spec

name	spec
version	5.0.0
description	[Documentation] Use to author, audit, amend, or test-spec a business Feature Spec. The single spec skill — modes draft|init|update|audit|amend create/maintain the tech-free 8-section Feature Spec; draft authors a provisional spec from an idea/requirement (no code yet, Evidence: TBD); tests generates Section 8 TC-{FEATURE}-{NNN} test specifications; sync reconciles §8 TCs ↔ integration test code. Per-mode procedure lives in references/{author,tests,sync}.md.
triggers	feature spec, feature documentation, create feature doc, update feature doc, business feature documentation, audit feature spec, amend feature spec, spec from idea, generate spec from requirements, draft feature spec from prompt, idea to spec, requirements to spec, tdd spec, tdd test, test driven, write test specs, create test cases, update test specs, test specifications for feature, test spec for feature, sync test specs, generate test specs from code, update test specs after changes, test specs from PR, test specs from pull request, code to test specs, sync tests, reconcile tests with code, sync test specs to integration tests

[BLOCKING] Execute skill steps in declared order. NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval. [BLOCKING] Before each step or sub-skill call, update task tracking: set in_progress when step starts, set completed when step ends. [BLOCKING] Every completed/skipped step MUST include brief evidence or explicit skip reason. [BLOCKING] If Task tools are unavailable, create and maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with the same status transitions.

Quick Summary

Portability: docs/specs/ is the fixed Feature Spec root. docs/templates/detailed-feature-spec-template.md remains the default template unless workflowPatterns.featureDocTemplate points to another template.

[IMPORTANT] TaskCreate — Break ALL work into small tasks BEFORE starting. For simple tasks, ask user whether to skip.

Goal: Own the entire Feature Spec lifecycle in one skill — author/maintain tech-free 8-section business Feature Specs (code evidence carried only in Section 8 test-case anchors, never prose), generate Section 8 test specifications, and reconcile those TCs with integration test code — producing a tech-free, AI-implementable Feature Spec whose Section 8 TC registry stays the single source of truth, traceable to integration test code, so any team can rebuild the feature on any stack from the spec alone. The mode you run determines which references/ body drives work; the shared §8 contract, M1-M6 mandates, and quality philosophy below apply every mode.

Summary:

• Resolve the mode FIRST (draft/init/update/audit/amend/tests/sync) — an explicit [mode=<x>] wins, else infer from request + repo state; when ambiguous ask via AskUserQuestion before any mutating mode, then read the matching references/{author,tests,sync}.md body and never run a mode from memory.
• §1-7 prose is STRICTLY tech-free (no framework/product/language/persistence/auth names per spec-principles.md §3.2); technical identifiers live ONLY in evidence carriers — Section 8 is the canonical TC registry (TC-{FEATURE}-{NNN}) and must never be overwritten during update.
• Every TC carries verifiable [Source: namespace/service/id] evidence — the sole exception is mode=draft, where idea-sourced specs use Evidence: TBD + provisional flag, upgraded to real anchors on the first code-sourced run.
• Honor the M1-M6 mandates (sdd-artifact-contract.md) and canonical TC format (shared/tc-format.md); INDEX.md/ERD are derived artifacts — flag refresh need in update but never trigger /spec-index here.

Renamed: formerly /feature-spec (and earlier /feature-docs); the former /spec-tests skill is now folded in as mode=tests / mode=sync. Those names no longer resolve as slash commands — use /spec with the matching mode.

Modes (resolve mode FIRST — BLOCKING)

Mode	Use when…	Body
draft	Author a provisional spec from an idea/requirement/prompt — no code yet (TDD-first, §8 Evidence: TBD, provisional marker)	references/author.md
init	No docs/specs/{Bucket}/ exists — author a full 8-section spec from source	references/author.md
update	Docs exist + code changed — section-impact-mapped updates	references/author.md
audit	--audit flag or user asks — staleness report per section (never mutates docs)	references/author.md
amend	[mode=amend] from the bugfix workflow — minimal regression-scoped §3/§4/§8 touch only	references/author.md
tests	Generate or update Section 8 TC-{FEATURE}-{NNN} test specifications	references/tests.md
sync	Reconcile §8 TCs ↔ integration test code (forward/reverse/harvest, orphan, staleness); harvest captures a SPEC-SILENT invariant into §4/§5/§8	references/sync.md

Mode resolution (do this before any work):

1. Parse the mode from the invocation: explicit [mode=<x>] arg wins; else infer from request + repo state ("from idea/requirements/prompt", "draft spec", "no code yet" → draft; no docs/specs/{Bucket}/ AND code exists to source from → init; docs exist + diff → update; "audit/stale" → audit; bugfix caller → amend; "write/update test specs", "TCs" → tests; "sync tests", "reconcile §8 with tests" → sync). draft vs init: both author a new spec, but draft sources from idea/requirement text (no code → Evidence: TBD, provisional) while init sources from existing code (real [Source:] evidence). "No docs" alone does NOT imply init — check whether code exists to source from. draft never auto-overwrites existing §8 TCs.
2. If ambiguous, present the detected mode via AskUserQuestion before proceeding — NEVER auto-start a mutating mode.
3. Read the matching references/ body — it is the single source of truth for that mode's procedure, gates, and output contract. Do not run a mode from memory.

