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xhuaustc

Spec Coder

by Pan Xiaohua · GitHub ↗ · v0.1.4 · MIT-0
cross-platform ⚠ suspicious
280
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Install in OpenClaw
/install spec-coder
Description
Structured spec-first development workflow with multi-role expert review gates: clarify requirements, author spec documents (requirements/design/tasks), gene...
Usage Guidance
This skill appears to implement a reasonable spec-first workflow, but there are a few things to check before installing or using it: - Repository/file access: the skill instructs the agent to read the project codebase and specs. If your repo contains secrets (.env files, API keys, private config), consider removing or redacting them before running the skill, or restrict the agent's workspace to only the docs/specs subtree. - Tooling & permissions: the workflow mentions generating code, running tests, and creating merge/delta commits, but the skill metadata does not list required tools (git, language runtimes, test runners) or required write permissions. Ensure the runtime environment has the appropriate build/test tools and grant the agent only the minimal filesystem/git permissions needed. - Auto-approve and review preferences: the skill supports auto-approval policies (including an explicit "Auto-approve all gates" preference). Treat these as sensitive settings — avoid enabling global auto-approve unless you fully trust the agent and audit outputs. - Audit generated changes: require a human review step (or a protected branch) before any automatic merge-to-trunk is applied. Prefer the skill generate delta.md and pull requests rather than making direct commits. - If you need higher assurance: ask the skill author for explicit lists of required binaries and exact commands the agent will run for Phase 0–4, and for an explicit scope of file paths the skill will read/write. If the author can't provide that, use the skill in a sandboxed repository copy only.
Capability Analysis
Type: OpenClaw Skill Name: spec-coder Version: 0.1.4 The 'spec-coder' skill bundle implements a highly structured, spec-driven software development lifecycle (SDLC) workflow. It guides the agent through requirements gathering, technical design, code generation, and automated verification. Security is explicitly addressed in the 'expert-review-protocol.md' and 'templates.md' files, which instruct the agent to simulate a Security Expert role to check for input validation, parameterized queries, and hardcoded secrets. The high-privilege actions described (codebase scanning and test execution) are necessary for the stated purpose and are governed by a rigorous phase-gate system without any evidence of malicious intent, data exfiltration, or unauthorized persistence.
Capability Assessment
Purpose & Capability
The name/description match the SKILL.md: it is a spec-first workflow that reads/writes spec files, generates code, runs reviews, and produces merge/delta instructions. That capability reasonably requires reading the project's specs and codebase. However, the skill declares no required binaries, no tooling, and no credentials despite describing phases that generate code and verify it with tests (Phase 3/4). The lack of declared toolchain (build/test runner, git) is a minor incoherence — the skill expects capabilities that are not enumerated in its metadata.
Instruction Scope
Runtime instructions explicitly tell the agent to read project files (specs/status.md, trunk specs, codebase files in Phase 0) and to generate artifacts (delta.md, spec_xxx.md, code + tests). Reading the codebase and spec tree is coherent for the stated purpose, but the skill does not explicitly restrict which repo paths to read (e.g., it doesn't say to avoid .env, credentials, or unrelated config). That lack of explicit exclusion increases risk of accidental exposure of secrets when the agent performs a codebase scan or 'reads the codebase'.
Install Mechanism
Instruction-only skill with no install spec and no code files to execute. This is low risk from an installation perspective — nothing will be downloaded or written to disk by the registry install step itself.
Credentials
The skill requests no environment variables or credentials in metadata (good). However, workflow docs reference generating commits, running verification tests, and producing delta/merge instructions (git-based operations and test runners). Those actions typically require toolchain access and repo-level write permissions; they are not declared. This is a proportionality gap (missing declared requirements) rather than an explicit demand for unrelated credentials.
Persistence & Privilege
always:false and no install actions or persistent background behavior are declared. The agent may invoke the skill autonomously (platform default) but nothing in the metadata grants it permanent/system-level privileges or modifies other skills. Note: the skill supports 'Auto-approve' user preferences which, if set by the user, could allow the workflow to proceed automatically without manual gate checks — that is a user-configurable risk rather than a hidden privilege.
How to Use
  1. Make sure OpenClaw is installed (local or Docker)
  2. Run the install command in chat: /install spec-coder
  3. After installation, invoke the skill by name or use /spec-coder
  4. Provide required inputs per the skill's parameter spec and get structured output
Version History
v0.1.4
spec-coder 1.0.0 - Clarified file reading rules: explicitly skip `specs/changes/archive/` (ignore archived/merged changes). - All workflows and usage instructions unchanged except for archive exclusion. - No file changes or functionality updates outside documentation clarification.
v0.1.3
spec-coder v0.1.3 - Added initial UI design guidelines reference: `references/ui-design-guidelines.md`. - Improved workflow robustness by requiring reading `specs/status.md` on session start to determine current phase and context. - Clarified inputs/outputs for each workflow phase in the Quick Reference table for better guidance. - Updated codebase scan process: scan summary is now persisted under `## Codebase Context` in `specs/status.md` for session continuity. - Minor adjustments to requirements/doc writing and project entry logic to better handle mid-project cases.
v0.1.2
**Introduced spec lifecycle and template references, enhanced file organization:** - Added two new reference documents: `references/spec-lifecycle.md` and `references/templates-lifecycle.md`. - Overhauled file organization to introduce a two-layer model (trunk + changes), supporting incremental work and lifecycle management. - Added quick reference tables for workflow phases, outputs, and review gates. - Clarified when to use the changes layer (`changes/`) and provided structure for incremental features and modifications. - Linked to new references for spec lifecycle and template usage throughout main documentation.
v0.1.1
Initial release with expert review protocol and improved file organization. - Adds structured review gates between workflow phases, referencing an expert-review protocol. - Introduces clear file organization, including a new `specs/design-preview/` directory for HTML mockups or architecture diagrams. - Removes legacy `templates.md` file; adds modular references: `references/expert-review-protocol.md` and `references/templates.md`. - Updates track selection logic and review process for Small, Medium, and Large features. - Streamlines workflow phases, emphasizing expert feedback and auto-approval when no critical/major issues detected.
v0.1.0
Version 1.0.0 — Major refactor for spec-first workflow - Consolidated template files into a single `templates.md`; removed legacy templates and examples. - Rewrote documentation to focus on a structured, phase-driven, spec-first development workflow. - Added track selection (Small/Medium/Large) and clarified typical use cases and entry points. - Defined new file organization under a unified `specs/` directory. - Provided step-by-step guidance for requirements clarification, spec writing, code generation, and verification. - Simplified and modernized instructions for both greenfield and existing projects.
Metadata
Slug spec-coder
Version 0.1.4
License MIT-0
All-time Installs 0
Active Installs 0
Total Versions 5
Frequently Asked Questions

What is Spec Coder?

Structured spec-first development workflow with multi-role expert review gates: clarify requirements, author spec documents (requirements/design/tasks), gene... It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 280 downloads so far.

How do I install Spec Coder?

Run "/install spec-coder" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.

Is Spec Coder free?

Yes, Spec Coder is completely free, licensed under MIT-0. You can download, install and use it at no cost.

Which platforms does Spec Coder support?

Spec Coder is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (cross-platform).

Who created Spec Coder?

It is built and maintained by Pan Xiaohua (@xhuaustc); the current version is v0.1.4.

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