AI-DLC (AI-Driven Development Life Cycle)

AI-DLC is an intelligent software development workflow that adapts to your needs, maintains quality standards, and keeps you in control of the process. For learning more about AI-DLC Methodology, read this blog and the Method Definition Paper referred in it.

Table of Contents

• Prerequisites
• Quick Start
• Platform-Specific Setup
  • Amazon Q Developer IDE Plugin
  • Kiro CLI
  • Cursor IDE
  • Cline
  • Claude Code
  • GitHub Copilot
• Usage
• Three-Phase Adaptive Workflow
• Key Features
• Troubleshooting
• Additional Resources

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Prerequisites

Have one of our supported platforms/tools for Assisted AI Coding installed:

Platform	Installation Link
Amazon Q Developer IDE Plugin	Install
Kiro CLI	Install
Kiro	Install
Cursor IDE	Install
Cline VS Code Extension	Install
Claude Code CLI	Install
GitHub Copilot	Install + Chat

---

Quick Start

Step 1: Clone this Repository

git clone <this-repo>

Step 2: Create a New Project Folder

Unix/Linux/macOS:

mkdir <my-project>
cd <my-project>

Windows PowerShell:

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Name "<my-project>"
Set-Location "<my-project>"

Windows CMD:

mkdir <my-project>
cd <my-project>

Step 3: Follow Platform-Specific Setup

Choose your platform below and follow the setup instructions.

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Platform-Specific Setup

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Amazon Q Developer IDE Plugin/Extension

AI-DLC uses Amazon Q Rules to implement its intelligent workflow.

Unix/Linux/macOS:

mkdir -p .amazonq/rules 
cp -R ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules .amazonq/rules/ 
mkdir -p .aidlc-rule-details
cp -R ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/* .aidlc-rule-details/

Windows PowerShell:

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".amazonq\rules"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules" ".amazonq\rules\" -Recurse
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".aidlc-rule-details"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details\*" ".aidlc-rule-details\" -Recurse

Windows CMD:

mkdir .amazonq\rules
xcopy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules" ".amazonq\rules\" /E /I
mkdir .aidlc-rule-details
xcopy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-details\" /E /I

Verify Setup:

1. In the Amazon Q Chat window, locate the Rules button in the lower right corner
2. Verify that you see entries for .amazonq/rules/aws-aidlc-rules in the displayed list

Directory Structure:

<my-project>/
├── .amazonq/
│   └── rules/
│       └── aws-aidlc-rules/
│           └── core-workflow.md
└── .aidlc-rule-details/
    ├── common/
    ├── inception/
    ├── construction/
    └── operations/

---

Kiro CLI (formerly Amazon Q CLI)

AI-DLC uses Kiro Steering Files to implement its intelligent workflow.

Unix/Linux/macOS:

mkdir -p .kiro/steering
cp -R ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules .kiro/steering/
mkdir -p .aidlc-rule-details
cp -R ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/* .aidlc-rule-details/

Windows PowerShell:

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".kiro\steering"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules" ".kiro\steering\" -Recurse
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".aidlc-rule-details"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details\*" ".aidlc-rule-details\" -Recurse

Windows CMD:

mkdir .kiro\steering
xcopy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules" ".kiro\steering\" /E /I
mkdir .aidlc-rule-details
xcopy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-details\" /E /I

Verify Setup:

1. Start Kiro CLI: kiro-cli
2. Check your context contents: /context show
3. Verify that you see all entries for .kiro/steering/aws-aidlc-rules

Directory Structure:

<my-project>/
├── .kiro/
│   └── steering/
│       └── aws-aidlc-rules/
│           └── core-workflow.md
└── .aidlc-rule-details/
    ├── common/
    ├── inception/
    ├── construction/
    └── operations/

---

Cursor IDE

AI-DLC uses Cursor Rules to implement its intelligent workflow.

Option 1: Project Rules (Recommended)

Unix/Linux/macOS:

# Create .cursor/rules directory
mkdir -p .cursor/rules

# Create .mdc file with frontmatter and workflow content
cat > .cursor/rules/ai-dlc-workflow.mdc << 'EOF'
---
description: "AI-DLC (AI-Driven Development Life Cycle) adaptive workflow for software development"
alwaysApply: true
---

EOF
cat ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules/core-workflow.md >> .cursor/rules/ai-dlc-workflow.mdc

# Copy rule details to .aidlc-rule-details (loaded on-demand by the workflow)
mkdir -p .aidlc-rule-details
cp -R ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/* .aidlc-rule-details/

Windows PowerShell:

# Create .cursor/rules directory
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".cursor\rules"

# Create frontmatter and write to .mdc file
$frontmatter = @"
---
description: "AI-DLC (AI-Driven Development Life Cycle) adaptive workflow for software development"
alwaysApply: true
---

"@
$frontmatter | Out-File -FilePath ".cursor\rules\ai-dlc-workflow.mdc" -Encoding utf8

# Append core workflow content to .mdc file
Get-Content "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" | Add-Content ".cursor\rules\ai-dlc-workflow.mdc"

