c160ab3223
The Gitea issue body is the single source of truth for a spec; the only per-feature artifact in git is the RTM row (REQ-ID -> issue # -> test). Drops per-feature spec.md/tasks.md/checklist files from the workflow (the _example stays as a template/reference). Updates the guide, ADR-041, AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, templates, the RTM (adds an Issue column), the implement/review-pr skills, and replaces the file-spec CI jobs with an rtm-check. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>
171 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
171 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
# Spec-Driven Development (SDD)
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How we turn a feature idea into merged, traceable code in this repo. SDD layers a uniform,
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machine-readable front-end onto the workflow we already run (Gitea issues → branch/PR →
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multi-persona review → red/green TDD). It does not replace any of that — see
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[ADR-041](./docs/adr/041-sdd-adoption.md) for the why.
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- **The rules** live in [`.specify/constitution.md`](./.specify/constitution.md) (humans) and
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[`.specify/AGENTS.md`](./.specify/AGENTS.md) (AI agents, every invocation).
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- **The templates** live in [`.specify/templates/`](./.specify/templates/).
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- **The worked example** is [`.specify/features/_example/`](./.specify/features/_example/) — read it first.
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---
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## 1. The workflow in 8 steps
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| # | Step | Who | Artifacts created / touched |
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|---|---|---|---|
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| 1 | **Idea → Gitea issue** using the Feature template | author | Gitea issue (labels `spec-required`, `needs-review`) from `.gitea/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature.md` |
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| 2 | **Write the spec _in the issue body_** — Context, User Journey, EARS `REQ-NNN` requirements, measurable acceptance criteria, Out of Scope | author | the Gitea issue body **is** the spec (single source of truth — no committed `spec.md`) |
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| 3 | **Capture durable design decisions** as needed | author | a `docs/adr/` ADR for any project-wide/irreversible decision; an OpenAPI contract and a STRIDE threat model inline in the issue (use the `.specify/templates/` as the writing aid) |
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| 4 | **Persona spec review** — the six checklists gate the spec | RE, Developer, Security, DevOps, UI/UX, Architect | `/review-issue` posts each persona's checklist verdict as a Gitea comment; findings folded into the issue body |
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| 5 | **Resolve Open Questions & blocking FAILs** — spec does not proceed while any remain | author | issue body updated; `Open Questions` emptied |
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| 6 | **Seed the RTM** — one row per `REQ-NNN`, pointing at the issue | author | rows added to [`.specify/rtm.md`](./.specify/rtm.md) (`Issue: #n`, `Status: Planned`) — committed with the feature branch |
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| 7 | **Implement** in a worktree, TDD per task (failing test → green → refactor → commit); agent reads `AGENTS.md` + the **issue body** (the spec) | implementer (often an AI agent) | code + tests; `npm run generate:api` after backend changes; RTM `Status` → `Done` |
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| 8 | **PR → multi-persona PR review → merge** | reviewers | PR (`Closes #n`); the closed issue is the archived spec, the RTM rows record what shipped |
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The personas at step 4 review the **spec (the issue)**; the same personas at step 8 (via the
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existing `review-pr` / `deliver-issue` skills) review the **code**. Step 4 catches at spec time
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what used to surface only at step 8.
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**Skills that drive this:** `/draft-spec` (requirements engineer authors steps 1–2 → creates
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the issue) → `/review-issue` (step 4 gate) → `/implement` (steps 6–7) → `/review-pr` (step 8).
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`/deliver-issue` runs review → discuss → implement → review-loop end-to-end.
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> **Why issue-only?** The Gitea issue body is the single source of truth for a spec — there is
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> no committed per-feature `spec.md` to drift out of sync with it. The only SDD artifact that
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> lives in git per feature is the RTM row (`REQ-ID → issue # → test`). The worked example under
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> [`.specify/features/_example/`](./.specify/features/_example/) is a **template/reference**, not
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> a live feature — it shows the full artifact set in one place; real features keep the spec in
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> the issue.
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## 2. How a Gitea issue becomes a spec
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**Before (free-form issue):**
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> **Title:** Add profile pictures
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> Users should be able to upload a picture for their profile. Make sure it's not too big and
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> only admins can remove other people's. Show initials if there's no picture.
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Ambiguous: how big? which formats? what status code on rejection? what about unauthenticated
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callers? No identifiers to trace, no measurable criteria.
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**After (SDD-structured issue — excerpt):**
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> **Title:** As a user I want to upload a profile picture so other family members recognise me
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>
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> **## Requirements**
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> - **REQ-002** (Event-driven) — When an authenticated user sends `POST /api/users/me/avatar`
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> with a valid image, the user service shall store it and return a profile view with a
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> non-null `avatarUrl`.
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> - **REQ-008** (Unwanted-behavior) — If the uploaded file exceeds 2 MB, then the user service
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> shall return `400 ErrorCode.AVATAR_TOO_LARGE` and store nothing.
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> - **REQ-009** (Unwanted-behavior) — If a caller without `Permission.ADMIN_USER` targets
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> another user's avatar, then the system shall return `403 ErrorCode.FORBIDDEN`.
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>
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> **## Acceptance Criteria**
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> - **REQ-008** — a 2.1 MB PNG returns `400 AVATAR_TOO_LARGE`; bucket object count unchanged.
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Every behavior is now a uniquely-identified, testable, EARS-formed requirement with a
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measurable acceptance criterion. See the full version in
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[`.specify/features/_example/spec.md`](./.specify/features/_example/spec.md).
