The latest articles on Forem by Alessandro Dodi (@alessandro_dodi_365fe5a0b). https://forem.com/alessandro_dodi_365fe5a0b https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3492713%2F56bf20d3-e95f-439a-93d5-e9310e434c13.jpg https://forem.com/alessandro_dodi_365fe5a0b en Alessandro Dodi Mon, 15 Sep 2025 19:34:22 +0000 https://forem.com/kirodotdev/how-kiro-got-peekberry-to-production-and-our-first-client-4709 https://forem.com/kirodotdev/how-kiro-got-peekberry-to-production-and-our-first-client-4709 <p>When building something as ambitious as <strong>Peekberry</strong>—a Chrome extension and webapp that lets anyone restyle a website with natural language—you quickly realize a good idea isn’t enough. To actually ship, you need speed, structure, and a way to keep a fast-moving project from spiraling out of control.</p> <p>That’s where <strong>Kiro</strong>, an AI-powered IDE assistant, became the backbone of our process. From planning and architecture to implementation and release automation, Kiro shaped every part of Peekberry’s development workflow. The result: a modern product that shipped fast, stayed maintainable, and was stable enough to reach real users.</p> <p>👉 Try it yourself at <a href="https://peekberry.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">peekberry.com</a>.</p> <h2> Why Peekberry Exists </h2> <p>Peekberry is designed for non-technical teams—sales reps, product managers, and designers who want to <strong>experiment with visual changes instantly</strong>. Instead of waiting through endless dev cycles, they just type something like:</p> <blockquote> <p>“Make the title bigger and move the button to the center.”</p> </blockquote> <p>Peekberry applies the change live in the browser.</p> <p>That deceptively simple moment is powered by a carefully structured workflow. Here’s how Kiro made it possible.</p> <h2> Specs: Clear, Traceable Requirements </h2> <p>Peekberry’s foundation was Kiro’s <strong>Spec system</strong>. Every requirement, design diagram, and task lived in <code>.kiro/specs/peekberry-mvp/</code>, making it easy to tie implementation back to goals.</p> <ul> <li> <strong>Requirements</strong>: User stories, acceptance criteria, and success metrics.</li> <li> <strong>Design</strong>: Architecture diagrams, database schema, UI specs.</li> <li> <strong>Tasks</strong>: A roadmap of 15 phases, each linked to requirements.</li> </ul> <p>👉 Nothing slipped through the cracks, and we always knew what to build next.</p> <h2> Steering Rules: Built-In Consistency </h2> <p>Kiro also enforced <strong>steering documents</strong>: tech stack choices, UI guidelines, file structure, and even long-term product vision.</p> <p>👉 Every code generation, every edit, every commit followed the same playbook—keeping consistency without constant human review.</p> <h2> Hooks: Automating the Mundane </h2> <p>From refreshing demo scripts to updating changelogs, Kiro’s <strong>hooks</strong> kept documentation in sync automatically.</p> <p>👉 We never wasted time on the repetitive things teams usually forget.</p> <h2> MCP Integration: Database and Services, Without Leaving Kiro </h2> <p>By plugging into Supabase through Kiro’s MCP server, developers could manage schemas, run queries, generate types, and deploy functions—all inside the IDE.</p> <p>👉 Type-safe APIs and safe migrations became a default, not an afterthought.</p> <h2> Context-Aware Development </h2> <p>Kiro pulled in everything: file context, git diffs, linting, and even project history.</p> <p>👉 It felt less like a tool and more like an extra teammate who already knew the codebase inside out.</p> <h2> Workflow in Action </h2> <ol> <li> <strong>Plan</strong>: Specs and steering files set direction.</li> <li> <strong>Build</strong>: Kiro generated consistent, standards-compliant code.</li> <li> <strong>Ship</strong>: Hooks updated docs, changelogs, and demos automatically.</li> </ol> <p>This cycle repeated until we had a working MVP—polished enough to demo, reliable enough for real use.</p> <h2> The Payoff </h2> <ul> <li> <strong>Speed</strong>: Faster iteration thanks to spec-driven planning and automation.</li> <li> <strong>Quality</strong>: Consistent UI, type safety, and enforced standards.</li> <li> <strong>Maintainability</strong>: Clean structure, synced docs, and auto-changelogs.</li> </ul> <p>In short: we moved quickly without the usual chaos.</p> <h2> From Prototype to First Client </h2> <p>And then came the milestone every builder waits for: <strong>our first client conversation</strong>.<br> Attached below is a snapshot of the email that landed in our inbox right after the MVP demo.</p> <p>It’s early days, but that message validated two things:</p> <ol> <li>Peekberry solves a real problem.</li> <li>Kiro gave us the speed and structure to actually get there.</li> </ol> <h2> Closing Thought </h2> <p>Peekberry isn’t just a Chrome extension. It’s proof of how <strong>AI-powered development environments like Kiro can transform the way software is built</strong>—bringing the rigor of a seasoned engineering org to the pace of a startup.</p> <p>The result? A production-ready product, real user traction, and the confidence to scale from here.</p> <p>👉 Try Peekberry at <a href="https://peekberry.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">peekberry.com</a>.</p> kiro kirodotdev buildinpublic saas Alessandro Dodi Mon, 15 Sep 2025 12:10:47 +0000 https://forem.com/alessandro_dodi_365fe5a0b/how-kiro-got-peekberry-to-production-and-our-first-client-28ej https://forem.com/alessandro_dodi_365fe5a0b/how-kiro-got-peekberry-to-production-and-our-first-client-28ej <p>Read the article here: <a href="https://dev.to/kirodotdev/how-kiro-got-peekberry-to-production-and-our-first-client-4709">How Kiro Got Peekberry To Production and Our First Client</a></p> kirodo saas webdev kirodotdev