Using IconVectors with Kiro

Overview

Kiro IDE and Kiro CLI can use IconVectors 2.00 through a local stdio MCP server on Windows. Kiro launches IconVectorsMcp.exe; the sidecar forwards calls over loopback to the already-running IconVectors application.

The integration covers the active Editor document, selection, Icon Explorer, SVG editing, preview/export, history, and Explorer Batch Starter operations. See MCP Integration for the shared contract.

Prerequisites

Start IconVectors 2.00 normally and leave it running.
Confirm IconVectorsMcp.exe exists beside IconVectors.exe.
The default bridge is 127.0.0.1:61337. Match a custom Options/McpPort value when necessary.

Configure Kiro MCP

Use .kiro/settings/mcp.json for a workspace or %USERPROFILE%\.kiro\settings\mcp.json for the user. Workspace entries take precedence when scopes overlap.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "iconvectors": {
      "command": "C:\\Program Files\\Axialis\\IconVectors\\IconVectorsMcp.exe",
      "args": ["--port", "61337"],
      "disabled": false,
      "autoApprove": [],
      "disabledTools": []
    }
  }
}

The command is the normal installed-product example. Replace the path or port when your installation differs. Saving the JSON causes Kiro to reconnect.

Verify the connection

In Kiro IDE, open the Kiro panel’s MCP servers view to inspect server status and tools. In Kiro CLI, use /mcp for connected servers and /tools for available tools, or run:

kiro-cli mcp list

Start with app_ping, app_getInfo, app_getCapabilities, and app_get_workspace. Inspect the current Editor document/selection or Explorer folder before changing anything.

Install the IconVectors skill and steering

Kiro does not document .agents/skills as a skill root. Copy the complete distributed iconvectors-mcp folder, including references, to:

.kiro/skills/iconvectors-mcp/SKILL.md

A short root AGENTS.md or .kiro/steering/ file can point agents to the skill. A custom agent can include the skill explicitly and set includeMcpJson: true. Do not duplicate the 155-tool catalog in steering.

First workflow

Try one bounded operation:

Inspect workspace, document, selection, and relevant DOM/style state.
Create one simple element or change one selected element.
Reinspect the result and verify geometry or preview as needed.
Save or export only when a native Windows destination was requested.

Use a history transaction for several compatible document edits. Document Undo does not cover replacement, save/export, or Explorer filesystem operations.

Working with 155 tools and Tool Search

Kiro is naming-compatible with 155/155 production IconVectors tools. With the server name iconvectors, all names and descriptions satisfy Kiro’s current validation: no invalid names, empty descriptions, truncations, or collisions occur.

Kiro Tool Search is a CLI-only client feature and is disabled by default. It indexes MCP tools, supplies a compact list, and loads matching schemas on demand. This is especially useful for IconVectors’ 155-tool catalog because it avoids placing every full schema in each request.

Enable it with:

kiro-cli settings toolSearch.enabled true

The defaults activate it when MCP schemas exceed 5 percent of context or 50,000 tokens. To load on demand whenever MCP tools exist:

kiro-cli settings toolSearch.minPct 0
kiro-cli settings toolSearch.minTokens 0

Use /tools to inspect token use and available tools. Active searches appear as read-only tool_search calls. Kiro IDE does not currently provide this Tool Search feature; use disabledTools or enable the server only for IconVectors work when catalog pressure matters.

Tool Search and disabledTools are Kiro client controls. Do not imply that IconVectors serves a tool-profile feature.

Approval and safety

Kiro prompts for MCP tools by default. Leave autoApprove empty initially. The value "*" approves every tool and is inappropriate for save/export, document replacement, Explorer filesystem changes, or batch apply.

disabledTools removes raw server tool names from the agent. When approving selectively, copy the exact name displayed by the installed Kiro surface.

Troubleshooting

Server is missing: Validate JSON, path, scope, disabled: false, and the port. Reconnect from the MCP panel or inspect /mcp.
A tool is excluded: Check Kiro’s MCP validation message and disabledTools. The maintained production audit confirms all 155 shipped names and descriptions satisfy current Kiro naming rules.
Bridge fails: Start IconVectors, match port 61337, and inspect app_getInfo plus workspace state.
Logs are needed: Use IDE Output ‣ Kiro - MCP Logs. In Kiro CLI, /logdump --mcp includes MCP diagnostics; review logs before sharing them.
Catalog or path fails: Enable CLI Tool Search and verify it with /tools. Use native absolute Windows paths with correct JSON escaping.

For current client behavior, see the official Kiro MCP documentation.