Navigate your day with precision - that's the promise of KiraPilot, a cross-platform productivity application I built that combines task management, time tracking, and intelligent AI assistance. But here's the twist: I built this entire app with the help of Kiro, an AI coding assistant, and the results were beyond impressive.
๐ฏ What is KiraPilot?
KiraPilot is a desktop-first productivity application that helps you navigate your day with precision through beautiful design and smart automation. Think of it as your intelligent productivity companion that adapts to your patterns and provides personalized suggestions.
Core Features:
- ๐ Smart Tasks: Rich text descriptions, priority levels, dependencies, and week-based planning
- โฐ Focus Mode: Built-in timer with session notes and productivity analytics
- ๐ค AI Assistant: Natural language interface powered by Google Gemini
- ๐ Recurring Tasks: Automated recurring task generation with flexible scheduling
- ๐ Multi-language Support: 7 languages with comprehensive internationalization
- ๐ Analytics & Reports: Productivity insights and pattern recognition
๐ ๏ธ Technology Stack
I chose a modern, robust tech stack that would deliver native performance across platforms:
- Frontend: React 19+ with TypeScript
- Backend: Tauri v2 (Rust)
- Build Tool: Vite 7+ with HMR
- Database: SQLite via Tauri SQL plugin
- Styling: Tailwind CSS 4+ with HeroUI components
- Icons: Lucide React
- AI Framework: LangChain with Google Gemini integration
- ORM: SeaORM for type-safe database operations
๐ค The Kiro-Powered Development Journey
Here's where things get interesting. I used Kiro (an AI coding assistant) extensively throughout development, and it transformed how I approached building this complex application.
Specs-Driven Development with .kiro Structure
The foundation of our AI-assisted development was a comprehensive specifications system organized in the .kiro/ directory:
Project Steering (.kiro/steering/)
Three core documents guide all development decisions:
-
product.md: Defines KiraPilot's vision, core features, and design philosophy -
structure.md: Establishes architectural patterns, naming conventions, and code organization -
tech.md: Specifies the technology stack, development tools, and quality requirements
Feature Specifications (.kiro/specs/)
Each feature gets its own comprehensive spec folder with three key documents:
1. requirements.md - Detailed user stories with acceptance criteria:
User Story: As a user, I want to interact with Kira AI assistant through
natural language to control the app and receive intelligent suggestions,
so that I can manage my productivity more efficiently and intuitively.
Acceptance Criteria:
1. WHEN the user communicates with Kira THEN the system SHALL provide
a natural language interface using ReAct (Reasoning and Acting) pattern
2. WHEN Kira processes requests THEN the AI SHALL autonomously choose
appropriate tools from the available tool set based on LLM reasoning
2. design.md - Technical architecture and implementation details:
- System architecture diagrams (Mermaid charts)
- Component interfaces and data models
- Database schema with SeaORM entity definitions
- Error handling strategies and testing approaches
3. tasks.md - Implementation plan with trackable checkboxes:
- [x] 1. Remove local model infrastructure and simplify AI service architecture
- [x] 2. Create simplified Gemini-focused AI settings interface
- [x] 3. Implement enhanced interaction logging system
- [ ] 4. Create interaction details modal UI component
The Specs-to-Code Workflow
This structured approach enabled Kiro to:
- Understand Complete Context: Each spec provided full background, requirements, and technical constraints
- Generate Consistent Code: The steering documents ensured architectural consistency across all features
- Track Progress Systematically: Task checkboxes provided clear progress indicators and completion targets
- Maintain Quality Standards: Tech specifications enforced coding standards and quality requirements
Example Feature Development Flow:
- Specification: "AI Experience Refactor" with 8 detailed requirements covering user experience improvements
- Design: Complete ReAct architecture with tool integration patterns
- Implementation: 12 tracked tasks from infrastructure cleanup to UI enhancements
- Result: Sophisticated AI assistant with transparent reasoning and user-friendly interactions
This specs-driven approach was crucial to managing complexity while maintaining development velocity. Kiro could reference any specification to understand context, generate appropriate code, and ensure consistency with established patterns.
