/spec-phase
Clarify WHAT a phase delivers with ambiguity scoring; produces a SPEC.md before discuss-phase.
> /plugin marketplace add open-gsd/gsd-core > /plugin install gsd-core@gsd-core
How it fires
How this command gets triggered: by you, by Claude, or both.
- Fires itselfClaude auto-loads it when your prompt matches the work.
- You can call itInvoke it directly when you want it.
- Slash command
/spec-phase
Context preview
What this command does when you run it.
Clarify WHAT a phase delivers with ambiguity scoring; produces a SPEC.md before discuss-phase.
Command definition
spec-phase.mdname: gsd:spec-phase
description: Clarify WHAT a phase delivers with ambiguity scoring; produces a SPEC.md before discuss-phase.
argument-hint: "<phase> [--auto] [--text]"
allowed-tools:
- Read
- Write
- Bash
- Glob
- Grep
- AskUserQuestion
requires: [discuss-phase, execute-phase, phase, plan-phase]
<objective> Clarify phase requirements through structured Socratic questioning with quantitative ambiguity scoring.
**Position in workflow:** `spec-phase → discuss-phase → plan-phase → execute-phase → verify`
**How it works:** 1. Load phase context (PROJECT.md, REQUIREMENTS.md, ROADMAP.md, STATE.md) 2. Scout the codebase — understand current state before asking questions 3. Run Socratic interview loop (up to 6 rounds, rotating perspectives) 4. Score ambiguity across 4 weighted dimensions after each round 5. Gate: ambiguity ≤ 0.20 AND all dimensions meet minimums → write SPEC.md 6. Commit SPEC.md — discuss-phase picks it up automatically on next run
**Output:** `{phase_dir}/{padded_phase}-SPEC.md` — falsifiable requirements that lock "what/why" before discuss-phase handles "how" </objective>
<execution_context> @~/.claude/gsd-core/workflows/spec-phase.md @~/.claude/gsd-core/templates/spec.md </execution_context>
<runtime_note> **Copilot (VS Code):** Use `vscode_askquestions` wherever this workflow calls `AskUserQuestion`. They are equivalent. </runtime_note>
<context> Phase number: $ARGUMENTS (required)
**Flags:**
- `--auto` — Skip interactive questions; Claude selects recommended defaults and writes SPEC.md
- `--text` — Use plain-text numbered lists instead of TUI menus (required for `/rc` remote sessions)
Context files are resolved in-workflow using `init phase-op`. </context>
<process> Execute end-to-end.
**MANDATORY:** Read the workflow file BEFORE taking any action. The workflow contains the complete step-by-step process including the Socratic interview loop, ambiguity scoring gate, and SPEC.md generation. Do not improvise from the objective summary above. </process>
<success_criteria>
- Codebase scouted for current state before questioning begins
- All 4 ambiguity dimensions scored after each interview round
- Gate passed: ambiguity ≤ 0.20 AND all dimension minimums met
- SPEC.md written with falsifiable requirements, explicit boundaries, and acceptance criteria
- SPEC.md committed atomically
- User knows they can now run /gsd:discuss-phase which will load SPEC.md automatically
</success_criteria>
Read more
name: gsd:spec-phase description: Clarify WHAT a phase delivers with ambiguity scoring; produces a SPEC.md before discuss-phase. argument-hint: "<phase> [--auto] [--text]" allowed-tools: - Read - Write - Bash - Glob - Grep - AskUserQuestion requires: [discuss-phase, execute-phase, phase, plan-phase]
<objective> Clarify phase requirements through structured Socratic questioning with quantitative ambiguity scoring.
**Position in workflow:** `spec-phase → discuss-phase → plan-phase → execute-phase → verify`
**How it works:** 1. Load phase context (PROJECT.md, REQUIREMENTS.md, ROADMAP.md, STATE.md) 2. Scout the codebase — understand current state before asking questions 3. Run Socratic interview loop (up to 6 rounds, rotating perspectives) 4. Score ambiguity across 4 weighted dimensions after each round 5. Gate: ambiguity ≤ 0.20 AND all dimensions meet minimums → write SPEC.md 6. Commit SPEC.md — discuss-phase picks it up automatically on next run
**Output:** `{phase_dir}/{padded_phase}-SPEC.md` — falsifiable requirements that lock "what/why" before discuss-phase handles "how" </objective>
<execution_context> @~/.claude/gsd-core/workflows/spec-phase.md @~/.claude/gsd-core/templates/spec.md </execution_context>
<runtime_note> **Copilot (VS Code):** Use `vscode_askquestions` wherever this workflow calls `AskUserQuestion`. They are equivalent. </runtime_note>
<context> Phase number: $ARGUMENTS (required)
**Flags:**
- `--auto` — Skip interactive questions; Claude selects recommended defaults and writes SPEC.md
- `--text` — Use plain-text numbered lists instead of TUI menus (required for `/rc` remote sessions)
Context files are resolved in-workflow using `init phase-op`. </context>
<process> Execute end-to-end.
**MANDATORY:** Read the workflow file BEFORE taking any action. The workflow contains the complete step-by-step process including the Socratic interview loop, ambiguity scoring gate, and SPEC.md generation. Do not improvise from the objective summary above. </process>
<success_criteria>
- Codebase scouted for current state before questioning begins
- All 4 ambiguity dimensions scored after each interview round
- Gate passed: ambiguity ≤ 0.20 AND all dimension minimums met
- SPEC.md written with falsifiable requirements, explicit boundaries, and acceptance criteria
- SPEC.md committed atomically
- User knows they can now run /gsd:discuss-phase which will load SPEC.md automatically
</success_criteria>
Git. Ship. Done. A light-weight meta-prompting, context engineering, and spec-driven development system for Claude Code, OpenCode, Antigravity CLI, Kimi CLI, Kilo, Codex, Copilot, Cursor, Windsurf, and more.
Repo: open-gsd/gsd-core
Other commands on gsd-core.
- /add-tests
Generate tests for a completed phase based on UAT criteria and implementation
Open command - /ai-integration-phase
Generate an AI-SPEC.md design contract for phases that involve building AI systems.
Open command - /audit-fix
Autonomous audit-to-fix pipeline — find issues, classify, fix, test, commit
Open command - /audit-milestone
Audit milestone completion against original intent before archiving
Open command - /audit-uat
Cross-phase audit of all outstanding UAT and verification items
Open command - /autonomous
Run all remaining phases autonomously — discuss→plan→execute per phase
Open command

