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Pradeep Karanam
Pradeep Karanam

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The New Way of Code: Hackathon Revelation with Kiro

#kiro #hackathon #mcp #python

How building a Python Package MCP Server showed us that spec-driven development isn't just the future—it's here

We went into this hackathon thinking we would build a quick MCP server to help AI agents understand Python packages better. Simple enough, parse some dependency files, hit PyPI APIs, return metadata.

But something weird happened. Instead of diving straight into code, we found myself spending time describing exactly what we wanted. Not just "build an MCP server," but detailed specs.

We weren't coding anymore. We were spec'ing.

The Spec-First Revelation

Working with Kiro felt different from any coding experience we've had. We weren't writing functions or debugging syntax errors. We were having a conversation about intent.

The more precise our specifications, the better the results. It was like Sean Grove's (OpenAI) talk about spec-driven development coming to life. The spec wasn't documentation written after the fact—it was the primary artifact that everything else flowed from.

Here's what blew our mind: We spent maybe 20% of my time describing what we wanted, and 80% of the actual implementation just... happened. The code that emerged wasn't just functional, it was clean, well-documented, and followed patterns we hadn't even explicitly specified.

@mcp.tool(description="Analyze project dependencies...")
def analyze_project_dependencies(
    project_path: Optional[str] = None,
) -> Dict[str, Any]:
    """Extract dependencies from requirements.txt, pyproject.toml, etc."""
    path = project_path or os.getcwd()
    info = _analyzer.analyze_project(path)
    return to_serializable(info)
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This isn't just generated code, it's the manifestation of a specification. The docstring, type hints, error handling, even the variable naming conventions all emerged from clear intent communication.

What Actually Got Built

The final MCP server does exactly what we spec'd out:

  • analyze_project_dependencies: Scans multiple dependency file formats with mtime-based caching
  • get_package_metadata: Local-first lookup with PyPI fallback
  • search_packages: PyPI search with intelligent exact-name fallback
  • check_package_compatibility: Version conflict detection
  • get_latest_version: Latest version lookup with prerelease handling

But here's the thing, we didn't write most of this code. We specified the behavior, and Kiro translated that specification into working software. The local-first strategy, intelligent caching, graceful error handling, all of that emerged from clear communication about intent.

We were writing the fundamental rules, and the system was interpreting and implementing them consistently across the entire codebase.

The Future is Spec-Driven

This hackathon made us realize something profound: we're witnessing the emergence of spec-driven development as the primary programming paradigm. Just like Sean Grove talks about, specifications are becoming the fundamental unit of programming, not code.

Think about it: when we specified "local-first metadata with PyPI fallback," Kiro didn't just implement a function. It understood the architectural implications, the error handling patterns, the performance considerations via steering docs. The specification became executable.

This feels like a fundamental shift. In the old world, we wrote code and hoped it matched our intent. In this new world, we write specifications and the system ensures they're implemented correctly and consistently.

The most valuable skill isn't syntax anymore—it's communicating intent with precision. Being able to articulate exactly what you want, with all the edge cases and architectural considerations, that's the new superpower.

What This Means

We walked into this hackathon thinking we'd build a simple MCP server. We walked out realizing we experienced the future of software development.

The code exists, it works, it's production-ready. But more importantly, it exists as a direct translation of human intent into machine behavior. The specification was the source of truth that compiled to working software.

We're not just building better tools—we're fundamentally changing how software gets made. And honestly? It feels pretty exciting.

Built during a hackathon using Kiro. The complete source code and specifications are available on GitHub.

Authored this post in collaboration with my team members: Vamsi Praveen Karanam and Kartheek Penagamuri.

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