spec-kit-0-6-1

Spec Kit 0.6.1

A comprehensive toolkit for implementing Spec-Driven Development (SDD) - a methodology where specifications become executable artifacts that directly generate working implementations rather than just guiding them. Spec Kit provides templates, slash commands, and AI agent integrations to transform vague ideas into structured specifications, technical plans, and actionable tasks.

When to Use

• Building new software projects with specification-first approach
• Migrating existing projects to SDD methodology
• Integrating AI coding assistants (Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Pi Coding Agent, etc.) with structured workflows
• Creating traceable requirements from user stories to implementation
• Managing complex features requiring clear acceptance criteria before coding
• Teams wanting to reduce the gap between specification and implementation
• Projects needing consistent documentation generated alongside code

Setup

Prerequisites

• uv (Python package manager): https://docs.astral.sh/uv/
• Python 3.11+: https://www.python.org/downloads/
• Git: https://git-scm.com/downloads
• AI coding agent: Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Pi Coding Agent, or other supported agents

Installation

Option 1: Persistent Installation (Recommended)

Install once and use everywhere. Pin a specific release for stability:

# Install from stable release v0.6.1
uv tool install specify-cli --from git+https://github.com/github/spec-kit.git@v0.6.1

# Verify installation
specify check

Option 2: One-time Usage

Run directly without installing:

uvx --from git+https://github.com/github/spec-kit.git@v0.6.1 specify init <PROJECT_NAME>

Initialize Project

Create new project:

# With AI agent specification
specify init my-project --ai claude

# Available AI agents: claude, copilot, gemini, pi, codebuddy, windsurf, cursor, etc.
specify init my-project --ai copilot
specify init my-project --ai gemini
specify init my-project --ai pi

Initialize in existing directory:

# Initialize current directory
specify init . --ai claude

# Or use --here flag
specify init --here --ai claude

Script type selection (auto-detected):

# Force Bash scripts
specify init my-project --script sh

# Force PowerShell scripts
specify init my-project --script ps

See Installation Details for enterprise/air-gapped setups and troubleshooting.

Quick Start

The 6-Step SDD Process

Step 1: Define Constitution

Establish core project principles using the AI agent's chat interface:

/speckit.constitution This project follows a "Security-First" approach. All user inputs must be validated. We use microservices architecture. Code must be fully documented.

Step 2: Create Specification

Describe what to build (focus on WHAT and WHY, not HOW):

/speckit.specify Build a photo organization app where albums are grouped by date, can be reorganized via drag-and-drop, and photos display in a tile interface within each album.

This automatically:

• Creates feature branch (e.g., 001-photo-organizer)
• Generates specs/001-photo-organizer/spec.md
• Populates structured requirements with user stories and acceptance criteria

Step 3: Refine Specification

Resolve ambiguities interactively:

/speckit.clarify Albums should support unlimited photos. Drag-and-drop should work across albums. Photos should auto-sort by date within albums.

Step 4: Generate Implementation Plan

Provide tech stack and architecture choices:

/speckit.plan Use React with TypeScript for frontend, Node.js/Express for backend API, PostgreSQL for metadata storage, and Cloudinary for image hosting.

This generates:

• specs/001-photo-organizer/plan.md - Technical implementation plan
• specs/001-photo-organizer/research.md - Technology research findings
• specs/001-photo-organizer/data-model.md - Entity schemas and relationships
• specs/001-photo-organizer/contracts/ - API contracts and interfaces
• specs/001-photo-organizer/quickstart.md - Key validation scenarios

Step 5: Generate Task List

Break down plan into executable tasks:

/speckit.tasks

This creates specs/001-photo-organizer/tasks.md with parallelizable task groups.

Step 6: Implement

Execute the implementation:

/speckit.implement

Complete Example: Taskify Kanban Board

See Workflow Examples for a detailed walkthrough building a team productivity platform with user management, project creation, and Kanban-style task boards.