Key Rules (all modes):

• [BLOCKING] Read docs/project-reference/spec-principles.md — repo-local prose/evidence rules (§3 prose scope + §3.2 banned prose-token list). For the AI-implementability criteria + tech-agnostic mandates, read .claude/skills/shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md ("AI-Implementability Gate" + mandates M1-M6) — those are the canonical authority, not the local stub.
• [BLOCKING] EVERY test case MUST carry verifiable code evidence as a [Source: namespace/service/id] abstract anchor in its Section 8 hidden carrier — physical file:line lives only in the provenance sidecar.

  Exception (mode=draft): an idea-sourced spec has no code yet — its §8 TCs carry Evidence: TBD (reference-only) and the spec is flagged provisional (provisional: true frontmatter + a "DRAFT — unverified until code lands" header banner). The first update/init run against real code MUST upgrade every TBD to a real [Source:] anchor and clear the provisional flag. This mirrors existing TDD-first handling — it relaxes evidence ONLY for draft, never for code-sourced modes.

• [BLOCKING] Section 8 is the canonical TC registry — §8 TCs are the source of truth; integration test code implements them. The tests mode owns generation; sync mode reconciles drift; the author modes (draft/init) populate §8 at authoring time (draft with Evidence: TBD, init with real [Source:]) and MUST NOT overwrite existing TCs during UPDATE.
• Authored docs MUST match the master template's 8 tech-free sections (Overview, Glossary, User Stories & AC, Business Rules, Domain Model, Process Flows, Permissions & Roles, Test Specifications) + YAML frontmatter — zero technical terms in prose, size caps enforced.
• [BLOCKING] Canonical TC format authority: .claude/skills/shared/tc-format.md (GWT template, Evidence carrier, decade-numbering, Preservation Tests). M1-M6 mandates: .claude/skills/shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md — any violation FAILS the artifact.

docs/project-reference/feature-spec-reference.md — project-specific Feature Spec patterns (read directly when relevant). docs/project-reference/domain-entities-reference.md — domain entity catalog, relationships, cross-service sync.

8-Section Feature Spec Rules (canonical reference)

Canonical home for the Feature Spec rules; applies to any edit under the Feature Spec docs root.

Format: Tech-free 8-section Feature Spec. Activate the /spec skill before editing.

Read first: docs/project-reference/feature-spec-reference.md, docs/project-reference/spec-system-reference.md, and docs/project-reference/spec-principles.md. For behavior/public-contract changes, also read docs/project-reference/workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md.

8 sections (exact order): 1. Overview · 2. Glossary · 3. User Stories & Acceptance Criteria · 4. Business Rules · 5. Domain Model · 6. Process Flows · 7. Permissions & Roles · 8. Test Specifications — then a trailing Change History. No technical sections (Commands/Events/API/Cross-Service/Performance/Troubleshooting) — code is the technical source of truth.

Mandatory:

• §1-7 prose is STRICTLY tech-free — no framework/product/language/persistence/messaging/auth names (banned tokens → spec-principles.md §3.2). Technical identifiers live ONLY in evidence carriers.
• Section 5 (Domain Model): Mermaid ERD + [Source: component/{service}/{id}] abstract anchor per entity (cannot be omitted)
• Section 4 (Business Rules): [Source: rule/{service}/{id}] abstract anchor per rule group
• Section 8 (Test Specifications): canonical TC source — TC-{FEATURE}-{NNN} IDs, each carrying a hidden [Source: namespace/service/id] carrier + an IntegrationTest: field

Rules:

• TC IDs live in Section 8 only — never authored in docs/specs/ directly
• Section 8 authored via /spec [mode=tests]; /spec [mode=init] populates it only during initial authoring
• Size caps: body (sections 1-7) ≤1200 lines, whole file ≤1800 (hard). Split the capability when body>1200 OR TCs>40
• Change History entry required for every functional change (trailing section)

M1-M6 Compliance (BLOCKING — applies to every authored spec and every TC)

See .claude/skills/shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md → "AI-SDD Mandates (M1-M6)" for the full BLOCKING criteria. In brief: M1 tech-agnostic prose; M2 no source code in prose; M3 logical-IDs-first traceability with a SEPARATE [Source:] carrier; M4 AI-implementability (one interpretation, named success/failure); M5 rebuild-from-scratch on any stack from §1-8 prose alone. Tech terms are allowed ONLY inside evidence carriers (**Evidence**, IntegrationTest, [Source:]), YAML frontmatter, and ```mermaid ``` blocks.

