nano-spec: Instructions file for GitHub Copilot

nano-spec Instructions for GitHub Copilot

What is nano-spec?

A lightweight task specification methodology using 4 documents:

• README.md (Context)
• todo.md (Plan + Acceptance Criteria)
• doc.md (Technical Decisions)
• log.md (Progress Journal)

When to Create a nano-spec

• User asks to "create a spec for..."
• User asks to "plan a task..."
• User describes a multi-step development task
• User wants to document a technical decision

How to Generate

Step 1: Understand the Task

Ask clarifying questions if the description is vague:

• What's the end goal?
• What's explicitly NOT in scope?
• Are there dependencies on other work?

Step 2: Create Files

Generate in tasks/{task-name}/ or project root, following the exact structure below:

README.md

# {Task Name}

## Background
{Why does this task exist? What problem are we solving?}

## Goals
- {Goal 1}
- {Goal 2}

## Scope

### In Scope
- {What's included}

### Out of Scope
- {What's NOT included - be explicit}

## Dependencies
- [ ] {Dependency 1 - e.g., another task, external API, team decision}

## Resources
- {Link to related docs}
- {Link to external references}

todo.md

# TODO

## Research
- [ ] {Research item 1}
- [ ] {Research item 2}

## Implementation
- [ ] {Task 1}
- [ ] {Task 2}
- [ ] {Task 3}

## Verification
- [ ] {Verification step}

---

## Acceptance Criteria

### Must Have
- [ ] {Criterion 1 - specific, measurable}
- [ ] {Criterion 2}

### Nice to Have
- [ ] {Optional criterion}

### Out of Scope
- {Explicitly NOT part of this task's acceptance}

doc.md

# {Task Name} - Technical Document

## Summary
{One paragraph summary of the solution/outcome}

## Key Decisions

### Decision 1: {Title}
- **Options considered**: A, B, C
- **Chosen**: B
- **Rationale**: {Why B?}

## Technical Details

### Architecture / Data Flow

{Diagram using ASCII or describe the flow}

### Interfaces / Schema
```typescript
// Key interfaces if applicable
interface Example {
  id: string;
  name: string;
}

Implementation Notes

• {Note 1}
• {Note 2}

Open Questions

• {Unresolved question 1}
• {Unresolved question 2}

References

• {Link 1}
• {Link 2}