SpecDDWork with SpecDD skills
Guides for using SpecDD skills with coding agents: orient before work, author specs, plan, implement, review, trace, test, debug, refactor, manage tasks, use the CLI, and adopt SpecDD without mixing workflow phases.
- How to choose the right SpecDD skill
Pick the SpecDD skill that matches the workflow phase so agents do not mix orientation, planning, implementation, review, testing, and adoption work.
Read guide - How to chain SpecDD skills safely
Use SpecDD skills in short, phase-based sequences so agents do not carry stale authority, skip review, or mix read-only and editing work.
Read guide - How to orient an agent in a SpecDD project (specdd-orient)
Use specdd-orient as a read-only first step so an agent understands the project bootstrap, root authority, top-level specs, repository shape, and git status.
Read guide - How to explain a spec (specdd-explain)
Use specdd-explain to get a plain-language summary of any spec or target before planning or implementation, without editing files.
Read guide - How to plan a change under spec authority (specdd-plan)
Use specdd-plan to produce a concrete, spec-bounded implementation plan before any files change, so the agent does not overstep authority or miss required checks.
Read guide - How to assess change risk (specdd-risk)
Use specdd-risk before risky work to classify a change as low, medium, or high risk and choose the smallest safe next step.
Read guide - How to author and revise specs (specdd-author)
Use specdd-author to create or revise SpecDD specs without changing implementation files, inventing authority, or turning uncertain observations into contracts.
Read guide - How to implement under spec authority (specdd-do)
Use specdd-do for implementation work after specs grant authority: change only allowed files, preserve Must not and Forbids, verify the result, and update tasks only when complete.
Read guide - How to derive tests from a spec (specdd-test)
Use specdd-test to turn active SpecDD contracts into focused tests, regression checks, and coverage-gap reports without building broad test harnesses.
Read guide - How to review a diff against specs (specdd-review)
Use specdd-review for findings-first review against active SpecDD contracts, focusing on violations, behavioral regressions, missing verification, and underspecified risk.
Read guide - How to trace specs to code, tests, and gaps (specdd-trace)
Use specdd-trace to map why specs and files are included, what constraints they contribute, what code or tests satisfy them, and where gaps remain.
Read guide - How to debug against the governing spec (specdd-debug)
Use specdd-debug to diagnose failures against active SpecDD contracts without changing specs to match broken behavior.
Read guide - How to refactor while preserving specified behavior (specdd-refactor)
Use specdd-refactor for structure changes that should not change specified behavior, ownership, public contracts, or forbidden dependencies.
Read guide - How to manage tasks across specs (specdd-task)
Use specdd-task to find, add, organize, interpret, and update Tasks entries while preserving inherited constraints and local spec authority.
Read guide - How to generate docs from specs (specdd-docs)
Use specdd-docs to turn reviewed SpecDD contracts into user or developer documentation while preserving Must not rules, authority boundaries, examples, and verification limits.
Read guide - How to use the CLI through an agent (specdd-cli)
Use specdd-cli through an agent to discover relevant specs, inspect spec sections, lint edited specs, and run setup or updates only when explicitly requested.
Read guide - How to plan adoption with an agent (specdd-adopt)
Use specdd-adopt to add or update SpecDD framework files through the CLI, inspect only enough repository shape, and propose small reviewed adoption scopes.
Read guide
More How-To categories
- Getting started
Start with spec-driven development, write your first local SpecDD spec, and run a small end-to-end change with human-and-agent-friendly guardrails.
11 guides - Install and setup
Install the SpecDD CLI, prepare Node.js when needed, initialize or update projects, and verify the framework files are wired correctly.
9 guides - Set up your agent
Set up Claude Code, Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Windsurf, Gemini CLI, OpenCode, Junie, Cline, Antigravity, and universal Agent Skills for SpecDD.
15 guides - Editor setup
Install SpecDD editor support, validate .sdd files, resolve path warnings, and use completions and section hints while writing specs.
4 guides - Agent workflows
Use SpecDD with agents by keeping prompts short, plans spec-bound, file changes authorized, context durable, and reviews tied to local .sdd contracts.
15 guides - Write specs by level
Write SpecDD specs at the right level: root specs for project context, module specs for area boundaries, and focused specs for local behavior and contracts.
14 guides - Use spec sections
Use SpecDD sections correctly: write only sections that add local value, keep authority clear, and express behavior, boundaries, tasks, scenarios, paths, and examples.
25 guides - Spec-writing technique
Improve SpecDD craft with techniques for small specs, right-level placement, naming, splitting, explicit rules, draft review, edge cases, and compatibility.
16 guides - Spec-driven workflows
Use SpecDD workflows to draft, review, implement, synchronize, and evolve local specs without losing source-of-truth context.
11 guides - Software design practices
Use SpecDD to make software design decisions operational: responsibility, boundaries, layers, cohesion, debt prevention, public APIs, and dependency direction.
20 guides - Adopt SpecDD on existing projects
Adopt SpecDD gradually in live codebases by starting with active areas, reviewing generated specs, expanding folder by folder, and measuring practical review and delivery signals.
10 guides - Testing and quality
Turn SpecDD specs into practical quality work: TDD and BDD loops, acceptance criteria, coverage tracing, CI checks, regression tests, and testability review.
11 guides - Code review and governance
Use SpecDD in code review and governance by checking local authority, behavior, boundaries, spec updates, agent output, and high-risk contract changes.
9 guides - Refactoring and maintenance
Use SpecDD to keep maintenance safe: preserve specified behavior, maintain authority while moving code, keep specs current, and delete obsolete contracts carefully.
9 guides - Security and risk
Use SpecDD to make security and risk constraints local, explicit, reviewable, and hard for humans or agents to weaken accidentally.
13 guides - Teams and process
Use SpecDD as a team process by keeping durable behavior in specs, project planning in tickets, conventions in bootstrap.project.md, and reviews lightweight but consistent.
13 guides - Troubleshooting
Fix common SpecDD problems: agent setup, .sdd highlighting, CLI and Node errors, ambiguous specs, unresolved paths, vague specs, stale criteria, and skill installs.
12 guides