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Derived-Index Delegation

This skill owns the canonical Feature Spec (§1-8) and its §8 TC registry. The bucket INDEX.md and cross-capability ERD are derived artifacts regenerated by /spec-index FROM these specs — never a source of truth, and never authored here. In update mode, flag "derived spec artifact refresh may be required" but do NOT trigger /spec-index directly (separation of concerns).

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Workflow Recommendation

MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — NO EXCEPTIONS: If you are NOT already in a workflow, you MUST ATTENTION use AskUserQuestion to ask the user. Do NOT judge task complexity or decide this is "simple enough to skip" — the user decides whether to use a workflow, not you:

1. Activate workflow-feature workflow (Recommended) — spec-driven with tests by default: scout → investigate → domain-analysis → why-review → spec → plan → plan-review → plan-validate → why-review → spec [mode=tests] → why-review → review-artifact --type=spec-tests → plan → plan-review → feature-implement → review-domain-entities → spec [mode=tests] → why-review → review-artifact --type=spec-tests → spec [mode=sync] → integration-test → integration-test-review → integration-test-verify → workflow-review-changes → production-readiness-review → security-review → changelog → test → docs-update → workflow-end → watzup
2. Execute /spec directly — run this skill standalone in the resolved mode

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Next Steps

[BLOCKING] After completing, use AskUserQuestion to present options. Do NOT skip — user decides:

• "/spec [mode=tests] (Recommended)" — Generate/update Section 8 test specs for the documented features (if you just authored/updated a spec)
• "/spec [mode=sync]" — Reconcile Section 8 TCs ↔ integration test code
• "/review-artifact --type=spec-tests" — Audit TC coverage + GIVEN/WHEN/THEN quality
• "Skip, continue manually" — user decides

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Related Skills

Skill	Relationship	When to Call
/spec-index	Derived consumer — assembles a regenerable navigation index/ERD FROM these Feature Specs (never a source of truth)	AFTER specs exist — (re)generate the bucket INDEX.md / cross-capability ERD over the canonical specs
/review-artifact --type=spec-tests	Reviewer — audits TC coverage in Section 8	After spec [mode=tests], to validate TC completeness and GIVEN/WHEN/THEN quality
/integration-test	End consumer — generates test code from TCs in Section 8	After spec [mode=tests], to produce actual integration test files
/docs-update	Orchestrator — calls this skill as Phase 2	Run /docs-update for full chain sync; it calls /spec internally
/review-changes	Trigger — detects feature doc staleness	Calls /docs-update when a business doc is stale relative to code changes

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[IMPORTANT] Use TaskCreate to break ALL work into small tasks BEFORE starting — including tasks for each file read. This prevents context loss from long files. For simple tasks, AI MUST ATTENTION ask user whether to skip.

Cross-Service Check — Microservices/event-driven: MANDATORY before concluding investigation, plan, spec, or feature doc. Missing downstream consumer = silent regression.

Boundary	Grep terms
Event producers	Publish, Dispatch, Send, emit, EventBus, outbox, IntegrationEvent
Event consumers	Consumer, EventHandler, Subscribe, @EventListener, inbox
Sagas/orchestration	Saga, ProcessManager, Choreography, Workflow, Orchestrator
Sync service calls	HTTP/gRPC calls to/from other services
Shared contracts	OpenAPI spec, proto, shared DTO — flag breaking changes
Data ownership	Other service reads/writes same table/collection → Shared-DB anti-pattern

Per touchpoint: owner service · message name · consumers · risk (NONE / ADDITIVE / BREAKING).

BLOCKED until: Producers scanned · Consumers scanned · Sagas checked · Contracts reviewed · Breaking-change risk flagged

Evidence-Based Reasoning — Speculation is FORBIDDEN. Every claim needs proof.

1. Cite file:line, grep results, or framework docs for EVERY claim
2. Declare confidence: >80% act freely, 60-80% verify first, <60% DO NOT recommend
3. Cross-service validation required for architectural changes
4. "I don't have enough evidence" is valid and expected output

BLOCKED until: - [ ] Evidence file path (file:line) - [ ] Grep search performed - [ ] 3+ similar patterns found - [ ] Confidence level stated

Forbidden without proof: "obviously", "I think", "should be", "probably", "this is because" If incomplete → output: "Insufficient evidence. Verified: [...]. Not verified: [...]."

Critical Thinking Mindset — Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act. Anti-hallucination: Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination.

