Claude Code vs Kiro
Detailed comparison of features, performance, and use cases
98/100
Claude Code
The industry-leading agentic coding tool that lives in your terminal, understands entire codebases, and autonomously executes complex multi-file development tasks with unmatched precision.
Quick Verdict
Claude Code excels at agentic coding and complex refactoring with a score of 98/100. Claude Code represents the pinnacle of agentic coding technology.
85/100
Kiro
AWS's spec-driven agentic IDE that transforms natural language into structured requirements, designs, and tasks—enabling autonomous AI agents to work for hours or days with persistent context.
Quick Verdict
Kiro excels at agentic workflows and spec-driven development with a score of 85/100. Kiro represents AWS's strategic entry into agentic coding, differentiated by its unique spec-driven development approach.
📊 Visual Score Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of key performance metrics across six evaluation criteria
Technical Specifications
| Feature | Claude Code | Kiro |
|---|---|---|
| Core AI Model(s) | Claude Opus 4.5 (flagship, 80.9% SWE-bench), Claude Sonnet 4, Claude Haiku 3.5. Opus 4.5 outperformed all human engineering candidates on Anthropic's internal hiring tests. | Claude Sonnet 4.5 as primary model, with Auto mode that combines frontier models with prompt caching to optimize quality, latency, and cost. |
| Context Window | 200,000 tokens standard, with Sonnet-1M support. Agentic search understands entire project structures without manual file selection. Monorepo baseline ~20K tokens, leaving 180K for active development. | Large context support through Claude Sonnet 4.5. Persistent context across sessions enables multi-day autonomous work without losing project understanding. |
| Deployment Options | Terminal-native CLI via npm. Native VS Code and JetBrains IDE extensions. Headless mode for CI/CD and GitHub Actions. Enterprise deployment via AWS Bedrock or Google Cloud Vertex AI. | Standalone IDE (Code OSS-based) for macOS, Windows, Linux. CLI available for macOS and Linux. No AWS account required—sign in with GitHub, Google, AWS Builder ID, or IAM Identity Center. |
| Offline Mode | Cloud-based, requires internet. Designed for real-time agentic workflows. | Cloud-based, requires internet connection. Core agentic features depend on cloud AI inference. |
Core Features Comparison
Claude Code Features
- Agentic multi-file editing with autonomous planning and execution
- Industry-leading 200K token context window with full codebase understanding
- Native terminal integration with any IDE or editor
- Git workflow automation with PR creation and code review
- Model Context Protocol (MCP) for external tool integration
- Subagent architecture for complex task decomposition
- CLAUDE.md project memory for persistent context
Kiro Features
- Spec-driven development with auto-generated requirements.md, design.md, and tasks.md
- Autonomous agent that works for hours/days with persistent context
- Kiro Powers for dynamic context activation (Stripe, Figma, Datadog)
- Property-based testing (PBT) to verify code matches specifications
- Native MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration
- Agent hooks for automated documentation and testing on file events
- Multimodal chat supporting images and UI designs
- Agent steering files for project-specific customization
Pricing & Value Analysis
| Aspect | Claude Code | Kiro |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing URL | View Claude Code Pricing | View Kiro Pricing |
| Overall Score | 98/100 | 85/100 |
| Best For | Agentic Coding, Complex Refactoring, Multi-File Development, Code Architecture, Autonomous Task Execution | Agentic Workflows, Spec-Driven Development, Enterprise Development, AWS Integration, Long-Running Tasks |
Best Use Cases
Claude Code Excels At
- Autonomous feature implementation: describe functionality in natural language and Claude Code plans, implements across multiple files, runs tests, and creates PRs
- Large-scale codebase refactoring with full context awareness—maintains consistency across hundreds of files without losing context
- Legacy code modernization by analyzing entire codebases and executing systematic upgrades with rollback capabilities
- CI/CD integration via headless mode for automated code review, testing, and deployment workflows
- Complex debugging: paste an error, and Claude Code analyzes the codebase, identifies root causes, and implements verified fixes
Kiro Excels At
- Converting product requirements into structured specs and implementation plans before writing any code—ensuring alignment between stakeholders and developers
- Running autonomous agents on complex features overnight, returning to completed implementations with full audit trails of decisions made
- Enterprise development where compliance requires traceable specifications that map directly to generated code artifacts
Performance & Integration
| Category | Claude Code | Kiro | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDE Support | Terminal-native (works with ANY editor), plus native extensions for VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and JetBrains IDEs. | Kiro is a standalone IDE based on Code OSS. Supports VS Code settings import, Open VSX extensions, and existing themes. CLI available for terminal workflows. | Tie |
| Community | Active community | Active community | Tie |
| Data Richness | Comprehensive | Comprehensive | Tie |
| Overall Score | 98/100 | 85/100 | Claude Code |
The Bottom Line
Both Claude Code and Kiro are capable AI coding tools, but they serve different needs. Claude Code scores higher (98/100 vs 85/100) and excels in agentic coding and complex refactoring. The choice depends on your specific workflow, team size, and technical requirements.
Choose Claude Code if: you prioritize agentic coding and complex refactoring and want the higher-rated option (98/100).
Choose Kiro if: you prioritize agentic workflows and spec-driven development and don't mind a slightly lower score for specialized features.