Automated Code Quality Hooks
One of the most impressive aspects was implementing automated code quality hooks:
# Auto-detection and refactoring of TypeScript `any` types
# Duplicate code detection and consolidation
# Automated linting and formatting on save
I created a hook specifically for enforcing typing standards that would find any use of the any type and replace it with specific types. This kept the codebase type-safe and maintainable throughout rapid development.
AI-Driven Development Steering
The .kiro/steering directory became my project's north star:
- Guides consistent technology usage across the codebase
- Automated requirements updates based on development progress
- Dynamic task prioritization and MVP scope adjustments
This steering approach ensured that even as the project grew complex, Kiro understood the architecture and could make consistent suggestions.
Most Impressive Code Generation
The standout moment was when Kiro helped generate a working AI agent with tools. It understood our data architecture and designed the interactions with the app autonomously. Here's what made this so impressive:
User: "How was my productivity yesterday?"
Kira: "Action: analyze productivity
Selected analyze_productivity tool based on user request analysis and current context
Okay, here's a summary of your productivity yesterday:
You had a total of 78 tasks, and you completed 28 of them.
You tracked 3 work sessions.
Your task completion rate was 36%.
Your average session length was 104 minutes.
Based on this, I recommend breaking tasks into smaller pieces and considering shorter, more focused work sessions. Scheduling regular reviews to adjust your approach could also be helpful."
Kiro generated the entire tool integration system that allows the AI assistant to:
- Create and manage tasks
- Schedule time blocks
- Analyze productivity patterns
- Provide contextual recommendations
๐ง Workflow Automation with Kiro AgentHooks
I automated several critical workflows with Kiro AgentHooks that dramatically improved the development process. Here are the 2 key tools from .kiro/hooks:
1. Fix Any Types Hook (fix-any-types.kiro.hook)
This intelligent TypeScript type safety enforcement tool automatically detects and fixes usage of any types:
What it does:
- Scans all TypeScript files for
anytype usage - Analyzes context to determine appropriate specific types
- Infers types from function usage and return values
- Uses union types and generics when appropriate
- Creates interfaces for complex object structures
Key Features:
- Zero manual intervention required
- Context-aware type inference
- Maintains functionality while improving type safety
- Follows project coding standards
2. Build, Lint & Test Loop Hook (build-lint-test-loop.kiro.hook)
This comprehensive quality assurance automation runs a complete development cycle until all issues are resolved:
The Process:
- Runs
npm run buildto check for TypeScript compilation errors - Executes
npm run lintto catch ESLint issues - Runs
npm run testto verify all tests pass - If any failures occur: Analyzes output and automatically fixes issues
- Loops back to step 1 until all commands pass without errors/warnings
Game-Changing Benefits:
- One-click quality assurance for entire codebase
- Automatic issue resolution with intelligent analysis
- Continuous loop until perfection is achieved
- Handles TypeScript errors, ESLint issues, and test failures simultaneously
3. Translation Management
With 7 supported languages, managing translations could have been a nightmare. Kiro hooks automated:
- Translation coverage validation
- Consistency checks across languages
- Automatic stub generation for new languages
๐ Spec-to-Code Excellence
I structured my development process around clear specifications, and Kiro transformed these into working code:
Specification Structure
- Requirements Definition: Clear feature requirements with acceptance criteria
- Task Generation: Automated breakdown into development tasks
- Scope Refinement: Dynamic adjustments based on progress and constraints
The Spec-Driven Approach Benefits
- Consistency: Kiro maintained architectural patterns across features
- Documentation: Automatic generation of comprehensive docs following development
- Quality: Continuous refactoring guided by AI suggestions
๐จ Beautiful UI/UX
KiraPilot supports both light and dark themes with smooth animations and a native-feeling interface:
The focus mode provides a distraction-free environment for deep work:
๐ Intelligent Development Practices
Working with Kiro taught me several innovative development practices:
Frequent Commits with AI-Guided Rollbacks
- Small, incremental changes with descriptive commit messages
- AI-guided rollback decisions when experiments didn't pan out
- Continuous integration with automated testing
Continuous Refactoring
- Real-time code quality improvements
- Automatic optimization suggestions
- Pattern recognition for architectural improvements
Context-Aware Development
- Kiro understood the entire project context
- Consistent code style and patterns across components
- Intelligent suggestions based on existing code patterns
๐ Multi-Language Support
One of the most complex aspects was implementing comprehensive internationalization for 7 languages:
| Language | Code | Native Name | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | en |
English | 100% (Reference) |
| Spanish | es |
Espaรฑol | 100% |
| French | fr |
Franรงais | 100% |
| German | de |
Deutsch | 100% |
| Vietnamese | vi |
Tiแบฟng Viแปt | 100% |
| Japanese | ja |
ๆฅๆฌ่ช | 100% |
| Portuguese | pt |
Portuguรชs | 100% |
Kiro automated much of the translation management, including quality assurance and consistency checks.
