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A failed first attempt to use Kiro CLI on an EC2 instance can happen at two distinct stages: installation or sign-in. The title alone does not establish which one failed, so start by checking the instance’s Linux compatibility and the exact terminal error. If installation succeeds but a browser-based login cannot complete over SSH, Kiro documents a device-flow option for remote use.

First determine whether installation or login failed

Record the exact command you ran, its exit status, and the complete error output. A message from the installer points to a different problem than a CLI that installed successfully but cannot authenticate.

  • Installation failure: Check the EC2 image, Linux release, architecture, runtime compatibility, and network access to the installer host.
  • Login failure: If the CLI is installed and the issue is opening or completing browser sign-in on a remote host, use the documented device-flow method.

Check Linux compatibility before retrying the installer

Kiro’s installation documentation, updated October 5, 2026, lists Linux CLI support as glibc 2.34 or later, or a musl variant. Identify the instance’s operating system and architecture, then verify that its runtime fits Kiro’s stated Linux support. The documentation does not establish that every EC2 image or configuration is supported.

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Kiro provides this shell installer command:

curl -fsSL https://cli.kiro.dev/install | bash

Confirm that the instance can reach the installer host and that the command finishes successfully. If it fails, retain the full output and exit status rather than assuming the cause is the shell, EC2 instance role, or a particular package.

Use device flow when SSH has no usable browser

Interactive CLI sign-in uses browser-based authentication. On a remote machine where a local browser cannot be opened, Kiro documents device flow as an alternative in its authentication guide and CLI reference.

  1. Run kiro-cli login --use-device-flow in the SSH session.
  2. Open the URL displayed by the CLI in a browser on a device you can use.
  3. Enter the one-time code shown by the CLI and complete the sign-in prompts.
  4. Wait for the CLI to detect that authentication has completed.

Kiro’s authentication guide also describes running kiro-cli login to begin the flow. The CLI reference documents the explicit --use-device-flow option for remote or SSH environments. For IAM Identity Center sign-in, ask your administrator to confirm the identity-provider Start URL and AWS region.

Choose authentication for the way you will use the instance

Use case Documented method What to check
Interactive work over SSH Browser sign-in with device flow: kiro-cli login --use-device-flow Open the displayed URL elsewhere, enter the one-time code, and wait for the CLI to confirm completion.
IAM Identity Center sign-in Use the relevant interactive login flow Confirm the identity-provider Start URL and AWS region with the administrator.
Headless or automated use Set KIRO_API_KEY and run kiro-cli chat --no-interactive Use the API-key method Kiro documents for CI/CD and automation; protect the key from shell history, logs, and exposed instance environments.

Kiro’s headless-mode guide documents the API-key mechanism for non-interactive use. Its authentication guidance distinguishes that use from interactive sessions, which use browser-based sign-in. The documentation does not specify a secret-management configuration for a particular EC2 instance.

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Run diagnostics and inspect the CLI log

If the failure remains unclear, Kiro’s Setup & First Run guide recommends running kiro-cli doctor, checking internet connectivity and supported-environment compatibility, and reviewing Linux logs at $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/kiro-log/kiro-chat.log.

  1. Run kiro-cli doctor and note any reported compatibility or connectivity issue.
  2. Verify that the instance can reach the network destinations needed for installation or sign-in.
  3. Inspect $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/kiro-log/kiro-chat.log for relevant errors.
  4. Match the error to the stage that failed: installation, environment compatibility, connectivity, or authentication.

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