Spec Forge Architecture

Spec Forge Architecture

Use this stage to convert the approved framing contract into a top-level solution shape and decomposition plan.

This stage answers: what is the overall approach, what journeys matter, what components exist, and which roles must challenge the design before detail work starts.

Shared Operating Rules

• This skill runs only in Plan mode. If the runtime is not Plan mode, stop and tell the user to switch before continuing.
• Confirm both chat language and file language before architecture questions.
• Keep decisions in chat. YAML remains the persisted source of truth, but the user should not need to inspect files directly.
• Approvals happen from chat summaries, then get persisted into YAML.

Required Shared CLI Commands

• spec-forge-cli resolve
• spec-forge-cli apply
• spec-forge-cli artifact get
• spec-forge-cli artifact merge
• spec-forge-cli approve
• spec-forge-cli gate check
• spec-forge-cli stage advance

Required UX Contract

Read ../spec-forge/assets/contracts/ux-contracts.yaml before collecting parameters.

At the start of the stage, run:

spec-forge-cli resolve --target <target-dir> --skill spec-forge-architecture --stage architecture --write

If the runtime is not Plan mode, stop and ask the user to switch before collecting inputs or showing any choice dialog.

Use chat summaries as the approval surface; YAML remains the persisted contract for the stage.

Entry Gate

Required Inputs

• Approved .spec-forge/specs/<spec-id>/framing/request-context.yaml
• Approved .spec-forge/specs/<spec-id>/framing/role-map.yaml

Workflow

1. Resolve invocation UX first with: spec-forge-cli resolve --target <target-dir> --skill spec-forge-architecture --stage architecture --write Confirm chat language and file language before stage-specific architecture questions. Then collect only the next missing parameter, one step at a time, and record every accepted answer or choice with spec-forge-cli apply ....
2. Read the framing artifacts before asking new questions.
3. Update .spec-forge/specs/<spec-id>/architecture/solution-outline.yaml. Prefer spec-forge-cli artifact merge --file architecture/solution-outline.yaml for artifact-level writes beyond the current apply parameter or choice.
4. Update .spec-forge/specs/<spec-id>/architecture/journey-index.yaml. Prefer spec-forge-cli artifact merge --file architecture/journey-index.yaml for artifact-level writes beyond the current apply parameter or choice.
5. Update .spec-forge/specs/<spec-id>/architecture/component-index.yaml. Prefer spec-forge-cli artifact merge --file architecture/component-index.yaml for artifact-level writes beyond the current apply parameter or choice.
6. Work broad-to-fine:
   • lock the overall solution summary
   • define owned boundaries and external dependencies
   • list top-level journeys
   • list top-level components
7. Use role-based review on the solution outline. At minimum, capture concerns from:
   • product-manager
   • ux-architect
   • tech-lead
   • qa-lead
8. Keep discussion progressive:
   • ask only one major design cluster at a time
   • do not dive into full step detail yet
   • do not dive into full component internals yet
9. In journey-index.yaml, keep each item concise and reviewable. Each journey item should eventually include:
   • id
   • title
   • summary
   • priority
   • status
   • discussion_roles
10. In component-index.yaml, keep each item concise and reviewable. Each component item should eventually include:

• id
• title
• kind
• summary
• priority
• status
• discussion_roles

11. Present a concise architecture summary in chat and ask for explicit approval there. Do not ask the user to inspect the YAML files directly. Use a choice dialog when the runtime supports it; otherwise fall back to a compact numbered menu. When the user approves the chat summary, record it with:

• spec-forge-cli approve --target <target-dir> --spec-id <spec-id> --file architecture/solution-outline.yaml
• spec-forge-cli approve --target <target-dir> --spec-id <spec-id> --file architecture/journey-index.yaml
• spec-forge-cli approve --target <target-dir> --spec-id <spec-id> --file architecture/component-index.yaml

12. Run:

• spec-forge-cli gate check --target <target-dir> --spec-id <spec-id> --stage architecture --write
• spec-forge-cli stage advance --target <target-dir> --spec-id <spec-id> --stage architecture

Outputs

• .spec-forge/specs/<spec-id>/architecture/solution-outline.yaml
• .spec-forge/specs/<spec-id>/architecture/journey-index.yaml
• .spec-forge/specs/<spec-id>/architecture/component-index.yaml
• .spec-forge/specs/<spec-id>/gates/architecture.yaml

Exit Gate

Guardrails

• Do not skip straight to per-file or per-function detail.
• Do not allow architecture to pass with a vague solution summary.
• Do not let the journey index and component index become giant prose blobs.
• Do not let one role dominate the review. Record cross-role concerns.
• Do not collect missing required parameters in one large batch.
• Do not continue in non-Plan mode.
• Do not ask the user to inspect YAML files directly. Summarize architecture content in chat instead.

Next Step

Continue with ../spec-forge-journeys/SKILL.md.