openspec-implementation

Specification Implementation

Systematically implements approved spec proposals by executing tasks sequentially with proper testing and validation.

Quick Start

Implementation follows a read → execute → test → validate cycle for each task:

1. Read the full proposal and task list
2. Execute tasks one at a time, in order
3. Test each completed task
4. Mark complete only after verification

Critical rule: Use TodoWrite to track progress. Never skip tasks or mark incomplete work as done.

Workflow

Copy this checklist and track progress:

Implementation Progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Load and understand the proposal
- [ ] Step 2: Set up TodoWrite task tracking
- [ ] Step 3: Execute tasks sequentially
- [ ] Step 4: Test and validate each task
- [ ] Step 5: Update living specifications (if applicable)
- [ ] Step 6: Mark proposal as implementation-complete

Step 1: Load and understand the proposal

Before starting, read all context:

# Read the proposal
cat spec/changes/{change-id}/proposal.md

# Read all tasks
cat spec/changes/{change-id}/tasks.md

# Read spec deltas to understand requirements
find spec/changes/{change-id}/specs -name "*.md" -exec cat {} \;

Understand:

• Why this change is needed (from proposal.md)
• What the expected outcomes are
• Which specs will be affected
• What the acceptance criteria are (from scenarios)

Step 2: Set up TodoWrite task tracking

Load tasks from tasks.md into TodoWrite before starting work:

**Pattern**:
Read tasks.md → Extract numbered list → Create TodoWrite entries

**Example**:
If tasks.md contains:
1. Create database migration
2. Implement API endpoint
3. Add tests
4. Update documentation

Then create TodoWrite with:
- content: "Create database migration", status: "in_progress"
- content: "Implement API endpoint", status: "pending"
- content: "Add tests", status: "pending"
- content: "Update documentation", status: "pending"

Why this matters: TodoWrite gives the user visibility into progress and ensures nothing gets skipped.