spec-requirements-extraction

name	spec-requirements-extraction
description	Extracts individual requirements from Topcoder challenge specifications. Use when parsing a challenge description to identify every distinct piece of work the submitter must deliver, including titles, descriptions, priorities, and constraints.
metadata	{"author":"topcoder","version":"1.0","concern":"requirements-parsing","priority":"critical"}

Requirements Extraction

Parse the challenge specification and extract every distinct requirement a submitter MUST deliver. Challenge descriptions are Markdown written by copilots with NO fixed template — headings, numbering, bullet styles, section names, and nesting all vary.

Extraction Rules

1. Identify every distinct requirement in the specification. A "requirement" is any piece of work the submitter MUST deliver. Look for:

   • Numbered sections
   • Bullet lists
   • Paragraphs describing expected functionality
   • API endpoints
   • UI components
   • Integrations
   • Data models

2. Assign sequential IDs: REQ_01, REQ_02, …

3. Write a concise title (≤ 12 words) and a thorough description that preserves all technical detail from the source text.

4. Determine priority:

   Priority	Signal Words
   high	"must", "required", "critical", "mandatory", "essential", "will not be accepted without"
   medium	"should", "recommended", "ideally", "preferred"
   low	"nice to have", "optional", "bonus", "extra credit"

   If unclear, default to high.

5. Extract constraints — any explicit restrictions, limits, format rules, compatibility requirements, error-handling mandates, or performance criteria attached to that requirement.

   Give each constraint a sequential ID scoped to its requirement: CONS_<reqNum>_1, CONS_<reqNum>_2, …

Examples

Input fragment:

The API must support pagination with cursor-based navigation. Response time should be under 200ms.

Output:

{
  "id": "REQ_03",
  "title": "Cursor-based API pagination",
  "description": "The API must support pagination with cursor-based navigation for all list endpoints.",
  "priority": "high",
  "constraints": [
    {
      "id": "CONS_03_1",
      "description": "Response time should be under 200ms"
    }
  ]
}

Edge Cases

• If a single paragraph contains multiple independent requirements, split them into separate entries.
• If a requirement is implied but not explicitly stated (e.g. error handling for an API endpoint), include it with priority "medium".
• Configuration and environment setup instructions are requirements too — capture them.

See requirement patterns reference for common challenge patterns.