mcpbeat

Spec Workflow

tzachbon/spec-workflow

This skill should be used when the user asks to "build a feature", "create a spec", "start spec-driven development", "run research phase", "generate requirements", "create design", "plan tasks", "implement spec", "check spec status", "triage a feature", "create an epic", "decompose a large feature", or needs guidance on spec-driven development workflow, phase ordering, or epic orchestration.

1k tokens
context cost
the whole folder, loaded on every use
2
files
instructions only
0
copies elsewhere
how many repositories repackaged it
432
stars on the repo
on the repository, not the skill itself

Install

one command, takes just this skill from the repository 
npx skills add https://github.com/tzachbon/smart-ralph --skill spec-workflow

The instruction itself

11 sections, as written by the author

Spec Workflow

Spec-driven development transforms feature requests into structured specs through sequential phases, then executes them task-by-task.

Decision Tree: Where to Start

| Situation | Command |

|-----------|---------|

| New feature, want guidance | /ralph-specum:start <name> <goal> |

| New feature, skip interviews | /ralph-specum:start <name> <goal> --quick |

| Large feature needing decomposition | /ralph-specum:triage <goal> |

| Resume existing spec | /ralph-specum:start (auto-detects) |

| Jump to specific phase | /ralph-specum:<phase> |

Single Spec Flow

start/new -> research -> requirements -> design -> tasks -> implement

Each phase produces a markdown artifact in ./specs/<name>/. Normal mode pauses for approval between phases. Quick mode runs all phases then auto-starts execution.

Phase Commands

| Command | Agent | Output | Purpose |

|---------|-------|--------|---------|

| /ralph-specum:research | research-analyst | research.md | Explore feasibility, patterns, context |

| /ralph-specum:requirements | product-manager | requirements.md | User stories, acceptance criteria |

| /ralph-specum:design | architect-reviewer | design.md | Architecture, components, interfaces |

| /ralph-specum:tasks | task-planner | tasks.md | POC-first task breakdown |

| /ralph-specum:implement | spec-executor | commits | Autonomous task-by-task execution |

Epic Flow (Multi-Spec)

For features too large for a single spec, use epic triage to decompose into dependency-aware specs.

triage -> [spec-1, spec-2, spec-3...] -> implement each in order

Entry points:

  • /ralph-specum:triage <goal> -- create or resume an epic
  • /ralph-specum:start -- detects active epics, suggests next unblocked spec

File structure:

specs/
  _epics/<epic-name>/
    epic.md            # Triage output (vision, specs, dependency graph)
    research.md        # Exploration + validation research
    .epic-state.json   # Progress tracking across specs
    .progress.md       # Learnings and decisions

Management Commands

| Command | Purpose |

|---------|---------|

| /ralph-specum:status | Show all specs and progress |

| /ralph-specum:switch <name> | Change active spec |

| /ralph-specum:cancel | Cancel active execution |

| /ralph-specum:refactor | Update spec files after execution |

Common Workflows

Quick prototype

/ralph-specum:start my-feature "Build X" --quick
# Runs all phases automatically, starts execution

Guided development

/ralph-specum:start my-feature "Build X"
# Interactive interviews at each phase
# Review and approve each artifact
/ralph-specum:implement

Large feature

/ralph-specum:triage "Build entire auth system"
# Decomposes into: auth-core, auth-oauth, auth-rbac
/ralph-specum:start  # Picks next unblocked spec

References

  • references/phase-transitions.md -- Detailed phase flow, state transitions, quick mode behavior, phase skipping

How to use it

Copy the folder

Take tzachbon/spec-workflow from the repository into ~/.claude/skills for personal use, or into .claude/skills inside a project.

Check the name does not clash

The agent identifies a skill by the name field in its header. Two skills with the same name cannot sit side by side — one of them will be ignored.