# Copy rule details to .aidlc-rule-details (loaded on-demand by the workflow)
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".aidlc-rule-details"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details\*" ".aidlc-rule-details\" -Recurse

Windows CMD:

REM Create .cursor/rules directory
mkdir .cursor\rules

REM Create frontmatter in .mdc file
(
echo ---
echo description: "AI-DLC (AI-Driven Development Life Cycle) adaptive workflow for software development"
echo alwaysApply: true
echo ---
echo.
) > .cursor\rules\ai-dlc-workflow.mdc

REM Append core workflow content to .mdc file
type "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" >> .cursor\rules\ai-dlc-workflow.mdc

REM Copy rule details to .aidlc-rule-details (loaded on-demand by the workflow)
mkdir .aidlc-rule-details
xcopy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-details\" /E /I

Option 2: AGENTS.md (Simple Alternative)

Unix/Linux/macOS:

cp ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules/core-workflow.md ./AGENTS.md
mkdir -p .aidlc-rule-details
cp -R ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/* .aidlc-rule-details/

Windows PowerShell:

Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" ".\AGENTS.md"
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".aidlc-rule-details"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details\*" ".aidlc-rule-details\" -Recurse

Windows CMD:

copy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" ".\AGENTS.md"
mkdir .aidlc-rule-details
xcopy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-details\" /E /I

Verify Setup:

1. Open Cursor Settings → Rules, Commands
2. Under Project Rules, you should see ai-dlc-workflow listed
3. For AGENTS.md, it will be automatically detected and applied

Directory Structure (Option 1):

<my-project>/
├── .cursor/
│   └── rules/
│       └── ai-dlc-workflow.mdc
└── .aidlc-rule-details/
    ├── common/
    ├── inception/
    ├── construction/
    └── operations/

---

Cline

AI-DLC uses Cline Rules to implement its intelligent workflow.

Option 1: .clinerules Directory (Recommended)

Unix/Linux/macOS:

mkdir -p .clinerules
cp ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules/core-workflow.md .clinerules/
mkdir -p .aidlc-rule-details
cp -R ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/* .aidlc-rule-details/

Windows PowerShell:

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".clinerules"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" ".clinerules\"
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".aidlc-rule-details"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details\*" ".aidlc-rule-details\" -Recurse

Windows CMD:

mkdir .clinerules
copy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" ".clinerules\"
mkdir .aidlc-rule-details
xcopy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-details\" /E /I

Option 2: AGENTS.md (Alternative)

Unix/Linux/macOS:

cp ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules/core-workflow.md ./AGENTS.md
mkdir -p .aidlc-rule-details
cp -R ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/* .aidlc-rule-details/

Windows PowerShell:

Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" ".\AGENTS.md"
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".aidlc-rule-details"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details\*" ".aidlc-rule-details\" -Recurse

Windows CMD:

copy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" ".\AGENTS.md"
mkdir .aidlc-rule-details
xcopy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-details\" /E /I

Verify Setup:

1. In Cline's chat interface, look for the Rules popover under the chat input field
2. Verify that core-workflow.md is listed and active
3. You can toggle the rule file on/off as needed

Directory Structure (Option 1):

<my-project>/
├── .clinerules/
│   └── core-workflow.md
└── .aidlc-rule-details/
    ├── common/
    ├── inception/
    ├── construction/
    └── operations/

---

Claude Code

AI-DLC uses Claude Code's project memory file (CLAUDE.md) to implement its intelligent workflow.

Option 1: Project Root (Recommended)

Unix/Linux/macOS:

cp ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules/core-workflow.md ./CLAUDE.md
mkdir -p .aidlc-rule-details
cp -R ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/* .aidlc-rule-details/

Windows PowerShell:

Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" ".\CLAUDE.md"
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".aidlc-rule-details"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details\*" ".aidlc-rule-details\" -Recurse

Windows CMD:

copy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" ".\CLAUDE.md"
mkdir .aidlc-rule-details
xcopy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-details\" /E /I

Option 2: .claude Directory

Unix/Linux/macOS:

mkdir -p .claude
cp ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules/core-workflow.md .claude/CLAUDE.md
mkdir -p .aidlc-rule-details
cp -R ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/* .aidlc-rule-details/

Windows PowerShell:

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".claude"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" ".claude\CLAUDE.md"
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".aidlc-rule-details"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details\*" ".aidlc-rule-details\" -Recurse

Windows CMD:

mkdir .claude
copy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" ".claude\CLAUDE.md"
mkdir .aidlc-rule-details
xcopy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-details\" /E /I

Verify Setup:

1. Start Claude Code in your project directory (CLI: claude or VS Code extension)
2. Use the /config command to view current configuration
3. Ask Claude: "What instructions are currently active in this project?"

Directory Structure (Option 1):

<my-project>/
├── CLAUDE.md
└── .aidlc-rule-details/
    ├── common/
    ├── inception/
    ├── construction/
    └── operations/

---

GitHub Copilot

AI-DLC uses project context files and Copilot's Chat capabilities to implement its intelligent workflow.

