Spec Writer transforms vague feature ideas or bug reports into highly structured, actionable implementation documents for developers and AI agents.
Install & Download
1. ClawHub CLI
The fastest way to install a skill directly from the registry.
npx clawhub@latest install spec-writer
2. Manual Installation
Copy the skill folder to one of these locations
~/.openclaw/skills/ <project>/skills/ Priority: Workspace > Local > Bundled
3. Prompt Installation
Copy this prompt to OpenClaw to install it automatically.
Help me install spec-writer using Clawhub. If Clawhub is not installed, install it first (npm i -g clawhub).
Prefer to download?
Get the raw skill files in a ZIP archive.
What is Spec Writer?
Spec Writer is a specialized tool within the Openclaw Skills ecosystem designed to bridge the gap between initial requirements and code implementation. It analyzes project context—including tech stacks, existing architecture, and code style—to produce a single source of truth in Markdown format. By formalizing technical plans before coding begins, it ensures that both human developers and autonomous agents remain aligned with project goals and constraints.
This skill is particularly valuable for maintaining consistency across long-running development sessions. By generating a SPEC.md document, Spec Writer provides a persistent anchor that prevents context drift, ensuring that every line of code written matches the predefined user stories and technical boundaries of the project.
Spec Writer Use Cases
- Creating detailed technical blueprints from minimal user prompts or GitHub issues.
- Preparing comprehensive documentation for handover to autonomous coding agents.
- Standardizing the planning phase for team-based software development.
- Anchoring AI agent context during complex refactors or new feature builds.
How Spec Writer Works
- Context Gathering: The skill automatically collects information from the user's input and the project's environment, identifying the tech stack, directory layout, and existing test frameworks.
- Specification Drafting: It applies a standardized template to generate a spec covering objectives, user stories, technical plans, and explicit code examples.
- User Review: The generated draft is presented for human feedback to refine technical approaches, boundaries, and verification criteria.
- Documentation Delivery: Upon approval, the finalized spec is saved to the repository as a Markdown file, ready for implementation phase triggers.
Spec Writer Setup
To integrate Spec Writer into your project using Openclaw Skills, ensure your agent has access to the standard spec templates. You can initiate the process with a simple command:
# Example command to trigger the spec writer
openclaw run spec-writer "plan a new REST API endpoint for user profiles"
The skill will automatically look for configuration files like package.json or go.mod to tailor the technical plan to your specific environment.
Spec Writer Data Schema & Taxonomy
Spec Writer generates structured Markdown documents (usually SPEC.md) following this schema to ensure compatibility with other Openclaw Skills:
| Section | Content Description |
|---|---|
| Objectives | The 'what' and 'why' of the feature or fix. |
| User Stories | Anchor scenarios and success criteria. |
| Technical Plan | Specific files to change, new dependencies, and architecture. |
| Boundaries | Clear rules on what the agent is allowed to do without asking. |
| Verification | Test commands and manual verification steps. |
| Task Breakdown | A granular, actionable list of implementation steps. |
Spec Writer Advanced Features
- Intelligent context extraction from local config files (package.json, Cargo.toml, etc.).
- Three-tier boundary system (Always / Ask First / Never) to maintain strict control over agent behavior.
- Scalable document generation that adjusts detail levels based on task complexity.
- Native integration with development workflows for seamless transition from planning to execution.
SKILL.md
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