/spec-writer

name: spec-writer
description: Create or refine spec-superflow planning artifacts. Invoke when the change is understood well enough to write proposal.md, specs/, design.md, and tasks.md.

Spec Writer

Create or refine planning artifacts when the change has moved beyond exploration.

Required Inputs

Read `.spec-superflow.yaml` (especially `dp_0_decisions`, `dp_0_confirmed`) and any existing planning artifacts. If `dp_0_confirmed` is not `true`, stop and route back to `workflow-start` for DP-0.

Config Check

Run: `ssf runtime config --get artifacts.order` — generate in configured order (default: proposal → specs → design → tasks). Run with `artifacts.skip` — skip any listed artifacts.

Artifact Roles

• `proposal.md`: why and scope
• `specs/`: required behavior (testable)
• `design.md`: architecture decisions and trade-offs (not line-by-line)
• `tasks.md`: dependency-aware implementation steps

Working Rules

**Honor DP-0**: Read `dp_0_decisions`, respect confirmed constraints, don't silently expand scope. Pause on unconfirmed decisions.

proposal.md

Must state: observed problem, what changes, in/out scope, impact areas, and proof of completion. Prefer concrete facts over empty adjectives such as “better”, “robust”, or “efficient”.

specs/

Every requirement must be testable. Use SHALL or MUST. Every requirement must have at least one `#### Scenario:` with WHEN/THEN. Group under ADDED/MODIFIED/REMOVED Requirements headers.

design.md

Must have: relevant facts and constraints, goals and non-goals, decisions (Choice + Rationale + Alternatives + Consequences), and risks with verification evidence. Do not invent stakeholders, migration steps, or open questions when they do not affect the decision.

tasks.md

Must include a delivery/proof map and dependency-aware tasks. Each task names the affected path or bounded area, the observable outcome, and the evidence command. Keep RED/GREEN details, review receipts, and dispatch mechanics in the execution contract/task brief; do not inflate reader-facing tasks into five ritual substeps.

Artifact Generation

When DP-0 has made the scope clear, generate the configured planning pack (proposal, delta specs from `templates/spec.md`, design, and tasks) in order without pausing between individual artifacts. Validate the pack, then request one DP-2 review. Pause earlier only when the missing decision can change user-visible behavior, compatibility, security, delivery scope, or the selected design; or when artifacts state incompatible scope.

Validation Checklist

proposal.md

• `## Why` > 50 chars, `## What Changes`, `## Scope` (In/Out), `## Impact`, no TBD/TODO; claims name an observed problem and a completion proof

specs/

• SHALL/MUST for required behavior, `#### Scenario:` with WHEN/THEN per requirement, grouped under delta headers, no contradictions

design.md

• facts/constraints, goals/non-goals, `## Decisions` (≥1, with Choice+Rationale+Alternatives+Consequences), risks and verification

tasks.md

• delivery/proof map, numbered tasks, affected paths or bounded areas, observable outcomes, no placeholders, every requirement mapped, explicit dependencies
• Must use the template checkbox format (one `- [ ]` per task on its own line); the guard enforces this format when entering execution

**If any artifact fails validation, fix before handing off to contract-builder.**

DP-2: Artifact Review Gate

Present a concise summary of all 4 artifacts, then ask one DP-2 question for material adjustments. For Full changes, run one independent five-question blind reader check (problem, command boundary, invalidation boundary, continuation boundary, and document flow) before recording approval; repair only answers the reader cannot derive. After approval:

ssf state set <change-dir> dp_2_result "approved: <summary>"
ssf state set <change-dir> dp_2_timestamp $(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)

After the artifacts are done and DP-2 is recorded, advance the state:

ssf state transition <change-dir> specifying

Handoff Rule

Do not start implementation after writing planning artifacts. Once stable, validated, and DP-2 is recorded, hand off to `contract-builder`.

Exception Handling

• **Parse failures**: Report specific file/error; don't generate from corrupted templates
• **Missing templates**: Fall back to artifact structure defined in this skill
• **User interruption**: Artifacts on disk are the recovery checkpoint; resume from first missing/incomplete one
• **Validation failure**: Fix before handoff — do not hand off broken artifacts

Standard User-Facing Handoff

End every user-facing phase report with this concise handoff. Only a successfully persisted `closing` state and `abandoned` are terminal.

Normal report

• Current stage: `<detected workflow stage>`.
• Completed / blocker: `<completed work>`.
• Next stage: `<next workflow stage or skill>`.
• Entry condition: `<what must be true to enter it>`.

Blocked report

• Current stage: `<detected workflow stage>`.
• Completed / blocker: `<blocking fact or missing evidence>`.
• Next stage: `<stage that resumes after the blocker>`.
• Entry condition: `<the approval, artifact, validation, or fix required>`.

Approval-wait report

• Current stage: `<detected workflow stage>`.
• Completed / blocker: `<work ready for the named decision>`.
• Next stage: `<stage that follows approval>`.
• Entry condition: `<explicit user approval or recorded decision>`.

Successful terminal report

• Current stage: successfully persisted `closing` or `abandoned`.
• Completed / blocker: `<persisted terminal outcome>`.
• Next stage: `none`.
• Entry condition: no further transition exists.