# gjalla-spec-review

A skill that reads a plan or spec through several expert lenses and lists blocking issues before implementation starts.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 893 installs · ★ 3
- Author: gjalla
- License: not stated · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/gjalla/engineering/tree/HEAD/skills/gjalla-spec-review/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-09-20
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/gjalla-spec-review

## What it does

The skill runs one document through separate review passes. Efficacy comes first: it restates the goal, then the mechanism, and asks whether they close the same gap. For goals about preventing something, it traces the cheapest route to the bad outcome — if that route avoids the code being changed, the goal may not be met at all. The architecture pass looks at layer boundaries, where new components land, and whether the design fits the wider system. It also tests for dead code that only becomes live after some other change ships, and suggests cutting it now.

Security sits inside the spec rather than in a later gate. The skill asks who the adversary is, follows their shortest path to the unwanted result, and checks what becomes newly reachable: new consumers of data, a crossed trust boundary, a surface exposed to the internet. It looks for authentication and authorization on new endpoints, cross-tenant leakage, and correct handling of PII and secrets. Two more passes cover test strategy and the feature as the user meets it. Governance closes the list: project rules, exceptions, and whether the change deserves an architecture decision record.

Each lens reports what passes, what is at risk, and what must change, with blocking concerns kept apart from recommendations. The architecture pass refers to the gjalla master spec, so without that document some of its questions have nothing to check against.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gjalla/engineering --skill gjalla-spec-review -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/gjalla-spec-review/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/gjalla-spec-review/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gjalla/engineering --skill gjalla-spec-review -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/gjalla-spec-review/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gjalla/engineering --skill gjalla-spec-review -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/gjalla-spec-review/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install gjalla/engineering gjalla-spec-review
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/gjalla-spec-review/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gjalla/engineering --skill gjalla-spec-review -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/gjalla/engineering --path skills/gjalla-spec-review
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/gjalla-spec-review/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gjalla/engineering --skill gjalla-spec-review -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/gjalla/engineering/tree/HEAD/skills/gjalla-spec-review/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- catch gaps in a spec before implementation begins
- sort blocking issues from optional suggestions
- trace how a bad outcome is reached without touching the changed code
- spot dead code that waits on another change to ship
- check a plan against project rules and decide on an ADR

## Example prompts
- Run `gjalla-spec-review` on the auth spec in `docs/auth-spec.md`
- Review my database migration plan and list the blockers
- Go through this spec with every lens and tell me what must change before we build

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From the same set: [gjalla/engineering](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/gjalla/engineering.md) — 2 cards

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