Release Specification

Release Specification Skill

Version: 1.2 Author: Tres Pies Design Purpose: Write production-ready, A+ quality specifications for software releases that autonomous agents can implement without asking questions.

I. The Philosophy: Specification as Contract

A specification is not documentation — it is a contract. It is a formal agreement between the architect and the builder about what will be created, how it will work, and what success looks like. A vague specification invites confusion, rework, and failure. A rigorous specification is an act of respect for the builder's time and an investment in quality.

Specifications produced by this skill are:

• Comprehensive: Every question the builder might have is answered
• Precise: Technical details are specific, not hand-wavy
• Actionable: The path from specification to implementation is clear
• Testable: Success criteria are binary and measurable

The standard: 111/100 (A+). Good enough is not good enough.

II. When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• Planning a new software version or release with multiple features or components
• Designing a complex system architecture that requires detailed documentation
• Commissioning work to an autonomous agent that needs complete context
• Coordinating parallel development tracks where specifications serve as contracts between teams
• Communicating technical vision to stakeholders, developers, or future maintainers

Do NOT use this skill for:

• Small bug fixes or minor tweaks (use a simple task description)
• Exploratory prototypes (use scouting or rapid iteration)
• Features still being actively designed (finish discovery first)

III. The Workflow

Decision Point: Full Template or Lean Format?

Before starting, determine the right spec format:

Use the Full Template (Section IV) when:

• The system is new or the architecture is unfamiliar
• The audience includes stakeholders who need context
• Multiple teams or agents will implement from this spec
• The risk profile is high (production-critical, user-facing)

Use the Lean Format when:

• The architecture is established and the audience is the implementing agent
• The scope is well-defined (single feature, clear boundaries)
• The codebase patterns are well-documented
• The implementing agent is familiar with the codebase

Lean Format structure: Route layouts, component tables, behavior lists. No preamble. "Sonnet level chunks" — direct, precise, implementable.

Rule: The receiving agent should not default to the full template. Match format to scope.

Step 1: Gather Context and Inspiration

Before writing, immerse yourself in the problem space:

1. Read previous specifications — Study 2-3 recent specs to understand the pattern and quality bar
2. Review the codebase — Understand the current architecture, types, and patterns
3. Identify the problem — What pain point, user need, or strategic goal is this release addressing?
4. Scout alternatives — If choosing between approaches, explore options before committing

Output: A clear understanding of the problem, the current state, and the desired future state.

Step 1.5: Run Current State Audit

Before writing the spec, measure the codebase. Specs describe the delta from measured reality, not from assumptions.

Run these audits against the target codebase:

Testing

• Test file count: find . -name "*.test.*" | wc -l
• Test framework: [check package.json or equivalent]
• Coverage tool: [check scripts/config]

Accessibility

• Aria/role instances: grep -r "aria-\|role=" --include="*.tsx" | wc -l
• Error boundaries: grep -r "ErrorBoundary" --include="*.tsx" | wc -l

Performance

• Memoization usage: grep -r "React.memo\|useMemo\|useCallback" --include="*.tsx" | wc -l
• Code splitting: grep -r "React.lazy" --include="*.tsx" | wc -l

Dependencies

• UI framework: [check package.json]
• State management: [check package.json]
• Animation library: [check package.json]

File Structure

• Total source files: find src -name "*.ts" -o -name "*.tsx" | wc -l
• Route count: [check router config]

Include the results as a "Current State" section at the top of the spec. The spec then describes what changes FROM this measured baseline.

Step 2: Draft Vision and Goals

Start with the "why" before the "what":

1. Write a compelling vision statement — A single sentence that captures the essence of this release
2. Explain the core insight — 2-3 paragraphs on why this release matters
3. Define specific, measurable goals — What will be different after this release?
4. List non-goals explicitly — What is out of scope for this release?

Output: A clear, inspiring vision that motivates the work and sets boundaries.

Step 3: Design Technical Architecture

This is the heart of the specification:

1. Create a system overview — How do the major components fit together?
2. Design each component in detail:
   • Purpose and responsibility
   • Backend implementation with production-ready code examples
   • Frontend implementation with production-ready code examples
   • API endpoints with request/response shapes
   • Database schema (if applicable)
   • Integration points with existing systems
   • Performance considerations
3. Write production-ready code examples — Not pseudocode. Real code that could be committed.

Output: A complete technical design that a skilled developer could implement without asking questions.

Step 4: Plan Implementation Phases

Break the work into manageable phases:

1. Define a phased approach — 2-4 phases with clear focus areas
2. Create a week-by-week breakdown — Specific, actionable tasks for each week
3. Identify dependencies — What must be done before other work can start?
4. Define the testing strategy — Unit, integration, E2E, performance, and manual QA plans

Output: A realistic timeline with clear milestones and success criteria for each phase.