Option 1: .copilot Directory (Recommended)

Unix/Linux/macOS:

mkdir -p .copilot
cp ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules/core-workflow.md .copilot/instructions.md
mkdir -p .aidlc-rule-details
cp -R ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/* .aidlc-rule-details/

Windows PowerShell:

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".copilot"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" ".copilot\instructions.md"
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".aidlc-rule-details"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details\*" ".aidlc-rule-details\" -Recurse

Windows CMD:

mkdir .copilot
copy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" ".copilot\instructions.md"
mkdir .aidlc-rule-details
xcopy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-details\" /E /I

Option 2: Project Root COPILOT.md

Unix/Linux/macOS:

cp ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules/core-workflow.md ./COPILOT.md
mkdir -p .aidlc-rule-details
cp -R ../aidlc-workflows/aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/* .aidlc-rule-details/

Windows PowerShell:

Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" ".\COPILOT.md"
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".aidlc-rule-details"
Copy-Item "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details\*" ".aidlc-rule-details\" -Recurse

Windows CMD:

copy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rules\core-workflow.md" ".\COPILOT.md"
mkdir .aidlc-rule-details
xcopy "..\aidlc-workflows\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-details\" /E /I

Verify Setup:

1. Open VS Code with your project folder
2. Open the Copilot Chat panel (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+I)
3. Reference the instructions by typing #file .copilot/instructions.md or #file COPILOT.md in the chat

Directory Structure (Option 1):

<my-project>/
├── .copilot/
│   └── instructions.md
└── .aidlc-rule-details/
    ├── common/
    ├── inception/
    ├── construction/
    └── operations/

---

Usage

1. Start any software development project by stating your intent starting with the phrase "Using AI-DLC, ..." in the chat
2. AI-DLC workflow automatically activates and guides you from there
3. Answer structured questions that AI-DLC asks you
4. Carefully review every plan that AI generates. Provide your oversight and validation
5. Review the execution plan to see which stages will run
6. Carefully review the artifacts and approve each stage to maintain control
7. All the artifacts will be generated in the aidlc-docs/ directory

---

Three-Phase Adaptive Workflow

AI-DLC follows a structured three-phase approach that adapts to your project's complexity:

🔵 INCEPTION PHASE

Determines WHAT to build and WHY

• Requirements analysis and validation
• User story creation (when applicable)
• Application Design and creating units of work for parallel development
• Risk assessment and complexity evaluation

🟢 CONSTRUCTION PHASE

Determines HOW to build it

• Detailed component design
• Code generation and implementation
• Build configuration and testing strategies
• Quality assurance and validation

🟡 OPERATIONS PHASE

Deployment and monitoring (future)

• Deployment automation and infrastructure
• Monitoring and observability setup
• Production readiness validation

---

Key Features

Feature	Description
Adaptive Intelligence	Only executes stages that add value to your specific request
Context-Aware	Analyzes existing codebase and complexity requirements
Risk-Based	Complex changes get comprehensive treatment, simple changes stay efficient
Question-Driven	Structured multiple-choice questions in files, not chat
Always in Control	Review execution plans and approve each phase

---

Troubleshooting

General Issues

Problem	Solution
Rules not loading	Check file exists in the correct location for your platform
File encoding issues	Ensure files are UTF-8 encoded
Rules not applied in session	Start a new chat session after file changes
Rule details not loading	Verify .aidlc-rule-details/ exists with subdirectories

Platform-Specific Issues

Amazon Q Developer / Kiro CLI

• Use /context show to verify rules are loaded
• Check .amazonq/rules/ or .kiro/steering/ directory structure

Cursor

• For "Apply Intelligently", ensure a description is defined in frontmatter
• Check Cursor Settings → Rules to ensure the rule is enabled
• If rule is too large (>500 lines), split into multiple focused rules

Cline

• Check the Rules popover under the chat input field
• Toggle rule files on/off as needed using the popover UI

Claude Code

• Use /config command to view current configuration
• Ask "What instructions are currently active in this project?"

GitHub Copilot

• Use #file <path> syntax to reference instruction files
• For large instructions, reference specific rule detail files instead of pasting everything

File Path Issues on Windows

• Use forward slashes / in file paths within markdown files
• Windows paths with backslashes may not work correctly

---

Version Control Recommendations

Commit to repository:

# These should be version controlled
CLAUDE.md
COPILOT.md
AGENTS.md
.amazonq/rules/
.kiro/steering/
.cursor/rules/
.clinerules/
.copilot/
.aidlc-rule-details/

Optional - Add to .gitignore (if needed):

# Local-only settings
.claude/settings.local.json
.copilot/context/

---

Additional Resources

Resource	Link
AI-DLC Methodology Blog	AWS Blog
AI-DLC Method Definition Paper	Paper
Amazon Q Developer Documentation	Docs
Kiro CLI Documentation	Docs
Cursor Rules Documentation	Docs
Claude Code Documentation	GitHub
GitHub Copilot Documentation	Docs
Contributing Guidelines	CONTRIBUTING.md
Code of Conduct	CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md

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Security

See CONTRIBUTING for more information.

License

This library is licensed under the MIT-0 License. See the LICENSE file.