๐ Privacy-First Architecture
KiraPilot is built with privacy as a core principle:
- Local-First: SQLite database with offline-first approach
- Optional Sync: Cloud synchronization with user control
- Data Security: Encryption for sensitive information
- Transparent AI: Clear visibility into AI operations
๐ Results and Performance
The combination of modern technologies and AI-assisted development resulted in:
- Cross-platform: Native performance on macOS, Windows, and Linux
- Fast: Sub-100ms response times for most operations
- Lightweight: ~50MB memory footprint
- Scalable: Handles thousands of tasks and time entries efficiently
๐ Key Lessons Learned
1. AI as a Development Partner
Kiro wasn't just a code completion toolโit became a genuine development partner that understood context, maintained consistency, and suggested architectural improvements.
2. Specification-Driven Development
Having clear specs allowed Kiro to generate more accurate and contextually appropriate code, reducing debugging time significantly.
3. Automated Quality Assurance
The automated hooks for code quality meant I could focus on features and user experience rather than mundane maintenance tasks.
4. Documentation as Code
Kiro maintained excellent documentation that followed development progress, making the project self-documenting.
๐บ๏ธ What's Next?
The success of this AI-assisted development approach has me excited for future enhancements:
Upcoming Features (v2.x)
- ๐ Cloud synchronization (optional)
- ๐ฑ Mobile companion app
- ๐ฅ Team collaboration features
- ๐ Plugin system for extensibility
- ๐ Calendar integration (Google, Outlook, etc.)
Future Vision (v3.x+)
- ๐๏ธ Voice commands and dictation
- ๐ง Smart scheduling with machine learning
- โก Workflow automation and templates
- ๐ ๏ธ Integration with popular development tools
๐ Try KiraPilot Today!
KiraPilot is open-source and available for download:
- ๐ Website: kirapilot.nrl.ai
- ๐ฆ Downloads: GitHub Releases
- ๐พ Source Code: GitHub Repository
System Requirements:
- macOS: 10.15 (Catalina) or later
- Windows: Windows 10 version 1903 or later
- Linux: Ubuntu 18.04+ or equivalent distribution
- Memory: 4GB RAM minimum, 8GB recommended
๐ค Contributing
We welcome contributions! The project includes:
- Comprehensive development documentation
- Translation contribution guides
- Clear coding standards and quality checks
- Active community on GitHub Discussions
๐ญ Final Thoughts
Building KiraPilot with Kiro has been a revelation. The combination of AI assistance with clear specifications, automated quality controls, and intelligent development practices allowed me to build a complex, feature-rich application in a fraction of the time traditional development would have taken.
The most impressive aspect wasn't just the code generationโit was how Kiro understood the entire project context and maintained consistency across thousands of lines of code. This is the future of software development: human creativity and vision amplified by intelligent AI assistance.
If you're considering using AI tools for your next project, I highly recommend starting with clear specifications and letting the AI become your development partner rather than just a code completion tool. The results might surprise you!
What's your experience with AI-assisted development? Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
Tags: #ai #productivity #tauri #react #typescript #rust #development #opensource #hackathon
Connect with me:
- ๐ฆ Twitter: @vietanhdev
- ๐ผ GitHub: vietanhdev
- ๐ Website: kirapilot.nrl.ai
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