Speckit Brownfield Bootstrap

Bootstrap Spec-Kit

Generate a customized spec-kit configuration for an existing codebase. Uses the project profile from /speckit.brownfield.scan (or performs a scan if none exists) to create a constitution, templates, and agent configuration that match the project's actual architecture, tech stack, and conventions.

User Input

$ARGUMENTS

You MUST consider the user input before proceeding (if not empty). The user may specify preferences (e.g., "strict TDD", "minimal constitution"), a target directory for a monorepo module, or request specific template customizations.

Prerequisites

1. Verify the current directory is a git repository
2. Verify a spec-kit project exists by checking for .specify/ directory (run specify init first if missing)
3. Check if a project profile exists from a previous scan — if not, run a scan first

Outline

1. Load or generate project profile: Check if /speckit.brownfield.scan has been run:

   • If a project profile exists, use it
   • If not, perform an inline scan to gather tech stack, architecture, and conventions
   • Confirm the profile with the user before proceeding

2. Generate constitution: Create .specify/memory/constitution.md tailored to the project:

   The constitution MUST include:

   • Project identity: Name, purpose, primary language(s), architecture pattern
   • Code boundaries: Which directories contain which types of code (e.g., "frontend code lives in client/, backend in server/")
   • Naming conventions: File naming, variable naming, branch naming as detected
   • Testing requirements: Test framework, test location, coverage expectations
   • Dependency rules: How modules depend on each other, what imports are allowed
   • Quality gates: Linting, formatting, CI checks that must pass

   The constitution MUST NOT:

   • Override existing project standards without user confirmation
   • Invent conventions that don't exist in the codebase
   • Include generic boilerplate unrelated to the actual project

3. Customize spec template: Modify .specify/templates/spec-template.md to reflect the project:

   • Add project-specific sections (e.g., "Database Migrations" for projects with ORMs)
   • Include architecture-aware requirements (e.g., "Frontend Requirements" and "API Requirements" for full-stack projects)
   • Reference actual module paths instead of generic placeholders

4. Customize plan template: Modify .specify/templates/plan-template.md to reflect the project:

   • Include module-aware implementation sections (e.g., separate phases for frontend/backend)
   • Reference actual test frameworks and build tools
   • Include project-specific complexity factors

5. Customize tasks template: Modify .specify/templates/tasks-template.md to reflect the project:

   • Task phases should map to the project's actual module structure
   • Include project-specific setup tasks (e.g., database migration, dependency install)
   • Reference actual test commands (e.g., npm test, pytest, go test ./...)

6. Generate AGENTS.md (if multi-module): For monorepos and multi-module projects:

   • Define agent boundaries per module
   • Specify which agent owns which directories
   • Set up inter-agent communication rules

7. Present changes: Show the user what will be created or modified:

   # Bootstrap Plan
   
   | File | Action | Description |
   |------|--------|-------------|
   | `.specify/memory/constitution.md` | Create | Project-specific constitution with detected conventions |
   | `.specify/templates/spec-template.md` | Modify | Add project-specific sections (Database Migrations, API Contract) |
   | `.specify/templates/plan-template.md` | Modify | Add module-aware phases (frontend, backend, shared) |
   | `.specify/templates/tasks-template.md` | Modify | Add actual test commands and build steps |
   | `AGENTS.md` | Create | Agent boundaries for frontend and backend modules |
   
   Proceed with bootstrap? (confirm before writing)
   

8. Execute bootstrap: After user confirmation, write all files.

9. Report:

   # Bootstrap Complete
   
   | Artifact | Status |
   |----------|--------|
   | Constitution | ✅ Created — 12 rules from detected conventions |
   | Spec template | ✅ Customized — added Database Migrations, API Contract sections |
   | Plan template | ✅ Customized — frontend/backend phase split |
   | Tasks template | ✅ Customized — actual test commands included |
   | AGENTS.md | ✅ Created — 2 agents (frontend, backend) |
   
   ## Next Steps
   - Review `.specify/memory/constitution.md` and adjust any rules
   - Run `/speckit.brownfield.validate` to verify configuration matches project
   - Run `/speckit.brownfield.migrate` to reverse-engineer specs for existing features
   - Start new features with `/speckit.specify` — templates are now project-aware
   

Rules

• Always confirm before writing — show the bootstrap plan and wait for approval
• Never overwrite without asking — if constitution or templates already exist, show a diff and ask
• Derive from reality — every constitution rule must trace to something detected in the codebase
• No invented conventions — if the project has no consistent pattern for something, say so instead of guessing
• Respect existing spec-kit setup — if .specify/ already has customizations, merge rather than replace
• Module-aware — for monorepos, generate configuration that respects module boundaries