Core Commands

Spec Kit provides slash commands that transform the traditional development workflow:

Command	Purpose	Output
/speckit.constitution	Define project principles	.specify/memory/constitution.md
/speckit.specify	Create feature specification	specs/<feature>/spec.md
/speckit.clarify	Resolve ambiguities	Updated spec with clarifications
/speckit.checklist	Validate specification quality	specs/<feature>/checklists/requirements.md
/speckit.plan	Generate implementation plan	specs/<feature>/plan.md + design artifacts
/speckit.tasks	Create task breakdown	specs/<feature>/tasks.md
/speckit.analyze	Audit implementation plan	Analysis report with issues
/speckit.implement	Execute code generation	Source code implementation

See Command Reference for detailed command documentation.

Project Structure

After initialization, Spec Kit creates:

my-project/
├── .specify/
│   ├── scripts/              # Automation scripts (bash/powershell)
│   ├── templates/            # Specification and plan templates
│   ├── memory/
│   │   └── constitution.md   # Project principles and constraints
│   ├── extensions.yml        # Installed extension registry
│   └── feature.json          # Current feature tracking
├── .claude/                  # or .gemini/, .github/, .pi/, etc.
│   └── commands/             # Slash command files
├── specs/                    # Feature specifications (git-tracked)
│   ├── 001-photo-organizer/
│   │   ├── spec.md           # Feature specification
│   │   ├── plan.md           # Implementation plan
│   │   ├── research.md       # Technology research
│   │   ├── data-model.md     # Entity schemas
│   │   ├── contracts/        # API/interface contracts
│   │   ├── quickstart.md     # Validation scenarios
│   │   ├── tasks.md          # Task breakdown
│   │   └── checklists/       # Quality validation checklists
│   └── 002-another-feature/
│       └── spec.md
└── src/                      # Generated source code

Key directories:

• specs/: Feature specifications, plans, and design artifacts (git-tracked, never overwritten by upgrades)
• .specify/: Spec Kit infrastructure (templates, scripts, configuration)
• .<agent>/: AI agent-specific command files (e.g., .claude/, .gemini/, .pi/)

Extensions and Presets

Spec Kit supports community extensions that add domain-specific workflows:

Built-in Extension:

• Git Extension - Automatic branch creation, hooks on core commands

Community Extensions (install via specify extension install):

• Jira Integration - Sync specs to Jira issues
• Linear Integration - Connect with Linear project management
• Confluence - Export specifications to Confluence
• Security Review - Automated security analysis hooks
• DocGuard - Documentation quality enforcement
• Memorylint - Context memory optimization
• And 50+ more in the Community Catalog

See Extension Guide for installation and development.

Reference Files

• references/01-installation.md - Detailed installation, upgrade procedures, and troubleshooting
• references/02-workflow-examples.md - Complete workflow examples including Taskify Kanban app
• references/03-command-reference.md - All slash commands with parameters and output formats
• references/04-extensions.md - Extension system, community catalog, and development guide
• references/05-ai-agents.md - Supported AI agents and integration details
• references/06-sdd-methodology.md - Spec-Driven Development methodology and core principles

Troubleshooting

Common issues:

1. Constitution overwritten during upgrade: Back up .specify/memory/constitution.md before running specify init --here --force, then restore afterward.

2. Duplicate slash commands: Manually delete old command files from agent folder (e.g., .kilocode/rules/speckit.old-command.md).

3. CLI not found after upgrade: Reinstall with uv tool install specify-cli --force.

4. Air-gapped environments: Use bundled wheel installation with --offline flag.

See Installation Guide for detailed troubleshooting.

Next Steps

• Read the SDD Methodology to understand specification-driven development principles
• Explore Workflow Examples for complete project walkthroughs
• Check the Command Reference for detailed command documentation
• Browse Community Extensions to enhance your workflow

Resources:

• Spec Kit GitHub Repository
• Documentation Site
• Releases and Changelog
• Community Extensions Catalog