speckit-specify

name	speckit-specify
description	Create or update the feature specification from a natural language feature description.
compatibility	Requires spec-kit project structure with .specify/ directory
metadata	{"author":"github-spec-kit","source":"templates/commands/specify.md"}

User Input

$ARGUMENTS

You MUST consider the user input before proceeding (if not empty).

Pre-Execution Checks

Check for extension hooks (before specification):

• Discover hooks across all extension files (multi-file discovery), not just the central file:
  • Read .specify/extensions.yml from the project root (if present) and collect entries under the hooks.before_specify key.
  • Then enumerate every .specify/extensions/*/*.yml file in sorted order, parse each, and collect its hooks.before_specify entries too — so a hook registered only in a per-extension file (e.g. the feedback extension at .specify/extensions/feedback/feedback.yml) is still discovered and runs.
  • Merge all collected entries and dedupe by (extension, command) (first occurrence wins, so a hook declared in both the central and a per-extension file runs once).
  • If a file is absent, no hooks are registered, or its YAML cannot be parsed/is invalid, skip that file silently and continue.
• For every optional: true hook that is discovered but not executed this phase, emit one line so the skip is a visible decision: Note: optional hook {extension}:{command} is registered but was not run (skipped).
• Filter out hooks where enabled is explicitly false. Treat hooks without an enabled field as enabled by default.
• Do not interpret or evaluate hook condition expressions:
  • If the hook has no condition field, or it is null/empty, treat the hook as executable
  • If the hook defines a non-empty condition, skip the hook and leave condition evaluation to the HookExecutor implementation
• For each executable hook, output the following based on its optional flag:
  • Optional hook (optional: true):

    ## Extension Hooks
    
    **Optional Pre-Hook**: {extension}
    Command: `/{command}`
    Description: {description}
    
    Prompt: {prompt}
    To execute: `/{command}`
    

  • Mandatory hook (optional: false):

    ## Extension Hooks
    
    **Automatic Pre-Hook**: {extension}
    Executing: `/{command}`
    EXECUTE_COMMAND: {command}
    
    Wait for the result of the hook command before proceeding to the Outline.
    

Outline

The text the user typed after /speckit-specify in the triggering message is the feature description; assume it is available in this conversation even if $ARGUMENTS appears literally below. Do not ask the user to repeat it unless they provided an empty command.

Given that feature description, do this:

1. Generate a concise short name (2-4 words) for the feature:

   • Extract the most meaningful keywords to capture the feature's essence
   • Use action-noun format when possible (e.g., "add-user-auth", "fix-payment-bug")
   • Preserve technical terms and acronyms (OAuth2, API, JWT, etc.)
   • Keep it concise but descriptive enough to understand at a glance
   • Examples:
     • "I want to add user authentication" → "user-auth"
     • "Implement OAuth2 integration for the API" → "oauth2-api-integration"
     • "Create a dashboard for analytics" → "analytics-dashboard"
     • "Fix payment processing timeout bug" → "fix-payment-timeout"

2. Branch creation (optional, via hook):

   If a before_specify hook ran successfully in the Pre-Execution Checks above, it will have created/switched to a git branch and output JSON containing BRANCH_NAME and FEATURE_NUM. Note these values for reference, but the branch name does not dictate the spec directory name.

   If the user explicitly provided GIT_BRANCH_NAME, pass it through to the hook so the branch script uses the exact value as the branch name (bypassing all prefix/suffix generation).

3. Create the spec feature directory:

   Specs live under the default specs/ directory unless the user explicitly provides SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY.

   Resolution order for SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY:

   1. If the user explicitly provided SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY (via environment variable, argument, or configuration), use it as-is
   2. Otherwise, auto-generate it under specs/:
      • Check .specify/init-options.json for branch_numbering
      • If "timestamp": prefix is YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS (current timestamp)
      • If "sequential" or absent: prefix is NNN (next available 3-digit number after scanning existing directories in specs/)
      • Construct the directory name <prefix>-<short-name> (e.g., 003-user-auth or 20260319-143022-user-auth) and set SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY to specs/<directory-name>

   Create the directory and spec file:

   • mkdir -p SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY
   • Copy .specify/templates/spec-template.md to SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY/spec.md as the starting point
   • Set SPEC_FILE to SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY/spec.md
   • Persist the resolved path to .specify/feature.json:

     {
       "feature_directory": "<resolved feature dir>"
     }
     

     Write the actual resolved directory path value (for example, specs/003-user-auth), not the literal string SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY. This allows downstream commands (/speckit-plan, /speckit-tasks, etc.) to locate the feature directory without relying on git branch name conventions.

