skill-to-kiro

Convert Claude Skills (SKILL.md format) into Amazon Kiro steering files automatically.

Overview

This Claude Skill transforms any Claude Skill's SKILL.md into a complete set of Amazon Kiro steering files (.kiro/steering/). It intelligently extracts goals, stack, structure, guardrails, and procedures, mapping them to Kiro's format with appropriate inclusion modes (always, fileMatch, manual).

What It Does

Takes this:

---
name: my-skill
description: Build awesome things
---

# My Skill
## Process
1. Do this
2. Do that

And generates this:

.kiro/steering/
├── product.md              (inclusion: always)
├── tech.md                 (inclusion: always)
├── structure.md            (inclusion: always)
├── code-conventions.md     (inclusion: always)
├── security-policies.md    (inclusion: always)
├── testing-standards.md    (inclusion: always)
├── python-implementation.md (fileMatch: **/*.py)
├── typescript-implementation.md (fileMatch: **/*.ts)
├── workflow-*.md           (inclusion: manual)
└── tools-and-integrations.md (inclusion: manual)

Features

✅ Intelligent Mapping - Automatically categorizes content into appropriate Kiro files
✅ Inclusion Modes - Sets always, fileMatch, and manual based on content type
✅ Security First - Redacts secrets and never includes credentials
✅ Safe Operation - Shows diffs and asks before overwriting existing files
✅ Complete Coverage - Generates all core Kiro steering files
✅ Language Support - Creates language-specific files for Python and TypeScript

Usage

In Claude

Simply say:

Convert this Skill to Kiro steering format

Or:

Port my SKILL.md to .kiro/steering/

Then paste your SKILL.md content or provide the file path.

What You'll Get

The skill generates up to 10 steering files:

Core Files (always included):
- product.md - Purpose, outcomes, stakeholders
- tech.md - Stack, frameworks, constraints
- structure.md - Layout, naming, architecture
- code-conventions.md - Style rules, patterns
- security-policies.md - Security requirements
- testing-standards.md - Testing approach

Language-Specific (fileMatch):
- python-implementation.md - Python patterns
- typescript-implementation.md - TypeScript patterns

On-Demand (manual):
- workflow-*.md - Procedures and runbooks
- tools-and-integrations.md - External integrations

Installation

Option 1: Upload to Claude

1. Download the skill zip file
2. In Claude, click the 📎 attachment icon
3. Upload the zip file
4. Claude will automatically load the skill

Option 2: Manual Setup

1. Create a skill directory structure:

mkdir -p my-skills/skill-to-kiro

1. Add the SKILL.md file to that directory

2. Reference it in Claude when needed

Example Conversion

Input: A skill for building REST APIs

Output:
- product.md - API development goals and principles
- tech.md - Express, FastAPI, database choices
- structure.md - Project layout and routing patterns
- code-conventions.md - REST conventions, error handling
- security-policies.md - Authentication, authorization
- api-standards.md - Endpoint design (fileMatch: api/**/*)

Mapping Logic

Inclusion Modes Explained

always

Loaded in every Kiro context. Use for foundational documents.

---
inclusion: always
---

fileMatch

Loaded when working with specific file patterns.

---
inclusion: fileMatch
fileMatchPattern: "**/*.py"
---

manual

Explicitly invoked when needed. Use for detailed guides.

---
inclusion: manual
---

Best Practices

Input Preparation

• Ensure your SKILL.md has clear section headings
• Include examples and anti-patterns
• Document tooling and dependencies
• Specify security requirements

After Conversion

• Review generated files for completeness
• Add TODOs for any gaps
• Adjust inclusion modes if needed
• Test with Kiro to verify context loading

Limitations

• Does not execute external commands
• Shows diffs but requires manual approval for overwrites
• Cannot access network resources during conversion
• Redacts but doesn't validate all potential secrets

Security

The skill never includes:
- API tokens or credentials
- Private keys or certificates
- Database passwords
- Personal access tokens
- Any string matching common secret patterns

All conversions are done locally with no external API calls.

Contributing

This is a Claude Skill that runs within Claude. To improve it:

1. Modify the SKILL.md file
2. Test with various input skills
3. Add more mapping rules as needed
4. Enhance the templates section

Example Skills to Convert

Works great with:
- API development skills
- Framework-specific skills (React, FastAPI, etc.)
- DevOps and infrastructure skills
- Testing and QA skills
- Documentation skills

FAQ

Q: What if my skill doesn't fit the standard structure?
A: The converter will do its best to map content logically. Review and adjust the output as needed.

Q: Can I customize the generated files?
A: Yes! The conversion creates a starting point. Edit the files to match your needs.

Q: Will it overwrite existing Kiro files?
A: No. It shows a diff and asks for confirmation before overwriting.

Q: What about secrets in my SKILL.md?
A: The skill automatically redacts common secret patterns. Review before committing.

Q: Can I convert multiple skills at once?
A: One at a time currently. Run the conversion multiple times for different skills.

Author

Martin Ristov