Hi! I’m Girish, an AWS Community Builder and Cloud Tech Enthusiast, with expertise in delivering customer-focused and business-impacting cloud transformation programs of high complexity.
In my previous article, I shared how I used AWS Kiro’s vibe coding feature to build a Customer Lookup API powered by API Gateway, Lambda, DynamoDB, and AWS SAM.
Unlike traditional IDEs, Kiro is a GenAI-enabled IDE that supports both specs-driven development and vibe coding.
In addition to specs and vibe coding, Hooks are another powerful feature that automate repetitive tasks. This feature saves developers valuable time and allows them to focus more on the functional aspects of software development.
When working on rapid application development, automating repetitive tasks can save significant time and reduce errors. Kiro IDE, known for accelerating full-stack app development with AI-powered code generation, also supports the Hook feature, a powerful way to trigger automatic actions whenever your code changes.
In this article, we’ll explore how Kiro’s Hook feature works using a simple HelloWorld Python program. We’ll show how hooks can automatically update a README.md file whenever the Python code is modified.
I’ll then add another hook that not only creates or updates the README.md file but also runs Bandit, an open-source tool that scans Python code for common security vulnerabilities such as hardcoded passwords.
What Did I Build and Why?
I wanted to demonstrate how Kiro hooks are another value-added feature of this GenAI-enabled IDE. Hooks can automate repetitive tasks such as updating documentation or scanning code for security vulnerabilities.
Here are the two hooks I created:
Hook#1
Documentation update
Instructions for Kiro agent
The Python source files have been modified. Please review the changes and update the documentation accordingly. If there is a README.md file, update it to reflect any new functionality, API changes, or usage examples. If there is a /docs folder, update the relevant documentation files there. Focus on keeping the documentation accurate and up-to-date with the current codebase.
Hook#2
Documentation update and python code security scan using bandit
Instructions for Kiro agent
A Python file has been modified. Please: 1) Run bandit security scanning on all *.py files in the current directory and output the results in JSON format. bandit is installed in the virtual environment, and 2) Update the README.md file to reflect any changes or new information about the Python files in the project.
The goal wasn’t to build production-ready code right away, but to use a simple function to demonstrate how Kiro hooks can automate repetitive tasks allowing developers to invest their time in building business logic instead of routine maintenance.
Architecture/Design
Before diving in, let’s review the diagram to understand how these components interact.
What Are Hooks in Kiro IDE?
Hooks in Kiro IDE are automated triggers that run specific actions when defined events occur such as when a file is created, saved, or deleted. Hooks can also be invoked manually.
You can use hooks to:
- Update documentation automatically
- Regenerate API specs when endpoints change
- Generate commit messages or summaries based on updated code
- Run code scans when code is added or updated
Hooks bring automation directly into your development environment, making workflows smarter and faster without relying on external scripts. They save time by letting the AI agent handle repetitive tasks while developers focus on innovation and quality.
Review the Steps
Hook#1
Create a HelloWorld Function
Save the file
Saving the file will trigger the manual and you should see that a readme file has been created.
This is a simple example of how Kiro Hook took care of creating the readme file based on the function code. If you update the code further, then Kiro will update the readme document to align with the code.
Hook#2
Update the function code to add a parameter so that it takes the name and then print the message.
Also add a variable to store a hardcoded password. This update is required so that when hook is triggered, it finds a security vulnerability like hardcoded password.
Saving the file will trigger the manual and you should see that a readme file has been updated. Also, you will see a code scanning results informing you of a security vulnerability in the code due to hardcoded password.
Review readme file
You’ll see that:
The README.md file now reflects the updated function definition with the new name parameter.
The file also includes the security scan results generated by Bandit.
Not only has the README file been updated, but the security scan has also been executed , showcasing Kiro’s ability to perform multiple automated tasks.
Not only readme file has been updated, security scan has also been completed.
Conclusion
In this article, I demonstrated how Kiro can accelerate development by bringing automation directly into the development workflow, allowing developers to focus more on creativity and logic rather than repetitive maintenance tasks.
Whether you’re updating documentation, generating commit messages, formatting code, or scanning code, hooks act as your silent co-developer, working in partnership.
By starting with small, practical examples and gradually combining them, you can create a fully automated environment where every code change triggers meaningful actions.
Experiment with these hook ideas and see how Kiro transforms your everyday coding experience.
Generative AI is transforming the way code is built, and tools like Kiro make the process even easier. While debugging can become more challenging as more code is generated with GenAI, Kiro’s features such as spec-driven development and design documentation generation can help address these challenges.
I believe this is just the beginning, and these tools will continue to evolve rapidly!
Thanks for reading, and I hope you found this insightful.
Watch the video here:
𝒢𝒾𝓇𝒾𝓈𝒽 ℬ𝒽𝒶𝓉𝒾𝒶
𝘈𝘞𝘚 𝘊𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵
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