   Snapshot an external-URL source spec into the feature directory:

   • If the feature input is an external URL (the source spec lives at a remote location, e.g. a GitHub URL), then after fetching the source, write a snapshot to SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY/source-spec.md with a header recording the source URL and the fetch context, and have spec.md reference the in-repo source-spec.md snapshot rather than the live URL. This captures provenance in-repo so the specify phase is reproducible offline and does not silently depend on a remote that may move or change.
   • If the feature input is a local file or inline text, this snapshot step is an explicit no-op — do not fabricate a redundant source-spec.md copy.
   • Multi-file external source (feature 085, FR-016). When the source spec is not a single file but a directory/tree of files at a remote (e.g. a GitHub folder of .md parts), snapshot the whole set, not just one URL:
     1. Enumerate the tree — for GitHub, the contents API https://api.github.com/repos/<owner>/<repo>/contents/<path>?ref=<ref> lists the files (or use the git/trees/<ref>?recursive=1 API for a deep tree).
     2. Fetch each file in a stable (sorted) order.
     3. Assemble them into one SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY/source-spec.md with a top header recording the source tree URL + ref + fetch context, and a per-file header (## <relative/path> + the file's own source URL) before each file's content, so the composite is reproducible offline and each part's provenance is preserved. spec.md references the assembled in-repo source-spec.md, never the live tree.

   IMPORTANT:

   • Create only one feature per /speckit-specify invocation
   • The spec directory name and the git branch name are independent — they may match, but that is the user's choice
   • The spec directory and file are always created by this command, never by the hook

4. Load .specify/templates/spec-template.md to understand required sections.

5. Follow this execution flow:

   1. Parse user description from arguments If empty: ERROR "No feature description provided"
   2. Extract key concepts from description Identify: actors, actions, data, constraints
   3. For unclear aspects:
      • Make informed guesses based on context and industry standards
      • Only mark with [NEEDS CLARIFICATION: specific question] if:
        • The choice significantly impacts feature scope or user experience
        • Multiple reasonable interpretations exist with different implications
        • No reasonable default exists
      • LIMIT: Maximum 3 [NEEDS CLARIFICATION] markers total
      • Prioritize clarifications by impact: scope > security/privacy > user experience > technical details
   4. Fill User Scenarios & Testing section If no clear user flow: ERROR "Cannot determine user scenarios"
   5. Generate Functional Requirements Each requirement must be testable Use reasonable defaults for unspecified details (document assumptions in Assumptions section)
   6. Define Success Criteria Create measurable, technology-agnostic outcomes Include both quantitative metrics (time, performance, volume) and qualitative measures (user satisfaction, task completion) Each criterion must be verifiable without implementation details
   7. Identify Key Entities (if data involved)
   8. Return: SUCCESS (spec ready for planning)

6. Write the specification to SPEC_FILE using the template structure, replacing placeholders with concrete details derived from the feature description (arguments) while preserving section order and headings.

7. Specification Quality Validation: After writing the initial spec, validate it against quality criteria:

   a. Create Spec Quality Checklist: Generate a checklist file at SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY/checklists/requirements.md using the checklist template structure with these validation items:

   # Specification Quality Checklist: [FEATURE NAME]
   
   **Purpose**: Validate specification completeness and quality before proceeding to planning
   **Created**: [DATE]
   **Feature**: [Link to spec.md]
   
   ## Content Quality
   
   - [ ] No implementation details (languages, frameworks, APIs)
   - [ ] Focused on user value and business needs
   - [ ] Written for non-technical stakeholders
   - [ ] All mandatory sections completed
   