AI Mistake Prevention — Failure modes to avoid on every task:

Re-read files after context changes. Context compaction, resume, or long-running work can make memory stale; verify current files before acting. Verify generated content against source evidence. AI hallucinates APIs, names, claims, and document facts. Check the relevant source before documenting or referencing. Check downstream references before deleting or renaming. Removing an artifact can stale docs, generated mirrors, configs, and callers; map references first. Trace the full impact chain after edits. Changing a definition can miss derived outputs and consumers. Follow the affected chain before declaring done. Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first. One green check is not all green checks; validate every output surface the change can affect. Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing. Before changing a constant, limit, flag, wording, or pattern, read nearby context and history. Surface ambiguity before acting — don't pick silently. Multiple valid interpretations require an explicit question or stated assumption with risk. Keep shared guidance role-relevant. Universal guidance must help every receiving skill or agent; code-specific obligations belong only in code-specific protocols.

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION cite file:line evidence for every claim. Confidence >80% to act, <60% = do NOT recommend.

MUST ATTENTION apply critical + sequential thinking — every claim needs appropriate traced evidence (file:line for repo/code claims; source URL or artifact section for research, product, content, and docs claims); confidence >80% to act, <60% DO NOT recommend. Anti-hallucination: never present guess as fact, admit uncertainty freely, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence.

MUST ATTENTION apply AI mistake prevention — verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references before deleting or renaming, verify all affected outputs, re-read files after context loss, and surface ambiguity before acting.

Closing Reminders

• IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION Goal: Produce a tech-free, AI-implementable Feature Spec whose Section 8 TC registry stays the single source of truth, traceable to integration test code — so any team can rebuild the feature on any stack from the spec alone

Protocols in force (concise digest of the SYNC/shared blocks this skill carries — MUST ATTENTION honor each canonical body):

• Cross-Service Check: ALWAYS scan producers, consumers, sagas, contracts before concluding; missing consumer = silent regression.

• Evidence: cite file:line for every claim; confidence >80% to act, <60% NEVER recommend.

• Critical Thinking: apply critical + sequential thinking; NEVER present a guess as fact.

• AI Mistake Prevention: verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references, verify all affected outputs, re-read after context loss, surface ambiguity.

• IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION [BLOCKING] Resolve the mode FIRST and read its references/{author,tests,sync}.md body — NEVER run draft/init/update/audit/amend/tests/sync from memory; ambiguous → AskUserQuestion before any mutating mode — why: each mode's gates + output contract live in its body, not in this entry skill

• IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION [BLOCKING] EVERY test case MUST carry verifiable code evidence as a [Source: namespace/service/id] abstract anchor in its Section 8 hidden carrier — physical file:line → provenance sidecar only; sole exception mode=draft (Evidence: TBD + provisional flag, upgraded to real anchor on first code-sourced run) — why: a TC without evidence is unverifiable and silently rots

• IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION [BLOCKING] Section 8 is the canonical TC registry — existing TCs MUST NOT be overwritten during update; tests mode owns generation, sync mode reconciles drift — why: integration test code implements §8, so overwriting it orphans real tests

• IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION [BLOCKING] §1-7 prose is STRICTLY tech-free — no framework/product/language/persistence/messaging/auth names (banned tokens → spec-principles.md §3.2); technical identifiers live ONLY in evidence carriers, frontmatter, and mermaid blocks — why: M1/M5 require rebuild-from-scratch on any stack

• IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION [BLOCKING] Honor M1-M6 mandates (.claude/skills/shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md) + canonical TC format (.claude/skills/shared/tc-format.md) — any violation FAILS the artifact; size caps: body ≤1200, file ≤1800, split the capability when exceeded

Anti-Rationalization:

Evasion	Rebuttal
"Mode is obvious, skip the references/ body"	The body owns gates + output contract — running from memory drifts. Read it every time.
"This TC's source is clear, skip the anchor"	No [Source:] carrier (or Evidence: TBD for non-draft) = unverifiable TC. Add the anchor.
"update — just regenerate Section 8"	§8 is canonical; integration tests implement it. NEVER overwrite — sync reconciles drift.
"One tech name in prose is harmless"	One banned token fails M1 and breaks rebuild-on-any-stack. Move it to an evidence carrier.
"Small spec, skip task tracking"	Skip depth, NEVER skip tracking — context loss wipes un-tracked progress.
"Index looks stale, I'll just run /spec-index"	Not this skill's job — flag the refresh need; derived artifacts regenerate separately.

[TASK-PLANNING] MUST ATTENTION analyze task scope and break into small todo tasks/sub-tasks via TaskCreate before acting.

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION Resolve the mode FIRST + read its references/ body · EVERY §8 TC carries a [Source:] evidence anchor (except mode=draft) · §1-7 prose STRICTLY tech-free — the three rules this skill must never skip.

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