Overview
A guide on how to install Kiro CLI and the key configuration options in the cli.json settings file.
Steps
1. Installation
1.1. cURL
curl -fsSL https://cli.kiro.dev/install | bash
1.2. Homebrew
brew install --cask kiro-cli
2. Settings File
2.1. Purpose
A configuration file that controls Kiro CLI behavior. It manages feature toggles, default model, UI options, and more.
2.2. Location
- Global settings (user-wide):
~/.kiro/settings/cli.json– available across all projects - Workspace settings (per-project):
.kiro/settings/cli.json– available only in that project, takes precedence over global settings
2.3. Key Settings
| Setting Key | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
chat.defaultModel |
string | none | Default AI model |
chat.defaultAgent |
string | none | Default agent |
chat.enableThinking |
boolean | false | Complex reasoning mode |
chat.enableCheckpoint |
boolean | false | Workspace snapshots |
chat.enableTodoList |
boolean | false | TODO list feature |
chat.enableCodeIntelligence |
boolean | false | Code intelligence (LSP) |
chat.disableMarkdownRendering |
boolean | false | Disable markdown rendering |
chat.enableNotifications |
boolean | false | Desktop notifications |
chat.enableTangentMode |
boolean | false | Tangent mode (conversation branching) |
chat.greeting.enabled |
boolean | true | Startup greeting message |
3. Managing Settings via CLI
3.1. List All Settings
kiro-cli settings list
3.2. Check a Setting Value
kiro-cli settings chat.defaultModel
3.3. Change a Global Setting
kiro-cli settings chat.defaultModel "anthropic.claude-opus-4-6-20250610"
3.4. Change a Workspace Setting
kiro-cli settings --workspace chat.defaultModel "anthropic.claude-opus-4-6-20250610"
3.5. Delete a Setting
kiro-cli settings --delete chat.defaultModel
kiro-cli settings --delete --workspace chat.defaultModel
4. Settings Example
{
"chat.defaultModel": "anthropic.claude-opus-4-6-20250610",
"chat.defaultAgent": "my-project",
"chat.enableThinking": true,
"chat.enableCheckpoint": true,
"chat.enableTodoList": true,
"chat.greeting.enabled": false
}
5. Comparison with Claude Code
| Role | Claude Code | Kiro |
|---|---|---|
| Feature/behavior settings | settings.json | cli.json |
| Project context/rules | CLAUDE.md | Steering (.kiro/steering/) |
| Agent-specific instructions | — | Agent configuration prompt field |
| Auto-loaded context files | File references in CLAUDE.md | Steering + agent configuration resources field |
| In-session memory | MEMORY.md | N/A |
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