specification-first
Specification First
Overview
Author the specification before the implementation. The specification is the source of truth. Code is generated to satisfy the specification, never the reverse.
Core principle: A behavior specification defines WHAT the system does. Code implements HOW. Without a specification, you are guessing.
No exceptions. No workarounds. No shortcuts.
The Prime Directive
NO IMPLEMENTATION WITHOUT A SPECIFICATION FIRST
If you have not produced a specification defining inputs, outputs, edge cases, and acceptance criteria, you are not authorized to write code. This is not optional. This is not excessive. This prevents the leading cause of AI-generated code failures: building the wrong thing.
When to Use
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fault-diagnosis
Use when encountering any bug, test failure, or unexpected behavior, before proposing fixes
15task-planning
Use when you have a spec or requirements for a multi-step task, before touching code
15agent-messaging
Use when dispatching subagents, composing prompts for teammates, structuring handoff reports, or managing context boundaries between agents. Covers both subagent prompts and team-level messaging.
15intent-discovery
Use when starting any creative work - creating features, building components, adding functionality, or modifying behavior. Explores user intent, requirements, and design before implementation.
15quality-enforcement
Use when preparing code for commit, PR, or merge - covers linting, type safety, bundle budgets, coverage thresholds, complexity limits, dependency audit, and dead code detection
14pattern-matching
Use when contributing code to an existing project - guarantees that every new line mirrors the established conventions, naming schemes, architectural layering, directory layout, and stylistic choices already present in the codebase rather than drifting toward generic AI defaults
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