# leanspec

Teaches the agent to run development through specs: capture intent first, write code second. Works with markdown, GitHub Issues, Azure DevOps and Jira.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 1000 installs · ★ 299
- Author: codervisor
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/codervisor/leanspec/tree/HEAD/skills/leanspec/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-05-20
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/leanspec

## What it does

The skill lays out a spec-coding methodology on top of the `leanspec` CLI. A spec is a durable artifact that links to code, not a scratch pad for one session. Each backend speaks its own language through an adapter: markdown, GitHub Issues, Azure DevOps, Jira. The skill itself stays adapter-agnostic, so it never hard-codes status values or field keys.

Every session opens with `leanspec capabilities -o json`. That output is the source of truth: the active adapter, which metadata fields exist, which values are allowed, which link types the backend understands. Then come five phases: Discover (`leanspec board`, `leanspec search`), Create (`leanspec create` with every known field in one call), Refine, Implement, Verify. In Verify, flipping the status to done is not enough — you point to the commit, test or file that proves it.

Metadata changes go through `leanspec update`; the skill never writes raw frontmatter. Keep each item under roughly 2000 tokens, or split it. You need the `leanspec` CLI installed, because that is what the agent calls.

## Requirements
- Works with: GitHub, Azure DevOps, Jira

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add codervisor/leanspec --skill leanspec -a claude-code
```

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

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add codervisor/leanspec --skill leanspec -a codex
```

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

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add codervisor/leanspec --skill leanspec -a cursor
```

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

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install codervisor/leanspec leanspec
```

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

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add codervisor/leanspec --skill leanspec -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/codervisor/leanspec --path skills/leanspec
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

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

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add codervisor/leanspec --skill leanspec -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/codervisor/leanspec/tree/HEAD/skills/leanspec/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- capture feature intent before coding starts
- link a spec to its parent and to blockers
- check a spec against code, tests and CI before closing
- split a spec that grew past its scope
- run one process over markdown, GitHub Issues or Jira

## Example prompts
- show me the current board: `leanspec board`
- create a spec for the new feature with all fields in one call
- verify the acceptance criteria and close the spec

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

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BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE bad82ebcc8d112d2
````text
---
name: leanspec
description: The spec-coding methodology for AI-assisted development. Use when planning features, creating/refining/implementing/verifying specs, or organising a project. Works with whatever spec backend your team already uses — local markdown, GitHub Issues, Azure DevOps, Jira — by delegating platform-specific details to a LeanSpec adapter.
---

# LeanSpec — Spec Coding Skill

Teach agents **spec coding**: the practice of treating specs as durable
artifacts that drive development, not ephemeral planning notes. LeanSpec
provides the methodology and the `leanspec` CLI; each **adapter** (markdown,
GitHub Issues, ADO, Jira, …) speaks its backend's native language. The skill
is deliberately adapter-agnostic — never hard-code a status value, priority
name, or field key here.

## Start every session with capability discovery

Before reading, writing, or linking any specs, run:

```bash
leanspec capabilities -o json
```

The output is your source of truth. It tells you:

- The active adapter's name (`markdown`, `github`, `ado`, …).
- Which metadata fields exist and their types/enum values.
- Which field plays each **semantic role** (`status`, `priority`, `tags`,
  `assignee`, `due_date`) on this adapter.
- Which link types the backend understands (`parent`, `depends_on`, …).

Use the returned enum values as the only valid vocabulary. If you want to move
a spec into the "working" state, look up the semantic `status` field, pick the
value the adapter calls "work is underway," and send that — don't assume it's
called `in-progress`.

## Core principles

1. **Specs are durable artifacts.** They persist beyond the session, they are
   reviewable, and they link to code. They are not plan-mode scratch pads.
2. **Methodology, not mechanics.** The five phases below apply whether your
   backend is a markdown folder, a GitHub repo, or a Jira project.
3. **Discovery first.** Always read what exists before writing anything new.
4. **Intent before implementation.** Capture *why* first, *how* second.
5. **Verify against reality.** Never trust a status field alone — check code,
   commits, tests, CI.
6. **Use the adapter's vocabulary.** No hard-coded field names or values.

## The five phases

### 1. Discover

Understand the current state of the project before touching anything.

1. Run `leanspec capabilities -o json` (session start).
2. Run `leanspec board` to see the current shape of the project.
3. Run `leanspec search "<keywords>"` to find related items.
4. If a close match exists, consider extending or linking to it rather than
   creating a new item.

### 2. Create

Capture intent as a new, durable artifact.

1. Run `leanspec create <short-name>` with every known field in a single call
   (title, body, semantic fields like status/priority, tags, parent,
````
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