Dictionary term
Spec-Driven Development
Also called SDD
A way of building software with AI coding agents in which a written specification (requirements, design and a task list) is created first and treated as the source of truth, and the agent implements and verifies code against it.
In plain English
Write down exactly what you're building and how you'll know it works before the AI writes any code, then have the AI build to that plan.
Analogy
Like building from architect's drawings instead of telling the crew "make it nice" and seeing what comes back.
Why it matters
It turns AI coding from one-off prompts into a reviewable process: requirements are agreed before work starts, the agent has a clear target, and the spec doubles as documentation for whoever maintains the system.
In practice
Writing requirements.md, design.md and tasks.md for a client onboarding portal, getting the client to sign off on requirements, then having a coding agent work through the tasks one by one with tests.
Related terms
Sources
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