gsd-spec-phase
Define requirements and specifications before starting development.
Install
mkdir -p .claude/skills/gsd-spec-phase && curl -L -o skill.zip "https://agentskills.codes/api/skills/download/12652" && unzip -o skill.zip -d .claude/skills/gsd-spec-phase && rm skill.zipInstalls to .claude/skills/gsd-spec-phase
Activation
This is the description your AI agent reads to decide when to run this skill — the better it matches your request, the more reliably it fires.
Clarify WHAT a phase delivers with ambiguity scoring; produces a SPEC.md before discuss-phase.Key capabilities
- →Clarify phase requirements
- →Score ambiguity quantitatively
- →Generate SPEC.md before discuss-phase
- →Conduct Socratic questioning across multiple rounds
- →Commit SPEC.md with falsifiable requirements
How it works
The skill loads phase context, scouts the codebase, and runs a Socratic interview loop to score ambiguity, generating a SPEC.md when ambiguity is low.
Inputs & outputs
When to use gsd-spec-phase
- →Defining scope for a new feature
- →Clarifying requirements for complex tasks
- →Creating a specification document
- →Scoring project requirements for clarity
About this skill
<codex_skill_adapter>
A. Skill Invocation
- This skill is invoked by mentioning
$gsd-spec-phase. - Treat all user text after
$gsd-spec-phaseas{{GSD_ARGS}}. - If no arguments are present, treat
{{GSD_ARGS}}as empty.
B. AskUserQuestion → request_user_input Mapping
GSD workflows use AskUserQuestion (Claude Code syntax). Translate to Codex request_user_input:
Parameter mapping:
header→headerquestion→question- Options formatted as
"Label" — description→{label: "Label", description: "description"} - Generate
idfrom header: lowercase, replace spaces with underscores
Batched calls:
AskUserQuestion([q1, q2])→ singlerequest_user_inputwith multiple entries inquestions[]
Multi-select workaround:
- Codex has no
multiSelect. Use sequential single-selects, or present a numbered freeform list asking the user to enter comma-separated numbers.
Execute mode fallback:
- When
request_user_inputis rejected (Execute mode), present a plain-text numbered list and pick a reasonable default.
C. Task() → spawn_agent Mapping
GSD workflows use Task(...) (Claude Code syntax). Translate to Codex collaboration tools:
Direct mapping:
Task(subagent_type="X", prompt="Y")→spawn_agent(agent_type="X", message="Y")Task(model="...")→ omit.spawn_agenthas no inlinemodelparameter; GSD embeds the resolved per-agent model directly into each agent's.tomlat install time somodel_overridesfrom.planning/config.jsonand~/.gsd/defaults.jsonare honored automatically by Codex's agent router.fork_context: falseby default — GSD agents load their own context via<files_to_read>blocks
Spawn restriction:
- Codex restricts
spawn_agentto cases where the user has explicitly requested sub-agents. When automatic spawning is not permitted, do the work inline in the current agent rather than attempting to force a spawn.
Parallel fan-out:
- Spawn multiple agents → collect agent IDs →
wait(ids)for all to complete
Result parsing:
- Look for structured markers in agent output:
CHECKPOINT,PLAN COMPLETE,SUMMARY, etc. close_agent(id)after collecting results from each agent </codex_skill_adapter>
Position in workflow: spec-phase → discuss-phase → plan-phase → execute-phase → verify
How it works:
- Load phase context (PROJECT.md, REQUIREMENTS.md, ROADMAP.md, STATE.md)
- Scout the codebase — understand current state before asking questions
- Run Socratic interview loop (up to 6 rounds, rotating perspectives)
- Score ambiguity across 4 weighted dimensions after each round
- Gate: ambiguity ≤ 0.20 AND all dimensions meet minimums → write SPEC.md
- Commit SPEC.md — discuss-phase picks it up automatically on next run
Output: {phase_dir}/{padded_phase}-SPEC.md — falsifiable requirements that lock "what/why" before discuss-phase handles "how"
</objective>
<execution_context> @/Volumes/Auxilary/Side_Projects/May_Project/.codex/get-shit-done/workflows/spec-phase.md @/Volumes/Auxilary/Side_Projects/May_Project/.codex/get-shit-done/templates/spec.md </execution_context>
<runtime_note>
Copilot (VS Code): Use vscode_askquestions wherever this workflow calls AskUserQuestion. They are equivalent.
</runtime_note>
Flags:
--auto— Skip interactive questions; the agent selects recommended defaults and writes SPEC.md--text— Use plain-text numbered lists instead of TUI menus (required for/rcremote sessions)
Context files are resolved in-workflow using init phase-op.
</context>
MANDATORY: Read the workflow file BEFORE taking any action. The workflow contains the complete step-by-step process including the Socratic interview loop, ambiguity scoring gate, and SPEC.md generation. Do not improvise from the objective summary above. </process>
<success_criteria>
- Codebase scouted for current state before questioning begins
- All 4 ambiguity dimensions scored after each interview round
- Gate passed: ambiguity ≤ 0.20 AND all dimension minimums met
- SPEC.md written with falsifiable requirements, explicit boundaries, and acceptance criteria
- SPEC.md committed atomically
- User knows they can now run $gsd-discuss-phase which will load SPEC.md automatically </success_criteria>
When not to use it
- →When the phase requirements are already clear and unambiguous
- →When a SPEC.md is not required for the next phase
Limitations
- →Requires user interaction for questions unless --auto flag is used
- →Multi-select questions require a workaround using sequential single-selects or numbered freeform lists
How it compares
This skill uses structured questioning and quantitative ambiguity scoring to define phase requirements, providing a more rigorous approach than manual specification writing.
Compared to similar skills
gsd-spec-phase side by side with the closest alternatives in the catalog.
| Skill | Installs | Updated | Safety | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| gsd-spec-phase (this skill) | 0 | 3mo | No flags | Intermediate |
| pmbok-project-management | 38 | 9mo | No flags | Intermediate |
| project-planner | 32 | 9mo | Review | Intermediate |
| spec-kit-workflow | 11 | 8mo | No flags | Intermediate |
Try saying
Example prompts that trigger this skill in your AI assistant.
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