# speckit-constitution

This skill writes and updates the project constitution in .specify/memory/constitution.md, turning your principles into a versioned governance doc.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 2400 installs · ★ 153
- Author: github-spec-kit
- License: AGPL-3.0 · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/dceoy/speckit-agent-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/speckit-constitution/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/speckit-constitution

## What it does

The skill maintains the constitution — the document of principles that other Spec Kit commands read at runtime. You pass principles or values as the argument, and it maps them onto the template: a name line, the non-negotiable rules, a rationale. If `.specify/memory/constitution.md` already exists, it loads the current values and amendments, then preserves what still applies.

Scope is deliberately narrow. Feature work, code generation, refactoring and deployment requests are not executed; the skill extracts them as deferred intents and lists a follow-up command such as `/speckit-specify` under `Next Actions`. Application source files, routes, components and tests stay untouched. So asking it to fix a route while it edits the constitution gets you nothing.

Before the update it checks `.specify/extensions.yml` for `hooks.before_constitution`. Mandatory hooks run and the skill waits for the result; optional ones are printed with the command to invoke by hand. The project needs the Spec Kit structure with a `.specify/` directory and `.specify/scripts/bash/resolve-template.sh` — if template resolution fails, the skill stops instead of continuing on a partial scaffold. Version bumps follow semver: MAJOR for removed or redefined principles, MINOR for a new section, PATCH for wording fixes.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dceoy/speckit-agent-skills --skill speckit-constitution -a claude-code
```

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

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dceoy/speckit-agent-skills --skill speckit-constitution -a codex
```

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

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dceoy/speckit-agent-skills --skill speckit-constitution -a cursor
```

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

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install dceoy/speckit-agent-skills speckit-constitution
```

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

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dceoy/speckit-agent-skills --skill speckit-constitution -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/dceoy/speckit-agent-skills --path skills/speckit-constitution
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

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

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dceoy/speckit-agent-skills --skill speckit-constitution -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/dceoy/speckit-agent-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/speckit-constitution/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- pin project principles into one document
- amend the constitution without losing earlier values
- keep constitution edits separate from feature code
- bump the constitution version by semver rules
- check extension hooks before amending governance

## Example prompts
- update the constitution with three principles: testability, simplicity, backward compatibility
- add a mandatory review-before-merge principle to the constitution
- review the project constitution and propose a new version

## Similar
- [oss-governance](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/oss-governance.md) — skill · 10500 installs
- [board-minutes](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/board-minutes.md) — skill · 629 installs
- [policy-starter](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/policy-starter.md) — skill · 592 installs
- [design-system-governance](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/design-system-governance.md) — skill · 1700 installs
- [decay](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/decay.md) — skill · 1200 installs
- [treeseed](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/treeseed.md) — skill · 719 installs

From the same set: [dceoy/speckit-agent-skills](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/dceoy/speckit-agent-skills.md) — 11 cards

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md