Slash Commands

Powerful slash commands for spec-driven development in Claude Code.

Prerequisites: Make sure you've run ck init in your project to install the slash commands.

/spec:create

Create a new structured specification with a 3-phase workflow.

/spec:create [feature-description]

The 3-Phase Workflow

Phase 1: Requirements

Claude generates requirements.md with:

  • User stories and acceptance criteria
  • EARS notation requirements (WHEN... THE SYSTEM SHALL...)
  • Non-functional requirements
  • Constraints and out-of-scope items

Approval Gate: Claude presents requirements using ExitPlanMode. You review and approve before proceeding to design.

Phase 2: Design

Claude creates design.md with:

  • Architecture overview and component analysis
  • Data models and interfaces
  • Component specifications
  • Testing strategy and performance considerations

Approval Gate: Another ExitPlanMode checkpoint. Review the design before task breakdown.

Phase 3: Tasks

Claude generates tasks.md with:

  • Specific implementation tasks
  • Clear acceptance criteria for each task
  • Task dependencies and complexity estimates
  • Testing checklist

Final Approval: Review the task breakdown. Once approved, you're ready to implement!

Examples

# Create a new feature spec
/spec:create user-authentication

# Create a spec for a specific component
/spec:create email-notification-system

# Evolve an existing spec
/spec:create improved-authentication-v2

Evolution Support

When creating a spec that evolves from an existing one, Claude automatically:

  • Finds and reads the original spec
  • Includes a "Specification Heritage" section
  • Updates the original spec's status to "EVOLVED"
  • Creates an evolution.md documenting the transition
  • Preserves what worked, explains what changed

/spec:implement

Implement tasks from a specification with context loading and TodoWrite tracking.

/spec:implement [spec-directory]

What It Does

  1. Loads Spec Context: Reads requirements.md, design.md, and tasks.md to understand the complete specification.
  2. Creates TodoWrite Tasks: Converts spec tasks into a tracked todo list.
  3. Guides Implementation: Works through tasks systematically, following test-driven development practices.
  4. Verifies Acceptance: Checks that all acceptance criteria are met before marking tasks complete.
  5. Updates Spec: Marks tasks as complete in tasks.md as you progress.

Examples

# Implement a specific spec
/spec:implement .claude/specs/user-authentication

# Continue working on a partially completed spec
/spec:implement .claude/specs/email-notifications

Hook Integration

If you have the spec_task_context hook configured, it will automatically inject spec context when you use file editing tools (Write, Edit). This reminds Claude of:

  • Which spec task you're working on
  • Acceptance criteria to verify
  • How to update tasks.md when complete

/spec:review

Review a specification for completeness, quality, and alignment with methodology.

/spec:review [spec-directory]

Review Criteria

Requirements

  • All requirements use EARS notation
  • Edge cases covered
  • Acceptance criteria clear and testable
  • Non-functional requirements defined

Design

  • Architecture is sound
  • Data models are complete
  • Testing strategy defined
  • Performance considered

Tasks

  • Tasks are specific and actionable
  • Dependencies are clear
  • Acceptance criteria match requirements
  • Complexity is estimated

Example

/spec:review .claude/specs/user-authentication

Output

The review provides a detailed report with:

  • ✅ What's good and complete
  • ⚠️ Potential issues or gaps
  • 💡 Suggestions for improvement
  • 📝 Recommended next steps

Integration with TodoWrite

All slash commands work seamlessly with Claude's TodoWrite tool:

  • /spec:create creates todos for each phase
  • /spec:implement loads spec tasks into TodoWrite
  • Claude updates todo status as you work
  • Tasks are marked complete only when all acceptance criteria pass
Pro Tip: You can see your todo list at any time by asking Claude "What's on my todo list?" or "Show me task progress."

Best Practices

✅ Do

  • Review and approve each phase before proceeding
  • Ask questions if requirements aren't clear
  • Request changes to the spec before implementation
  • Use descriptive spec names (feature-focused)
  • Run /spec:review before implementing

❌ Don't

  • Skip approval gates - they catch issues early
  • Implement without a complete spec
  • Modify requirements during implementation
  • Mark tasks complete if acceptance criteria fail
  • Delete old specs - mark them as EVOLVED instead

Next Steps

See Examples Getting Started