Spec-Driven Development & Spec Kit
November 8, 2025
Spec-Driven Development & Spec Kit: Building Software With Intent
A live walkthrough of Spec-Driven Development using Spec Kit, GitHub Copilot, and agent-assisted implementation.
Modern software development is evolving fast. The days of vague requirements, fragmented documentation, and reactive coding are giving way to a more intentional, AI-assisted era — one where specifications drive implementation rather than code being the first draft of thinking.
In the session, Kevin Kraus from Microsoft demonstrates how developers can move from:
idea → structured spec → implementation → automated testing
…with AI doing the heavy lifting in between.
🧠 Why Spec-Driven Development?
“LLMs like structure, they don’t like ambiguity.” — Kevin Kraus
Without a defined spec, AI tends to:
- Misinterpret intent
- Hallucinate architecture decisions
- Go off track mid-implementation
- Require lots of correction
Specs create guardrails, clarity, and predictable automation.
🧰 What Is GitHub Spec Kit?
Spec Kit is a GitHub CLI tool and prompt framework that helps you generate structured specifications directly inside your repository.
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
specify init | Bootstraps Spec Kit in your repo |
/specify | Converts an idea into a structured spec |
/clarify | Removes ambiguity via guided questions |
/plan | Generates a technical implementation plan |
/tasks | Breaks work into actionable tasks |
/implement | Executes via Copilot or GitHub Agents |
🧩 The Spec-Driven Development Flow
🧠 Who writes the spec?
Everyone — collaboratively and iteratively.
| Stage | Who contributes |
|---|---|
| Initial idea | Product / stakeholder |
| Refinement & clarification | Developer + Copilot + Product |
| Implementation plan | Copilot / Spec Kit |
| Execution | Copilot or GitHub Agent |
| Validation | Developer / reviewer |
🤖 After the spec is written
GitHub coding agents will:
- Generate code
- Write Playwright tests
- Capture UI screenshots
- Open a PR
- Attach evidence for review
Developers shift from typing code → validating outcomes.
⚙️ Example workflow
# Install Spec Kit
npm install -g @github/spec-kit
# Initialize inside a repo
specify init
# Generate a spec
/specify "Add notification bell with unread badge + dropdown"
/clarify
/plan
/tasks
/implement✅ Benefits
| Traditional Dev | Spec-Driven Dev |
|---|---|
| Code first, figure it out later | Clarity before code |
| Vague tickets | Structured specifications |
| AI generates snippets | AI builds entire features |
| Testing added afterward | Tests auto-generated |
| High rewrite risk | Predictable, repeatable automation |
The Big Shift
“We’re moving from generation to verification.” — Kevin Kraus
You’re no longer typing the system into existence — you’re designing the blueprint that AI builds from.