spec-kit-skill

What this skill does

# Spec-Kit: Constitution-Based Spec-Driven Development

Official GitHub Spec-Kit integration providing a 7-phase constitution-driven workflow for feature development.

## Quick Start

This skill works with the [GitHub Spec-Kit CLI](https://github.com/github/spec-kit) to guide you through structured feature development:

1. **Constitution** → Establish governing principles
2. **Specify** → Define functional requirements
3. **Clarify** → Resolve ambiguities
4. **Plan** → Create technical strategy
5. **Tasks** → Generate actionable breakdown
6. **Analyze** → Validate consistency
7. **Implement** → Execute implementation

**Storage**: Creates files in `.specify/specs/NNN-feature-name/` directory with numbered features

## When to Use

- Setting up spec-kit in a project
- Creating constitution-based feature specifications
- Working with .specify/ directory
- Following GitHub spec-kit workflow
- Constitution-driven development

---

## Prerequisites & Setup

### Check CLI Installation

First, verify if spec-kit CLI is installed:

```bash
command -v specify || echo "Not installed"
```

### Installation

If not installed:

```bash
# Persistent installation (recommended)
uv tool install specify-cli --from git+https://github.com/github/spec-kit.git

# One-time usage
uvx --from git+https://github.com/github/spec-kit.git specify init <PROJECT_NAME>
```

**Requirements**:
- Python 3.11+
- Git
- uv package manager ([install uv](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/))

### Project Initialization

If CLI is installed but project not initialized:

```bash
# Initialize in current directory
specify init . --ai claude

# Initialize new project
specify init <project-name> --ai claude

# Options:
# --force: Overwrite non-empty directories
# --script ps: Generate PowerShell scripts (Windows)
# --no-git: Skip Git initialization
```

---

<details>
<summary>🔍 Phase Detection Logic</summary>

## Detecting Project State

Before proceeding, always detect the current state:

### 1. CLI Installed?

```bash
if command -v specify &> /dev/null || [ -x "$HOME/.local/bin/specify" ]; then
  echo "CLI installed"
else
  echo "CLI not installed - guide user through installation"
fi
```

### 2. Project Initialized?

```bash
if [ -d ".specify" ] && [ -f ".specify/memory/constitution.md" ]; then
  echo "Project initialized"
else
  echo "Project not initialized - guide user through 'specify init'"
fi
```

### 3. Current Feature

```bash
# Get latest feature directory
LATEST=$(ls -d .specify/specs/[0-9]* 2>/dev/null | sort -V | tail -1)
echo "Latest feature: $LATEST"
```

### 4. Current Phase

Detect phase by checking file existence in latest feature:

```bash
FEATURE_DIR=".specify/specs/001-feature-name"

if [ ! -f ".specify/memory/constitution.md" ]; then
  echo "Phase: constitution"
elif [ ! -d "$FEATURE_DIR" ]; then
  echo "Phase: specify"
elif [ -f "$FEATURE_DIR/spec.md" ] && ! grep -q "## Clarifications" "$FEATURE_DIR/spec.md"; then
  echo "Phase: clarify"
elif [ ! -f "$FEATURE_DIR/plan.md" ]; then
  echo "Phase: plan"
elif [ ! -f "$FEATURE_DIR/tasks.md" ]; then
  echo "Phase: tasks"
elif [ -f "$FEATURE_DIR/tasks.md" ] && grep -q "\\- \\[ \\]" "$FEATURE_DIR/tasks.md"; then
  echo "Phase: implement"
else
  echo "Phase: complete"
fi
```

</details>

<details>
<summary>📜 Phase 1: Constitution</summary>

## Constitution Phase

Establish foundational principles that govern all development decisions.