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## 3. How to run a persona review
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Each persona reads the spec, walks its checklist in `.specify/personas/<persona>.md`, and
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posts a Gitea comment with **PASS / FAIL / QUESTION** per
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item and a verdict. A `FAIL` from Security or Architect is a hard block. Concrete example:
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> ### Security — Spec Review
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>
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> | # | Item | Status | Note |
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> |---|---|---|---|
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> | 1 | All mutating endpoints have authn + authz `If` clauses | PASS | REQ-006 (401), REQ-009 (403) |
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> | 3 | Audit fields server-set, forbidden in body | **FAIL** | `avatarObjectKey` is bound from the request body → mass-assignment (CWE-639). Make it server-set in `UserService`. |
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> | 6 | Upload type allow-list + size | PASS | REQ-007 / REQ-008 |
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> | 9 | threat-model.md present & STRIDE-complete | **QUESTION** | Is the avatar URL public or proxied? If public S3, that's information disclosure. |
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>
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> **Verdict: CHANGES REQUESTED** — blocking FAIL: #3. Resolve #9 in the threat model.
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The author folds the fix into the spec (here: server-set key + authenticated proxy URL),
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empties the finding, and the persona re-reviews until `APPROVE`. This mirrors the existing
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`review-issue` skill — the persona checklists just make the spec pass/fail explicit.
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## 4. How the AI agent uses the spec
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Once the spec is `APPROVE`d and tasks are seeded, the implementer points the agent at the
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artifacts. Example prompt:
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> Implement Gitea issue #142 (profile picture upload). Read `.specify/AGENTS.md` and obey the
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> constitution it references. The contract is the issue body — its EARS requirements
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> REQ-001…REQ-009 and acceptance criteria. Build a red/green task list from them, write the
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> failing test for each REQ first, confirm it fails, then make it pass. After backend model
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> changes run `npm run generate:api`. Do not mark a REQ done until its test is green; flip its
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> row in `.specify/rtm.md` to Done as you go.
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The agent now has: the rules (`AGENTS.md` → constitution) and the exact requirements with ids
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from the issue — so its output is bounded and verifiable. (The `/implement` skill fetches the
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issue body for you via the Gitea API.)
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## 5. Maintenance rules
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- **Constitution** ([`.specify/constitution.md`](./.specify/constitution.md)) — change it only
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when a project-wide rule genuinely changes. Bump the semantic version (MAJOR = rule
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removed/weakened, MINOR = rule added/tightened, PATCH = wording), run the §6 Sync Impact
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review, and let the `constitution-diff` CI job list the files to reconcile. Record the bump
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in ADR-041's revision log (or a superseding ADR for MAJOR).
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- **AGENTS.md** — keep it under 200 lines. It cross-references the constitution; it must never
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duplicate or contradict it.
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- **ADRs** — project-wide/irreversible decisions go in [`docs/adr/`](./docs/adr/) (next free
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`NNN`, verify on disk). Immutable once `Accepted`; supersede, don't edit.
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- **Feature specs** — the spec is the Gitea issue body; there is no committed `spec.md`.
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"Archiving" is just closing the issue (`Closes #n` on merge). The closed issue + the RTM
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rows are the record of what shipped.
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- **RTM** ([`.specify/rtm.md`](./.specify/rtm.md)) — append one row per `REQ-NNN` when a spec
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is approved, each pointing at its issue (`#n`); flip `Status` as tests go green; never delete
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a shipped requirement's row.
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- **Personas** — update `.specify/personas/*.md` checklists when a recurring blind spot
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appears; keep them aligned with the richer `.claude/personas/`.
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## 6. Quick-start cheatsheet
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**EARS patterns** (every requirement is one of these + a `REQ-NNN` id):
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| Pattern | Shape |
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| Ubiquitous | `The <system> shall <behavior>.` |
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| Event-driven | `When <trigger>, the <system> shall <behavior>.` |
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| State-driven | `While <state>, the <system> shall <behavior>.` |
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| Optional-feature | `Where <feature/permission present>, the <system> shall <behavior>.` |
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| Unwanted-behavior | `If <undesired condition>, then the <system> shall <response>.` |
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**File locations:**
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| What | Where |
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| Non-negotiable rules | `.specify/constitution.md` |
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| Agent rules (read every time) | `.specify/AGENTS.md` |
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| Templates (writing aids) | `.specify/templates/{feature-spec,adr,threat-model,api-contract-stub}.md` |
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| Persona checklists | `.specify/personas/*.md` |
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| In-flight feature spec | the **Gitea issue body** (not a committed file) |
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| Worked example (template/reference) | `.specify/features/_example/` |
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| Traceability matrix | `.specify/rtm.md` (`REQ-ID → issue # → test`) |
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| ADR archive | `docs/adr/NNN-*.md` |
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| Issue templates | `.gitea/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/{feature,bug}.md` |
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| CI gate | `.gitea/workflows/sdd-gate.yml` |
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**Before you mark a feature done:** every `REQ-NNN` has a green test, the RTM Status is
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`Done`, all six personas APPROVE, `npm run lint` and the targeted tests pass, and
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`npm run generate:api` has been run if the backend model changed.
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**Commands:**
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```bash
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# validate an OpenAPI contract locally (if you drafted one — same as CI)
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npx @stoplight/spectral-cli lint <your-contract>.yaml
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# regenerate the TS client after a backend model/endpoint change
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cd frontend && npm run generate:api # backend must run with --spring.profiles.active=dev
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```
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