to-spec

Traceable To-Spec

Lineage

This is an MIT-licensed adaptation of Matt Pocock's public to-spec. It retains conversation-to-spec synthesis without another interview while adding Hermes-specific authority, traceability, coverage, blocking, safety, and persistence contracts.

The complete upstream MIT notice is preserved in references/third-party-notices.md.

Overview

To-Spec compiles already-settled decisions, evidence, and project context into a reviewable specification. It preserves authoritative source handles, makes negative requirements explicit, and proves coverage. It does not itself create publication, task-creation, or implementation authority.

It is a compiler, not an interview or planning loop:

clear route:
  Bounded Grill or settled conversation -> To-Spec

large or foggy route:
  Bounded Grill -> Wayfinder -> To-Spec

approved implementation decomposition:
  To-Spec -> To-Tickets -> optional per-ticket Plan / authorized execution

To-Tickets is a separate, explicitly invoked compiler. To-Spec may emit a traceable handoff but never drafts, publishes, labels, or runs tickets itself.

Adaptive invocation and operating level

Choose LIGHT or FULL before compiling.

LIGHT — model-invokable, embedded contract

Use LIGHT automatically when a concise contract would reduce drift but a persistent specification would be disproportionate. Typical signals include two or more of:

• the goal is settled and at least two constraints or acceptance conditions matter;
• the job has at least three meaningful steps or touches multiple seams;
• the user has already authorized planning, building, shipping, or review and a short requirements check would improve fidelity;
• a LIGHT Wayfinder route is ready to become concrete;
• scope, out-of-scope, assumptions, or recovery boundaries need to be explicit.

LIGHT remains in the current conversation and creates no file, issue, label, tracker item, or durable handoff. Keep it compact: