET `/cart/:id` for retrieving tutor details
- Create POST `/cart/:id/item` to add an item to the cart

14. Workflow
Prepare
requirement
spec
OK
?
Execute Tasks
Prepare
Design spec
OK
?
Plan the
Implementation
Tasks
OK
?
No No No
Yes Yes
Yes
+

15. Spec is a first-class citizen
Specification
Implementation
Documentation
Tests
• Single source of truth
• In natural language (*.md)
• Improved collaboration
• Parallel workflows – humans and agents
• Clarity
• Better documentation
• Consistency
• Safe refactoring
• Reduced drift over time
• Traceability

16. Steering
A set of rules and preferences -
that guide the AI agent on how to
structure, style, and architect the
code it generates.
All API responses must include
timestamp, and a standardized error
object.
Business logic must not appear in
controllers; only in service modules.
All enums must be closed (no “open
string” enums).
Errors must use ErrorCode definitions
instead of arbitrary strings.
Pagination must follow a specific
pattern: {cursor, pageSize, hasMore}.
Scopes: workspace | global | team

17. Agent Hooks
automated triggers that execute
predefined agent actions when
specific events occur in your IDE.
Monitors API route files to
automatically create or update the
Swagger/OpenAPI specification file
when the API changes
Event
Execute
Prompt
Agent
Process
Prompt

18. Other Features
Checkpoints
- Gives you the power to rewind Kiro's changes to any point in your development session
MCP Support
- Allows configuring MCP servers to connect to external knowledge sources and services
- Extend functionality of Kiro or create custom tools for the workflow, e.g., connect to JIRA
Property-Based Testing (PBT)
- Ensure spec correctness
- Automatically translate NL specs into executable properties to generate test cases
- Unit tests – only check specific examples and edge cases
- PBT – regardless of data invariants and contract should always be true
Kiro-CLI
- Me no like IDEs
- https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/

19. Live Demo
What could possibly go wrong

20. Tips
• Use steering feature to keep all the lengthy instructions. This will free
up the LLM context window.
• Apply the correct scope of steering rules, e.g., all projects -> global
• Add steering rules prior to task execution. No re-work, Save credits.
• Test your hooks thoroughly. Limit by file patterns.
• Identify what are optional tasks, e.g., documentation.
• Multiple small declarative specs instead of one large spec.
• Context vs Steering rule

21. Questions ?
Disclaimer: All pictures used in the slide, ownership remains with the original authors