### Purpose

Create `.specify/memory/constitution.md` with:
- Project values and principles
- Technical standards
- Decision-making frameworks
- Code quality expectations
- Architecture guidelines

### Process

1. **Gather Context**
   - Understand project domain
   - Identify key stakeholders
   - Review existing standards (if any)

2. **Draft Constitution**
   - Core values and principles
   - Technical standards
   - Quality expectations
   - Decision criteria

3. **Structure**

```markdown
# Project Constitution

## Core Values

1. **[Value Name]**: [Description and implications]
2. **[Value Name]**: [Description and implications]

## Technical Principles

### Architecture
- [Principle with rationale]

### Code Quality
- [Standards and expectations]

### Performance
- [Performance criteria]

## Decision Framework

When making technical decisions, consider:
1. [Criterion with priority]
2. [Criterion with priority]
```

4. **Versioning**
   - Constitution can evolve
   - Track changes for governance
   - Review periodically

### Example Content

```markdown
# Project Constitution

## Core Values

1. **Simplicity Over Cleverness**: Favor straightforward solutions that are easy to understand and maintain over clever optimizations.

2. **User Experience First**: Every technical decision should improve or maintain user experience.

## Technical Principles

### Architecture
- Prefer composition over inheritance
- Keep components loosely coupled
- Design for testability

### Code Quality
- Code reviews required for all changes
- Unit test coverage > 80%
- Documentation for public APIs

### Performance
- Page load < 3 seconds
- API response < 200ms
- Progressive enhancement for slower connections

## Decision Framework

When choosing between approaches:
1. Does it align with our core values?
2. Is it maintainable by the team?
3. Does it scale with our growth?
4. What's the long-term cost?
```

</details>

<details>
<summary>📝 Phase 2: Specify</summary>

## Specify Phase

Define *what* needs building and *why*, avoiding technology specifics.

### Script Usage

```bash
# Create new feature
.specify/scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh --json "feature-name"

# Expected JSON output:
# {"BRANCH_NAME": "001-feature-name", "SPEC_FILE": "/path/to/.specify/specs/001-feature-name/spec.md"}
```

**Parse JSON**: Extract `BRANCH_NAME` and `SPEC_FILE` for subsequent operations.

### Template Structure

Load `.specify/templates/spec-template.md` to understand required sections, then create specification at `SPEC_FILE` location.

### Specification Content

Focus on **functional requirements**:

```markdown
# Feature Specification: [Feature Name]

## Problem Statement

[What problem are we solving?]

## User Stories

### Story 1: [Title]

As a [role]
I want [capability]
So that [benefit]

**Acceptance Criteria:**
- [ ] [Specific, testable criterion]
- [ ] [Specific, testable criterion]

### Story 2: [Title]

[Continue...]

## Non-Functional Requirements

- Performance: [Specific metrics]
- Security: [Requirements]
- Accessibility: [Standards]
- Scalability: [Expectations]

## Success Metrics

- [Measurable outcome]
- [Measurable outcome]

## Out of Scope

[Explicitly state what's NOT included]
```

### Key Principles

- **Technology-agnostic**: Don't specify "use React" or "MySQL"
- **Outcome-focused**: Describe what user achieves, not how
- **Testable**: Acceptance criteria must be verifiable
- **Complete**: Address edge cases and error scenarios

### Git Integration

The script automatically:
- Creates new feature branch (e.g., `001-feature-name`)
- Checks out the branch
- Initializes spec file

</details>

<details>
<summary>❓ Phase 3: Clarify</summary>

## Clarify Phase

Resolve underspecified areas through targeted questioning.

### Purpose

Before planning implementation, ensure specification is complete and unambiguous.

### Process

1. **Analyze Specification**
   - Read spec.md thoroughly
   - Identify ambiguities, gaps, assumptions
   - Note areas with multiple valid interpretations

2. **Generate Questions** (Maximum 5)
   - Prioritize high-impact areas
   - Focus on decisions that affect architecture
   - Ask about edge cases and error handling

3. **Question Format**

```markdown
## Clarifications

### Q1: [Clear, specific question]

**Context**: [Why this matters]
**Options**: [If multiple approaches exist]

### Q2: [Clear, specific question]

**Context**: [Why this matters]
**Impact**: [What decisions depend on this]
```

4. **Update Specification**
   - Add "## Clarifications" section to spec.md
   - Document