Step 5: Assess Risks and Document

Anticipate what could go wrong:

1. Identify major risks — Technical, timeline, or integration risks
2. Define mitigation strategies — How will you reduce or eliminate each risk?
3. Plan rollback procedures — How will you safely undo this release if needed?
4. Define monitoring and alerts — How will you know if something goes wrong in production?
5. Document user and developer documentation needs — What needs to be written?

Output: A comprehensive risk assessment and contingency plan.

Step 6: Review Against Checklist

Before finalizing:

1. Run the quality checklist (Section VI) — Ensure every item passes
2. Get feedback — Share with a peer or stakeholder
3. Iterate — Refine based on feedback
4. Save — As [version]_specification_[feature].md in the workspace

Output: A finalized, A+ quality specification ready for implementation.

IV. The A+ Specification Template

# [Project Name] v[X.X.X]: [Memorable Tagline]

**Author:** [Name]
**Status:** [Draft | Final | Approved]
**Created:** [Date]
**Grounded In:** [What this builds on — previous versions, research, feedback]

---

## 1. Vision

> A single, compelling sentence that captures the essence of this release.

**The Core Insight:**

[2-3 paragraphs explaining WHY this release matters]

**What Makes This Different:**

[2-3 paragraphs on what makes this approach unique or better than alternatives]

---

## 1.5 Current State (Audit Results)

> Include measured codebase metrics here. This grounds the spec in reality.

**Testing:** [X] test files, [framework], [coverage tool]
**Accessibility:** [X] aria/role instances, [X] error boundaries
**Performance:** [X] memoization instances, [X] code splitting instances
**Dependencies:** [list key deps from package.json]
**File Structure:** [X] source files, [X] routes, [X] shared components

---

## 2. Goals & Success Criteria

**Primary Goals:**
1. [Specific, measurable goal]
2. [Specific, measurable goal]
3. [Specific, measurable goal]

**Success Criteria:**
- [ ] [Binary, testable criterion]
- [ ] [Binary, testable criterion]
- [ ] [Binary, testable criterion]

**Non-Goals (Out of Scope):**
- [What this release explicitly does NOT include]
- [What is deferred to future versions]

---

## 3. Technical Architecture

### 3.1 System Overview

[How components fit together]

**Key Components:**
1. **[Component Name]** — [Purpose and responsibility]
2. **[Component Name]** — [Purpose and responsibility]

