Full Course: Spec-Driven Development with Coding Agents
Spec-Driven Development (SDD) is presented as the disciplined, professional workflow for building complex applications using coding agents, moving beyond 'vibe coding.' SDD mandates that the developer focuses on writing a detailed specification (the 'what' and 'why') before the agent implements the code (the 'how'). The process involves establishing a project Constitution, defining feature specs, and following a structured loop: Plan $ ightarrow$ Implement $ ightarrow$ Validate $ ightarrow$ Replanning. This approach minimizes context decay, improves intent fidelity, and keeps the human developer in the role of the senior architect and supervisor.
Key takeaways
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Three Main Benefits of SDD
SDD allows control of large code changes with small spec changes (e.g., changing from SQLite to MongoDB). It eliminates context decay between sessions, preserving non-negotiable context. Finally, it improves intent fidelity by forcing the definition of problem, success criteria, and constraints.
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The SDD Workflow Loop
5:20
The process is iterative: 1) Define the Project Constitution (Mission, Tech Stack, Roadmap); 2) Plan the Feature; 3) Implement the Feature; 4) Validate the Result; 5) Replanning (updating the Constitution/Roadmap). This loop is crucial for managing versioning and reducing cognitive debt.
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Agent Standards and Automation
20:00
The workflow can be automated using 'Skills' (a package of instructions/resources) and benefits from industry standards like the Agent Client Protocol (ACP) and Model Context Protocol (MCP), allowing developers to switch between different coding agents (e.g., Claude Code, Codeex) while maintaining the SDD workflow.