MCP Server Overview
Relevant source files
The following files were used as context for generating this wiki page:The Kiro MCP Server is a component that exposes Kiro's system prompts, instructions, and development best practices through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). This allows any MCP-compatible AI assistant, such as Claude Desktop or Kiro itself, to programmatically access and utilize Kiro's extensive knowledge base for tasks like code review, feature development, and more. The server acts as a bridge between the Kiro system documentation and external AI tools.
Sources: mcp-server/README.md:3-7, mcp-server/QUICKSTART.md:5-8
Installation
The server can be installed using several methods, with uvx being the recommended approach for its ability to automatically download and run the package.
Sources: mcp-server/README.md:11-24, mcp-server/QUICKSTART.md:10-23
This diagram shows the recommended installation and configuration path.
Sources: mcp-server/QUICKSTART.md:11-15
Installation Methods
| Method | Command | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| uvx (Recommended) | uvx kiro-mcp-server | Automatically handled by the MCP client when configured. uv must be installed. |
| PyPI | pip install kiro-mcp-server | Standard Python package installation. |
| From Source | cd mcp-server && pip install -e . | For development purposes. |
Sources: mcp-server/README.md:13-24, mcp-server/QUICKSTART.md:10-23
Configuration
The server is enabled by adding a configuration block to your MCP client's settings file (e.g., ~/.kiro/settings/mcp.json or Claude Desktop's config file).
Sources: mcp-server/README.md:28-49, mcp-server/QUICKSTART.md:27-51
Basic Configuration
This example shows a typical configuration for an MCP client using uvx.
{
"mcpServers": {
"kiro-prompts": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["kiro-mcp-server"],
"disabled": false,
"autoApprove": ["list_instructions"]
}
}
}
Sources: mcp-server/QUICKSTART.md:30-39, mcp-server/examples/README.md:6-15
Configuration Options
| Key | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
command | string | The command to run the server, e.g., uvx or python. |
args | array | Arguments for the command, e.g., ["kiro-mcp-server"]. |
disabled | boolean | Set to false to enable the server. |
autoApprove | array | A list of tool names that can be executed without user confirmation. |
env | object | Environment variables to pass to the server process, such as KIRO_SYSTEM_PATH. |
Sources: mcp-server/README.md:30-38, mcp-server/examples/README.md:17-27
Development Configuration
For local development, you can run the server from source and specify the path to the system files using the KIRO_SYSTEM_PATH environment variable.
{
"mcpServers": {
"kiro-prompts": {
"command": "python",
"args": ["-m", "kiro_mcp_server.server"],
"env": {
"KIRO_SYSTEM_PATH": "/absolute/path/to/kiro/.kiro/system"
}
}
}
}
Sources: mcp-server/QUICKSTART.md:53-63, mcp-server/examples/README.md:17-27
Architecture and Usage
The Kiro MCP Server follows a standard client-server architecture defined by the Model Context Protocol. An MCP client (like an AI assistant) communicates with the server to discover and use its available resources, tools, and prompts.
This diagram illustrates the interaction between the client, server, and Kiro's system files.
Typical Interaction Flow
The following sequence diagram shows how a client might use the get_system_instruction tool.
Features
The server exposes Kiro's knowledge base through three main feature types: Resources, Tools, and Prompts.
Sources: mcp-server/README.md:9-11, README.md:154-158
Available Resources
Resources provide direct, read-only access to Kiro's core documentation files.
| Resource URI | Description |
|---|---|
kiro://system/complete-instructions | The full Kiro system instructions. |
kiro://system/capabilities | A document detailing Kiro's capabilities and features. |
kiro://system/guidelines | The development guidelines. |
kiro://system/quality-standards | The quality standards used by Kiro. |
kiro://system/response-style | The guide for Kiro's response style. |
kiro://system/workflow-patterns | A collection of common workflow patterns. |
Sources: mcp-server/README.md:53-59, mcp-server/QUICKSTART.md:86-93
Available Tools
Tools are functions that the MCP client can execute to query or retrieve information from the server.
| Tool Name | Description | Example Parameters |
|---|---|---|
get_system_instruction | Retrieve a specific system instruction document by its type. | instruction_type: "complete-instructions" |
search_instructions | Search for a query string across all available system instructions. | query: "MCP" |
list_instructions | List all available instruction types that can be retrieved. | (None) |
Sources: mcp-server/README.md:61-63, mcp-server/examples/README.md:33-41
Available Prompts
Prompts are pre-configured system messages designed to set up an AI assistant for a specific Kiro workflow.
| Prompt Name | Description |
|---|---|
kiro_assistant | Configures the AI assistant with the full Kiro system instructions for general use. |
code_review | Configures the assistant for performing code reviews based on Kiro's quality standards. |
feature_development | Sets up the assistant to follow Kiro's structured feature development workflow. |
Sources: mcp-server/README.md:65-67, mcp-server/examples/README.md:43-48
Troubleshooting
Common issues and their solutions are documented to help with setup and usage.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Server doesn't start/show up | Restart your MCP client. Check client logs for errors. Ensure uvx is installed and in the system PATH. |
| Can't find system files | Set the KIRO_SYSTEM_PATH environment variable in your MCP configuration to the absolute path of the .kiro/system directory. |
| Resources not showing | Verify the server is enabled in your MCP configuration. Try reconnecting the server from the client's MCP Server view. |
Sources: mcp-server/QUICKSTART.md:97-113, mcp-server/examples/README.md:54-66