### 3.2 [Component] — Detailed Design

**Purpose:** [What and why]

**Backend Implementation:**

```[language]
// Production-ready code with types, error handling, and imports

Frontend Implementation:

// Production-ready code with interfaces, props, and state

API Endpoints:

Database Schema:

CREATE TABLE table_name (
    id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
    field TEXT NOT NULL,
    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

Integration Points:

• Integrates with [component] via [method]

Performance Considerations:

• [Specific constraint or optimization]

4. Implementation Plan

4.1 Phased Approach

4.2 Week-by-Week Breakdown

Week 1: [Focus]

• [Specific task]
• [Specific task]

Success Criteria: [What "done" looks like for this week]

File Manifest:

• Create: path/to/new_file.ts
• Modify: path/to/existing_file.ts

4.3 Dependencies & Prerequisites

Blocking: [What must complete first] Parallel: [What can run simultaneously]

4.4 Testing Strategy

Unit Tests: [Components], Target: [X]% Integration Tests: [Scenarios] E2E Tests: [User flows] Performance Tests: [Metrics and targets]

5. Risk Assessment

6. Rollback & Contingency

Feature Flags: flag_name — Controls [feature], default: false Rollback Procedure: [Ordered steps] Monitoring: [Metrics and alert thresholds]

7. Documentation

User-Facing: [What to update] Developer: [API docs, schema docs, code examples] Release Notes: [Changelog, breaking changes, migration guide]

8. Appendices

8.1 Related Work & Inspiration

• [Project/Paper]: [What we learned from it]
• [Tool/System]: [How it influenced this design]

8.2 Future Considerations

v[X+1] Candidates:

• [Feature that didn't make this release but is planned]
• [Enhancement that can build on this foundation]

8.3 Open Questions

• [Question that needs resolution before or during implementation]
• [Decision that can be made during development]

8.4 References

1. [Link to related spec]
2. [Link to research paper]
3. [Link to GitHub issue or discussion]

---

## V. Best Practices

### 1. Start with Vision, Not Features

**Why:** Features without vision are just a list of tasks. Vision provides meaning and direction.

**How:** Write the vision statement first. If you can't articulate why this release matters in one sentence, you're not ready to write the spec.

### 2. Write Production-Ready Code Examples

**Why:** Pseudocode leaves too much room for interpretation. Real code is a contract.

**How:** Write code examples that could be committed to the repository. Include imports, error handling, and types.

### 3. Use Realistic Timelines Based on Complexity

**Why:** Underestimating timelines leads to rushed work and technical debt.

**How:** Use past releases as benchmarks. A 1,000-line feature typically takes 1-2 weeks, not 2 days.

### 4. Document Integration Points Explicitly

**Why:** Most bugs happen at the boundaries between systems.

**How:** For every new component, explicitly document how it connects to existing systems (APIs, props, state, events).

### 5. Include Risk Mitigation from the Start

**Why:** Identifying risks after implementation is too late.

**How:** During the architecture phase, ask "What could go wrong?" and document mitigation strategies.

### 6. Make Success Criteria Binary and Testable

**Why:** Ambiguous success criteria lead to scope creep and endless iteration.

**How:** Every success criterion should be a yes/no question. "The user can create a new project" is testable. "The UI is intuitive" is not.

### 7. Reference Existing Patterns

**Why:** Consistency reduces cognitive load and makes the codebase easier to maintain.

**How:** When designing a new component, reference an existing component that follows the same pattern.

---

## VI. Quality Checklist

Before finalizing a specification, verify ALL items:

### Vision & Goals
- [ ] Vision statement is a single, compelling sentence
- [ ] Goals are specific, measurable, and achievable
- [ ] Non-goals are explicitly stated

### Technical Architecture
- [ ] Every major component has detailed design with code examples
- [ ] All API endpoints are fully specified (method, path, request, response, errors)
- [ ] Integration points with existing systems are documented
- [ ] Performance considerations are addressed
- [ ] All code examples are production-ready (real types, not pseudocode)

### Implementation Plan
- [ ] Timeline is realistic
- [ ] Week-by-week breakdown includes specific, actionable tasks
- [ ] File manifests list every file to create or modify
- [ ] Testing strategy covers unit, integration, E2E, and performance

### Risk & Documentation
- [ ] Major risks identified with mitigation strategies
- [ ] Rollback procedure documented
- [ ] User and developer documentation needs listed

**If you cannot answer "yes" to all items, the specification is not ready.**

---

## VII. Example: Dojo Genesis v0.0.23

**The Problem:** Users needed a way to calibrate the agent's behavior and communication style to match their preferences.

**The Vision:** "The Collaborative Calibration" — A release that transforms the agent from a fixed personality into an adaptive partner.

**What Made It A+:**

1. **Clear Vision:** The tagline "Collaborative Calibration" immediately communicated the essence
2. **Comprehensive Architecture:** Detailed design of the calibration UI, backend storage, and agent integration
3. **Production-Ready Code:** Complete Go and TypeScript examples that could be implemented directly
4. **Realistic Timeline:** 3-week phased approach with weekly milestones
5. **Risk Mitigation:** Identified the risk of "calibration drift" and defined a validation mechanism

**Key Decisions:**
- Store calibration preferences in SQLite for local-first architecture
- Use a multi-dimensional calibration model (tone, verbosity, formality)
- Implement real-time preview of calibration changes

**Outcome:** The specification was commissioned to an agent and implemented in 2.5 weeks with minimal rework.

---

## VIII. Common Pitfalls

| Pitfall | Fix |
|---------|-----|
| Vague Goals: "Improve user experience" | "Reduce context loading time by 50%" |
| Missing Code Examples: High-level description only | Complete, runnable code |
| Unrealistic Timelines: "2 days for full backend" | "2 weeks with phased approach" |
| No Risk Assessment: Assumes everything will work | Identifies risks and mitigations |
| Incomplete Testing: "We'll test it" | Specific test cases and coverage targets |
| No Integration Points: Treats feature as isolated | Documents how it connects to existing system |

---

## IX. Related Skills

- **`strategic-to-tactical-workflow`** — The complete workflow from scouting to implementation (this skill is Phase 6)
- **`strategic-scout`** — For exploring strategic tensions before committing to an approach
- **`frontend-from-backend`** — For frontend specs that need deep backend grounding
- **`implementation-prompt`** — For converting this spec into implementation prompts
- **`parallel-tracks`** — For splitting large specs into parallel execution tracks
- **`repo-context-sync`** — For gathering codebase context before writing specs
- **`memory-garden`** — For documenting learnings from implementation
- **`seed-extraction`** — For extracting reusable patterns from specs
- **`pre-implementation-checklist`** — For verifying specs are ready before commissioning

---

## X. Skill Metadata

**Token Savings:** ~10,000-15,000 tokens per specification (no need to re-read old specs for patterns)
**Quality Impact:** Ensures consistency across all specifications
**Maintenance:** Update when new patterns emerge from successful releases

**When to Update This Skill:**
- After completing 3-5 new specifications (to incorporate new patterns)
- When a specification leads to significant rework (to identify what was missing)
- When commissioning to a new type of agent (to adapt the template)

---

**Last Updated:** 2026-04-06
**Status:** Active