Add Functional Specs

Add Functional Specs

Always use the skill load-plain-reference to retrieve the ***plain syntax rules — but only if you haven't done so yet.

When to Use

• The user asks for several functional specs to be added in one go (e.g. "add these three specs", "spec out this feature in a few bullets").
• A higher-level skill or workflow (forge-plain, add-feature, debug-specs) needs to author a tight group of related specs.
• Anywhere you would otherwise be tempted to write more than one functional spec without running per-spec analysis.

If you only need to add a single spec, use the add-functional-spec skill instead. Either way, never edit the ***functional specs*** section by hand — every new entry must go through one of these two skills so the complexity and conflict checks actually run.

Workflow

This skill is add-functional-spec applied one spec at a time, in order, with no shortcuts. The batch never escapes per-spec rigor.

1. Identify the target .plain file. If ambiguous, ask the user.
2. Read the entire file to understand existing definitions, implementation reqs, and all current functional specs (including those reachable via import / requires).
3. Draft all the specs you intend to add, in the chronological order they should appear. Keep the drafts in a working list — nothing is inserted yet. Run the review pass in concise-specs.md over every draft before continuing; trim each to the shortest wording that keeps every fact.
4. For each drafted spec, in order:

   1. Analyze complexity. Run analyze-if-func-spec-too-complex on the spec. If the verdict is TOO COMPLEX, run break-down-func-spec, replace the entry in the working list with the resulting smaller specs (preserving order), and restart this step on the first of the replacements.

   2. Check for conflicts. Run analyze-func-specs once with this single input set:

      • the new spec, plus
      • every existing functional spec in the file and its requires chain, plus
      • every spec from this batch that has already been inserted.

      The batched analyzer returns every conflicting pair in one call — do not loop over pairs invoking a per-pair analyzer. For each conflicting pair it reports, run resolve-spec-conflict. Apply the resolution — which may revise the new spec, an existing spec, or both — then re-run analyze-func-specs once over the touched set until the verdict is COMPATIBLE.

   3. Append the spec to the ***functional specs*** section. Specs are chronological; the new entry goes at the end (unless an earlier existing spec must come after it — in that rare case, insert at the correct position).

5. Read the file again to confirm correct placement, ordering, and syntax for the full batch.

Order matters: each new spec is inserted only after its complexity and conflict checks pass, so subsequent specs in the batch are always checked against an already-validated file.

Rules

All the rules from add-functional-spec apply per individual spec. They are restated here so this skill is self-contained.

Complexity Limit (per spec)

Each functional spec must imply a maximum of 200 changed lines of code. If a spec is too large, use break-down-func-spec to split it into multiple smaller, independent specs. Do not include LOC estimates in the spec text.

Chronological Ordering

Specs are rendered incrementally, top to bottom. The renderer has no knowledge of future specs — only previously rendered specs are in context.

• A new spec can reference behavior defined by earlier specs.
• A new spec cannot assume anything about specs that come after it.
• Order the batch so that each spec only depends on specs that precede it. If two new specs would otherwise reference each other, the dependent one comes second.

Language Agnosticism

Write in terms of behavior, concepts, and domain logic — not implementation constructs. Avoid language-specific types, generics syntax, framework annotations, or other constructs tied to a particular language or framework. General technical terms (null values, JSON types, HTTP status codes) are fine. Language-specific guidance belongs in ***implementation reqs***.

No Conflicts (full coverage via one batched call per spec)

The new specs must not contradict each other and must not contradict any existing functional spec. Conflicting specs are the most costly outcome. The conflict check must cover:

• every (new × existing) pair, and
• every (new × new) pair within the batch.

That coverage is achieved by running analyze-func-specs once per spec being inserted, with the new spec plus every existing spec plus every already-inserted spec from this batch passed in as a single set. The batched analyzer lists every conflicting pair in one call — do not invoke a pair-by-pair analyzer. If ambiguity exists, add explicit detail to eliminate any conflicting interpretation. For each conflicting pair the batched analyzer reports, use the resolve-spec-conflict skill to diagnose and fix it before proceeding.

Disambiguation (per spec)

Each functional spec must be unambiguous — the renderer should have only one reasonable interpretation. If a single line is not enough to fully disambiguate the behavior, use nested sub-bullets to add detail. Nested lines clarify the parent spec; they do not introduce separate functionality. Even with nested detail, the spec must still imply ≤ 200 LOC.

***functional specs***

- A :User: can send a :Message: to a :Conversation:.
  - A :Message: must have non-empty content.
  - The :Message: is appended to the end of the :Conversation:.
  - All :Participant: members of the :Conversation: can see the new :Message:.

Deterministic Interface

Specs must be detailed enough that a developer can use the built software without reading the generated code. All external interfaces must be explicit — REST endpoint paths and HTTP methods, CLI command names and arguments, file formats, message schemas, etc. Never leave interface details up to the renderer's discretion.

Encapsulation

Functionality must be self-contained in the spec text. requires modules only import functional specs, so do not rely on implementation reqs to convey behavior — they won't be visible in downstream modules.

Acceptance Tests

If any of the newly added functional specs need verification, use the add-acceptance-test skill to add acceptance tests after the batch has been inserted. Do this per spec, not as part of the bulk pass.

Anti-Patterns

• Don't skip per-spec checks because the batch "feels" small. Even two specs require two complexity checks and a batched conflict check that includes both new specs.
• Don't fall back to pair-by-pair conflict analysis. Use analyze-func-specs with the full relevant set once per inserted spec — not analyze-2-func-specs across every pair.
• Don't run all complexity checks first and all conflict checks last. Interleave them per spec, as described in the Workflow — a failed complexity check earlier would otherwise waste later conflict checks.
• Don't insert every spec first and then analyze. A bad spec already in the file pollutes subsequent conflict analyses.
• Don't fall back to hand-authoring because there are "a lot" of specs to add. The right answer is more analyzer calls, not fewer.
• Don't use this skill for a single spec. Use add-functional-spec — it's the same checks without the bulk bookkeeping.

Validation Checklist

• Every spec in the batch implies ≤ 200 lines of code changes (verified via analyze-if-func-spec-too-complex)
• No conflict between any new spec and any existing spec (verified via batched analyze-func-specs calls)
• No conflict between any two new specs in the batch (covered by the same batched analyze-func-specs calls)
• Every conflicting pair the batched analyzer reported was resolved via resolve-spec-conflict before the batch completed
• All specs written in language-agnostic terms (no language/framework specifics)
• All external interfaces explicit (endpoint paths, methods, CLI args, formats, etc.)
• All referenced :Concepts: are defined in ***definitions***
• Sentences are short, clear, and unambiguous
• Every spec trimmed per concise-specs.md: nothing obvious, no rationale, no uncheckable adjectives or hedges, plain words throughout
• No redundancy with existing specs or within the batch
• Specs placed in correct chronological positions