   ## Requirement Completeness
   
   - [ ] No [NEEDS CLARIFICATION] markers remain
   - [ ] Requirements are testable and unambiguous
   - [ ] Success criteria are measurable
   - [ ] Success criteria are technology-agnostic (no implementation details)
   - [ ] All acceptance scenarios are defined
   - [ ] Edge cases are identified
   - [ ] Scope is clearly bounded
   - [ ] Dependencies and assumptions identified
   
   ## Feature Readiness
   
   - [ ] All functional requirements have clear acceptance criteria
   - [ ] User scenarios cover primary flows
   - [ ] Feature meets measurable outcomes defined in Success Criteria
   - [ ] No implementation details leak into specification
   
   ## Notes
   
   - Items marked incomplete require spec updates before `/speckit-clarify` or `/speckit-plan`
   

   b. Run Validation Check: Review the spec against each checklist item:

   • For each item, determine if it passes or fails
   • Document specific issues found (quote relevant spec sections)

   c. Handle Validation Results:

   • If all items pass: Mark checklist complete and proceed to step 8

   • If items fail (excluding [NEEDS CLARIFICATION]):

     1. List the failing items and specific issues
     2. Update the spec to address each issue
     3. Re-run validation until all items pass (max 3 iterations)
     4. If still failing after 3 iterations, document remaining issues in checklist notes and warn the user

   • If [NEEDS CLARIFICATION] markers remain:

     1. Extract all [NEEDS CLARIFICATION: ...] markers from the spec

     2. LIMIT CHECK: If more than 3 exist, keep only the 3 most critical (by scope/security/UX impact) and make informed guesses for the rest

     3. For each clarification needed (max 3), present options to the user in this format:

        ## Question [N]: [Topic]
        
        **Context**: [Quote relevant spec section]
        
        **What we need to know**: [Specific question from NEEDS CLARIFICATION marker]
        
        **Suggested Answers**:
        
        | Option | Answer | Implications |
        |--------|--------|--------------|
        | A      | [First suggested answer] | [What this means for the feature] |
        | B      | [Second suggested answer] | [What this means for the feature] |
        | C      | [Third suggested answer] | [What this means for the feature] |
        | Custom | Provide your own answer | [Explain how to provide custom input] |
        
        **Your choice**: _[Wait for user response]_
        

     4. CRITICAL - Table Formatting: Ensure markdown tables are properly formatted:

        • Use consistent spacing with pipes aligned
        • Each cell should have spaces around content: | Content | not |Content|
        • Header separator must have at least 3 dashes: |--------|
        • Test that the table renders correctly in markdown preview

     5. Number questions sequentially (Q1, Q2, Q3 - max 3 total)

     6. Present all questions together before waiting for responses

     7. Wait for user to respond with their choices for all questions (e.g., "Q1: A, Q2: Custom - [details], Q3: B")

     8. Update the spec by replacing each [NEEDS CLARIFICATION] marker with the user's selected or provided answer

     9. Re-run validation after all clarifications are resolved

   d. Update Checklist: After each validation iteration, update the checklist file with current pass/fail status

8. Report completion to the user with:

   • SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY — the feature directory path
   • SPEC_FILE — the spec file path
   • Checklist results summary
   • Readiness for the next phase (/speckit-clarify or /speckit-plan)

9. Check for extension hooks: After reporting completion, discover hooks across all extension files (multi-file discovery), not just the central file:

   • Read .specify/extensions.yml from the project root (if present) and collect entries under the hooks.after_specify key.
   • Then enumerate every .specify/extensions/*/*.yml file in sorted order, parse each, and collect its hooks.after_specify entries too — so a hook registered only in a per-extension file (e.g. the feedback extension at .specify/extensions/feedback/feedback.yml) is still discovered and runs on phase completion.
   • Merge all collected entries and dedupe by (extension, command) (first occurrence wins, so a hook declared in both files runs once).
   • Hook execution precedence (D1): when settings.auto_execute_hooks: true in .specify/extensions.yml, a mandatory hook (optional: false) auto-runs with no confirmation; an optional hook (optional: true) is always surfaced ("To execute: /{command}") and is never force-run by auto_execute_hooks; a hook with a non-empty condition is never evaluated by this skill — evaluation is left to the executor and the notice reports the resolved decision. When auto_execute_hooks: false, even mandatory hooks are surfaced for confirmation.
   • Effective-hooks notice (D2): after the merge + dedup by (extension, command), emit one consolidated notice for the phase so the operator never hand-reconciles files — the promoted feedback hook (optional: false) appears as auto-run, never as a surfaced optional:

     ## Effective hooks for specify
     - {extension}:{command} — auto-run        (mandatory; auto_execute_hooks=true)
     - {extension}:{command} — surfaced        (optional)
     - {extension}:{command} — skipped         (enabled: false)
     - {extension}:{command} — condition-deferred
     

   • If a file is absent, no hooks are registered, or its YAML cannot be parsed/is invalid, skip that file silently and continue.
   • For every optional: true hook that is discovered but not executed this phase, emit one line so the skip is a visible decision: Note: optional hook {extension}:{command} is registered but was not run (skipped).
   • Filter out hooks where enabled is explicitly false. Treat hooks without an enabled field as enabled by default.
   • Do not interpret or evaluate hook condition expressions:
     • If the hook has no condition field, or it is null/empty, treat the hook as executable
     • If the hook defines a non-empty condition, skip the hook and leave condition evaluation to the HookExecutor implementation
   • For each executable hook, output the following based on its optional flag:
     • Optional hook (optional: true):

       ## Extension Hooks
       
       **Optional Hook**: {extension}
       Command: `/{command}`
       Description: {description}
       
       Prompt: {prompt}
       To execute: `/{command}`
       

     • Mandatory hook (optional: false):

       ## Extension Hooks
       
       **Automatic Hook**: {extension}
       Executing: `/{command}`
       EXECUTE_COMMAND: {command}
       

NOTE: Branch creation is handled by the before_specify hook (git extension). Spec directory and file creation are always handled by this core command.

Quick Guidelines

• Focus on WHAT users need and WHY.
• Avoid HOW to implement (no tech stack, APIs, code structure).
• Written for business stakeholders, not developers.
• DO NOT create any checklists that are embedded in the spec. That will be a separate command.

Section Requirements

• Mandatory sections: Must be completed for every feature
• Optional sections: Include only when relevant to the feature
• When a section doesn't apply, remove it entirely (don't leave as "N/A")

For AI Generation

When creating this spec from a user prompt:

1. Make informed guesses: Use context, industry standards, and common patterns to fill gaps
2. Document assumptions: Record reasonable defaults in the Assumptions section
3. Limit clarifications: Maximum 3 [NEEDS CLARIFICATION] markers — use only for critical decisions that significantly impact scope or UX, have multiple reasonable interpretations with different implications, or lack any reasonable default
4. Prioritize clarifications: scope > security/privacy > user experience > technical details
5. Think like a tester: Every vague requirement should fail the "testable and unambiguous" checklist item
6. Common areas needing clarification (only if no reasonable default exists):
   • Feature scope and boundaries (include/exclude specific use cases)
   • User types and permissions (if multiple conflicting interpretations possible)
   • Security/compliance requirements (when legally/financially significant)

Examples of reasonable defaults (don't ask about these):

• Data retention: Industry-standard practices for the domain
• Performance targets: Standard web/mobile app expectations unless specified
• Error handling: User-friendly messages with appropriate fallbacks
• Authentication method: Standard session-based or OAuth2 for web apps
• Integration patterns: Use project-appropriate patterns (REST/GraphQL for web services, function calls for libraries, CLI args for tools, etc.)

Success Criteria Guidelines

Success criteria must be:

1. Measurable: Include specific metrics (time, percentage, count, rate)
2. Technology-agnostic: No frameworks, languages, databases, or tools
3. User-focused: Describe outcomes from a user/business perspective, not system internals
4. Verifiable: Can be tested/validated without knowing implementation details

Good examples:

• "Users can complete checkout in under 3 minutes"
• "System supports 10,000 concurrent users"
• "95% of searches return results in under 1 second"
• "Task completion rate improves by 40%"

Bad examples (implementation-focused):

• "API response time is under 200ms" (too technical, use "Users see results instantly")
• "Database can handle 1000 TPS" (implementation detail, use user-facing metric)
• "React components render efficiently" (framework-specific)
• "Redis cache hit rate above 80%" (technology-specific)