Specster
Note: This extension is inspired by the spec-driven development workflow popularized by KIRO IDE and is built by the KIRO. I welcome contributions from the community!
Systematic feature development with requirements, design, and implementation planning for GitHub Copilot
Transform your development workflow with a systematic approach to feature development. Specster guides you through a proven methodology: Requirements → Design → Tasks → Implementation, with seamless GitHub Copilot integration.
Features
Structured Development Workflow
- Requirements Phase: Define user stories with EARS format acceptance criteria
- Design Phase: Create comprehensive technical architecture and component design
- Tasks Phase: Break down features into actionable, testable implementation steps
- Execution Phase: Implement with GitHub Copilot assistance using context-aware prompts
GitHub Copilot Integration
- Context-Aware Prompts: Generated prompts include full context from requirements and design
- Structured Templates: Maximize Copilot effectiveness with well-formatted, detailed prompts
- File References: Automatic inclusion of relevant spec files for comprehensive understanding
- Clipboard Integration: One-click copying of prompts for seamless workflow
Visual Progress Tracking
- Interactive Sidebar: Dedicated panel with phase indicators and progress visualization
- Task Management: Click-to-execute functionality for individual implementation tasks
- Status Integration: Real-time progress updates in VS Code status bar
- File Organization: Automatic organization of spec files in logical directory structure
Intelligent Guidance
- Phase-Specific Tips: Contextual help and best practices for each development phase
- Welcome Experience: Guided onboarding for new users with interactive tutorials
- Smart Validation: Automatic validation of spec completeness and quality
- Error Prevention: Built-in checks to prevent common specification mistakes
Getting Started
Installation
- Open VS Code Extensions panel (
Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
- Search for "Specster"
- Click Install
- Reload VS Code when prompted
Quick Start
Start Your First Spec
- Click the Specster icon in the Activity Bar (sidebar)
- Or use Command Palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P): Specster: Start New Spec
- Enter your feature name and description
Follow the Guided Workflow
Feature Idea → Requirements → Design → Tasks → Implementation
Work with GitHub Copilot
- Extension generates structured, context-aware prompts
- Click "Copy Prompts" to get prompts for current phase
- Paste into GitHub Copilot Chat for intelligent assistance
📖 How It Works
Requirements Phase 📝
**User Story:** As a [role], I want [feature], so that [benefit]
#### Acceptance Criteria
1. WHEN [event] THEN [system] SHALL [response]
2. IF [precondition] THEN [system] SHALL [response]
Design Phase 🎨
- Architecture overview
- Component interfaces
- Data models
- Error handling strategy
- Testing approach
Tasks Phase 📋
- Numbered implementation checklist
- Requirement references
- Incremental development steps
- Test-driven approach
Execution Phase ⚡
- Click tasks to get Copilot prompts
- Context-aware implementation guidance
- Progress tracking and completion
🏗️ File Structure
The extension organizes your specs in a clean structure:
.specs/
├── feature-name/
│ ├── requirements.md # User stories & acceptance criteria
│ ├── design.md # Technical architecture
│ └── tasks.md # Implementation checklist
└── another-feature/
├── requirements.md
├── design.md
└── tasks.md
🎨 User Interface
- Spec Workflow: Current phase, progress, and actions
- Spec Files: Quick access to requirements, design, and tasks
- Quick Help: Tips and guidance for each phase
Status Bar
- Shows current spec and progress
- Quick access to Spec panel
- Visual indicator of active development
Interactive Elements
- ✅ Click tasks to execute with Copilot
- ➡️ Phase navigation buttons
- 🔄 Refresh and file management
- 📄 Direct file access
Requirements
- VS Code: Version 1.74.0 or higher
- GitHub Copilot: Recommended for optimal experience (not required)
- Node.js: 16.x or higher (for development only)
Configuration
The extension works out of the box with sensible defaults. Customize behavior through VS Code settings:
specDrivenDevelopment.workflowBehavior.* - Workflow and phase transition settingsspecDrivenDevelopment.uiPreferences.* - Interface and display preferencesspecDrivenDevelopment.integration.* - GitHub Copilot and file naming settings
Access settings via: File → Preferences → Settings → Search "Specster"
🎯 Best Practices
Requirements Phase
- Focus on user value and business outcomes
- Use clear, testable acceptance criteria
- Consider edge cases and error scenarios
- Keep user stories independent and small
Design Phase
- Think about system boundaries and interfaces
- Consider scalability and maintainability
- Address all functional and non-functional requirements
- Include error handling and recovery strategies
Tasks Phase
- Break work into small, manageable chunks
- Ensure each task is independently testable
- Reference specific requirements
- Plan for incremental delivery
Execution Phase
- Complete one task at a time
- Write tests before or alongside implementation
- Regularly commit and review progress
- Refactor and improve as you go
Support
Contributing
We welcome contributions! Please see our Contributing Guide for details.
Development Setup
git clone https://github.com/abhijithmahipal/vscode-spec-extension.git
cd vscode-spec-extension
npm install
code .
# Press F5 to launch Extension Development Host
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
Acknowledgments
- Inspired by systematic development methodologies and spec-driven development practices, especially the KIRO IDE spec-driven workflow
- Built for the GitHub Copilot ecosystem and modern AI-assisted development
- Designed for professional development teams and individual developers
Transform your development workflow with systematic, AI-assisted feature development.
