speckit.specify
The `/speckit.specify` command transforms a natural language feature description into a structured specification by generating a concise branch name, checking existing branches to avoid conflicts, and executing a creation script that establishes a new numbered feature branch and specification. Use this when starting development on a new feature to automatically organize it within the smart-ralph project's specification framework.
mkdir -p ~/.claude/commands && curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tzachbon/smart-ralph/HEAD/plugins/ralph-speckit/.claude/commands/speckit.specify.md -o ~/.claude/commands/speckit.specify.mdspeckit.specify.md
## User Input
```text
$ARGUMENTS
```
You **MUST** consider the user input before proceeding (if not empty).
## Outline
The text the user typed after `/speckit.specify` in the triggering message **is** the feature description. Assume you always have it available in this conversation even if `$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 branch:
- Analyze the feature description and extract the most meaningful keywords
- Create a 2-4 word short name that captures the essence of the feature
- 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 the feature 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. **Check for existing branches before creating new one**:
a. First, fetch all remote branches to ensure we have the latest information:
```bash
git fetch --all --prune
```
b. Find the highest feature number across all sources for the short-name:
- Remote branches: `git ls-remote --heads origin | grep -E 'refs/heads/[0-9]+-<short-name>$'`
- Local branches: `git branch | grep -E '^[* ]*[0-9]+-<short-name>$'`
- Specs directories: Check for directories matching `specs/[0-9]+-<short-name>`
c. Determine the next available number:
- Extract all numbers from all three sources
- Find the highest number N
- Use N+1 for the new branch number
d. Run the script `.specify/scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh --json "$ARGUMENTS"` with the calculated number and short-name:
- Pass `--number N+1` and `--short-name "your-short-name"` along with the feature description
- Bash example: `.specify/scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh --json "$ARGUMENTS" --json --number 5 --short-name "user-auth" "Add user authentication"`
- PowerShell example: `.specify/scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh --json "$ARGUMENTS" -Json -Number 5 -ShortName "user-auth" "Add user authentication"`
**IMPORTANT**:
- Check all three sources (remote branches, local branches, specs directories) to find the highest number
- Only match branches/directories with the exact short-name pattern
- If no existing branches/directories found with this short-name, start with number 1
- You must only ever run this script once per feature
- The JSON is provided in the terminal as output - always refer to it to get the actual content you're looking for
- The JSON output will contain BRANCH_NAME and SPEC_FILE paths
- For single quotes in args like "I'm Groot", use escape syntax: e.g 'I'\''m Groot' (or double-quote if possible: "I'm Groot")
3. Load `.specify/templates/spec-template.md` to understand required sections.
4. Follow this execution flow:
1. Parse user description from Input
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)
5. 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.
6. **Specification Quality Validation**: After writing the initial spec, validate it against quality criteria:
a. **Create Spec Quality Checklist**: Generate a checklist file at `FEATURE_DIR/checklists/requirements.md` using the checklist template structure with these validation items:
```markdown
# 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 identifiedThis skill should be used when the user asks to "create a slash command", "add a command", "write a custom command", "define command arguments", "use command frontmatter", "organize commands", "create command with file references", "interactive command", "use AskUserQuestion in command", or needs guidance on slash command structure, YAML frontmatter fields, dynamic arguments, bash execution in commands, user interaction patterns, or command development best practices for Claude Code.
This skill should be used when the user asks to "create a hook", "add a PreToolUse/PostToolUse/Stop hook", "validate tool use", "implement prompt-based hooks", "use ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}", "set up event-driven automation", "block dangerous commands", or mentions hook events (PreToolUse, PostToolUse, Stop, SubagentStop, SessionStart, SessionEnd, UserPromptSubmit, PreCompact, Notification). Provides comprehensive guidance for creating and implementing Claude Code plugin hooks with focus on advanced prompt-based hooks API.
This skill should be used when the user asks to "add MCP server", "integrate MCP", "configure MCP in plugin", "use .mcp.json", "set up Model Context Protocol", "connect external service", mentions "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT} with MCP", or discusses MCP server types (SSE, stdio, HTTP, WebSocket). Provides comprehensive guidance for integrating Model Context Protocol servers into Claude Code plugins for external tool and service integration.
This skill should be used when the user asks about "plugin settings", "store plugin configuration", "user-configurable plugin", ".local.md files", "plugin state files", "read YAML frontmatter", "per-project plugin settings", or wants to make plugin behavior configurable. Documents the .claude/plugin-name.local.md pattern for storing plugin-specific configuration with YAML frontmatter and markdown content.
This skill should be used when the user asks to "create a plugin", "scaffold a plugin", "understand plugin structure", "organize plugin components", "set up plugin.json", "use ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}", "add commands/agents/skills/hooks", "configure auto-discovery", or needs guidance on plugin directory layout, manifest configuration, component organization, file naming conventions, or Claude Code plugin architecture best practices.
This skill should be used when the user wants to "create a skill", "add a skill to plugin", "write a new skill", "improve skill description", "organize skill content", or needs guidance on skill structure, progressive disclosure, or skill development best practices for Claude Code plugins.
Perform a non-destructive cross-artifact consistency and quality analysis across spec.md, plan.md, and tasks.md after task generation.
Generate a custom checklist for the current feature based on user requirements.