Spec Writer

Create technical specifications using RFC 2119 language

Spec Writer

The Spec Writer skill provides context injection for specification writing tasks, creating clear, unambiguous technical specifications using RFC 2119 language.

Overview

Property	Value
Skill ID	ct-spec-writer
Tier	2 (Execution)
Protocol	specification
Tags	specification, documentation, rfc

Capabilities

1. Protocol Specifications - Define behavior rules with RFC 2119 keywords
2. Technical Requirements - Document system requirements with constraints
3. API Specifications - Define interfaces, schemas, and contracts
4. Architecture Documents - Document system design decisions

When to Use

The dispatch algorithm selects ct-spec-writer for:

• Tasks with keywords: spec, rfc, protocol, contract
• Tasks labeled: specification
• Task type: specification

RFC 2119 Keywords

Specifications MUST use these keywords with their precise meanings:

Keyword	Meaning	Expected Compliance
MUST	Absolute requirement	95-98%
MUST NOT	Absolute prohibition	93-97%
SHOULD	Recommended unless good reason	75-85%
SHOULD NOT	Discouraged unless good reason	75-85%
MAY	Truly optional	40-60%

Specification Structure

# {Specification Title} v{X.Y.Z}

The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHOULD",
"SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document
are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119.

---

## Overview

{2-3 sentence summary of what this spec defines}

---

## Definitions

| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| {term} | {definition} |

---

## Requirements

### {Category 1}

**REQ-001**: {Requirement description}
- Rationale: {Why this requirement exists}
- Verification: {How to verify compliance}

---

## Constraints

| ID | Constraint | Enforcement |
|----|------------|-------------|
| CON-001 | {constraint} | {how enforced} |

---

## Compliance

A system is compliant if:
1. {condition 1}
2. {condition 2}

Writing Guidelines

Be Precise

• Every requirement MUST be testable
• Avoid ambiguous terms (“appropriate”, “reasonable”, “adequate”)
• Use specific values, not ranges when possible

Be Complete

• Define all terms that might be misunderstood
• Cover error cases and edge conditions
• Specify what happens when requirements conflict

Be Organized

• Group related requirements
• Use consistent numbering (REQ-XXX, CON-XXX)
• Cross-reference related sections

Output Location

Specifications are written to: developer/specifications/{{SPEC_NAME}}.mdx

Execution Flow

1. Read task details
   └─→ cleo show {{TASK_ID}}

2. Set focus (if needed)
   └─→ cleo focus set {{TASK_ID}}

3. Write specification
   └─→ developer/specifications/{{SPEC_NAME}}.mdx

4. Append manifest
   └─→ {{MANIFEST_PATH}}

5. Complete task
   └─→ cleo complete {{TASK_ID}}

6. Return summary
   └─→ "Specification complete. See MANIFEST.jsonl for summary."

Manifest Entry

{"id":"spec-{{SPEC_NAME}}-{{DATE}}","file":"{{DATE}}_spec-{{SPEC_NAME}}.md","title":"Specification: {{TITLE}}","date":"{{DATE}}","status":"complete","agent_type":"specification","topics":["specification"],"key_findings":["Defined N requirements in M categories","Established X constraints","Compliance criteria defined"],"actionable":true,"needs_followup":["{{IMPLEMENTATION_TASK_IDS}}"],"linked_tasks":["{{TASK_ID}}"]}

Related Skills

• Task Executor - Implements specifications
• Validator - Verifies spec compliance
• Research Agent - Gathers requirements