Spec Lifecycle Tools (Stream B)
Stream B contains 11 tools that manage the complete spec lifecycle — from the first clarification question to handing off a production-ready spec to an AI agent.
clarify_requirements
Generate targeted clarification questions before creating a spec.
When to use: Before create_spec when requirements are ambiguous, came from a quick verbal conversation, or touch multiple systems.
What it produces: A prioritized list of questions covering scope boundaries, edge cases, non-functional requirements, error handling, and external dependencies.
Prompt: "Use specforge to clarify requirements for adding Stripe payments to project proj_abc123"TIP
Running clarify_requirements first leads to significantly more complete acceptance criteria and fewer spec revisions. It's a 30-second investment that saves hours.
create_spec
Create a full SDD spec with auto-generated sections.
What it generates:
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
| User Story | Who, what, why in standard format |
| Acceptance Criteria | Testable, unambiguous criteria numbered for traceability |
| DoR Checklist | Definition of Ready gates |
| Database Schema hints | Tables, columns, relations, indexes |
| UI Contracts | Component contracts, data flow, state management |
| ADR hints | Architecture Decision Records |
| PLAN.md | Step-by-step RED/GREEN/VERIFY execution plan |
AI-native extras (when AI architecture is detected):
- Latency budgets and fallback chains
- Prompt versioning criteria
- LLM observability requirements
Frontend extras (when performance setup is detected):
- Core Web Vitals criteria
- SSR hydration requirements
- MFE boundary definitions
Prompt: "Create a spec for adding Google OAuth authentication to my project proj_abc123"list_specs
List all specs for a project, optionally filtering by status.
When to use: To see what's in the backlog, what's in progress, or what needs review.
Prompt: "List all specs for project proj_abc123"
Prompt: "Show me specs in progress for project proj_abc123"
Prompt: "What specs are blocked in project proj_abc123?"update_status
Transition a spec through its lifecycle with DoR/DoD validation at each step.
Status flow: draft → ready → in_progress → review → done
Each transition validates the appropriate checklist. You cannot mark a spec done without satisfying its DoD criteria.
Prompt: "Update status of spec SPEC-003 to in_progress in project proj_abc123"
Prompt: "Mark spec SPEC-007 as done in project proj_abc123"summarize_spec
Generate a concise summary of a spec — useful for team updates, PR descriptions, or standup notes.
Prompt: "Summarize spec SPEC-005 for project proj_abc123"generate_checklist
Generate a quality checklist for a spec — covers implementation readiness, test coverage, documentation, security, and performance.
Prompt: "Generate a quality checklist for spec SPEC-002 in project proj_abc123"reconcile_spec
Reconcile a spec with implementation changes, with per-change approval and Constitution compliance check.
When to use: When the implementation diverged intentionally from the spec and you need to update the spec to match reality.
The tool presents each change for approval — you decide what becomes the new spec truth.
Prompt: "Reconcile spec SPEC-004 with the implementation changes in project proj_abc123"manage_scope
Manage the project scope definition and backlog — add items, remove, reprioritize, or export as a structured backlog.
Prompt: "Add 'dark mode support' to the backlog for project proj_abc123 with priority high"
Prompt: "Show the current backlog for project proj_abc123"detect_contradictions
Analyze all specs in a project for semantic contradictions.
When to use: Before starting a sprint, after a major product pivot, or when specs have been updated independently by different team members.
Prompt: "Detect contradictions in the specs for project proj_abc123"Example output: "SPEC-002 says users can delete accounts. SPEC-008 says account data is immutable for audit purposes."
check_readiness
Evaluate if a spec is ready for implementation — completeness, criteria quality, and dependency status.
Checks performed:
- Are all acceptance criteria testable and unambiguous?
- Are all blocking dependencies resolved?
- Is the DoR checklist complete?
- Does the spec pass Constitution compliance?
Prompt: "Check if spec SPEC-006 is ready for implementation in project proj_abc123"package_handoff
Generate a structured handoff package for an AI agent to implement a spec.
What it produces:
- Implementation objective
- Numbered acceptance criteria
- File list with ownership
- Constraints and guardrails
- Ready-to-paste prompt for Claude or any AI agent
When to use: When delegating implementation to an autonomous AI agent session or a team member who wasn't involved in spec creation.
Prompt: "Package spec SPEC-009 for handoff in project proj_abc123"