kspec

Spec-driven development workflow for Kiro CLI with context management and verification at every step

Install from npm View on GitHub

Quick Start

# Install globally

npm install -g kspec

# Initialize project

kspec init

# Create your first spec

kspec spec "User Authentication"

# Or use inside kiro-cli (recommended)

/agent swap kspec-spec

Two Ways to Use kspec

CLI Mode

Run kspec commands from your terminal:

kspec init

kspec spec "Feature"

kspec tasks

kspec build

Agent Mode Recommended

Stay inside kiro-cli, switch agents:

> /agent swap kspec-spec

Build a todo app with categories

→ Creates spec.md, spec-lite.md, updates context

> /agent swap kspec-tasks

→ Reads CONTEXT.md, generates tasks

Context Management

Never lose context again. kspec maintains state across sessions and survives AI context compression.

# .kspec/CONTEXT.md (auto-generated)

Current Spec: 2026-01-24-user-auth

Task: 3/12 - Implement JWT validation

Requirements Summary:

- OAuth2 with Google/GitHub

- JWT tokens with 24h expiry

- Role-based access control

Agents read CONTEXT.md first, automatically restoring state after context compression.

Development Workflow

init

Interactive setup

analyse

Analyse codebase

spec

Create specification

verify-spec

Verify spec completeness

tasks

Generate tasks

verify-tasks

Verify task coverage

build

Execute with TDD

verify

Verify implementation

done

Complete & harvest memory

Specialized Agents

Seven pre-configured agents with keyboard shortcuts for rapid workflow

kspec-analyseCtrl+Shift+A

Codebase analysis

kspec-specCtrl+Shift+S

Specification creation

kspec-tasksCtrl+Shift+T

Task generation

kspec-buildCtrl+Shift+B

TDD implementation

kspec-verifyCtrl+Shift+V

Implementation verification

kspec-reviewCtrl+Shift+R

Code review

kspec-jiraCtrl+Shift+J

Jira integration

Key Features

Spec-Driven Development

Create detailed specifications before implementation with automated verification at every step.

Context Management

Auto-generated CONTEXT.md preserves state across sessions, surviving AI context compression.

TDD Workflow

Built-in Test-Driven Development workflow with automated task generation and verification.

Agent Mode

Work inside kiro-cli with specialized agents. Switch agents seamlessly without losing context.

Automated Analysis

Intelligent codebase analysis and project memory harvesting for continuous improvement.

Auto-Updates

Automatic update checks notify you when new versions are available.

Jira Integration

Pull requirements from Jira, sync specs back, and create subtasks via Atlassian MCP.

Command Reference

kspec init

Interactive setup

kspec spec "Name"

Create specification

kspec tasks

Generate tasks

kspec build

Execute with TDD

kspec verify

Verify implementation

kspec context

View/refresh context

kspec status

Show progress

kspec update

Check for updates

Jira Integration (requires Atlassian MCP)

kspec spec --jira PROJ-123

Create spec from Jira

kspec sync-jira

Push spec to Jira

kspec jira-subtasks

Create Jira subtasks

Jira Integration

Bridge the gap between BAs, PMs, and developers. Pull requirements from Jira, create specs, and sync back for approval.

Pull from Jira

kspec spec --jira PROJ-123

Fetch Jira stories, extract acceptance criteria, create unified spec

Push to Jira

kspec sync-jira

Create or update Jira issues with spec content for BA review

Create Subtasks

kspec jira-subtasks

Generate Jira subtasks from tasks.md for PM visibility

Requires Atlassian MCP configured in ~/.kiro/mcp.json

Seamless Kiro Integration

kspec works seamlessly with Kiro CLI and Kiro IDE, combining structured workflow automation with interactive development assistance for the ultimate development experience.

kspec provides:

Structured spec creation and task generation
Context management that survives compression
Automated analysis and verification steps
TDD workflow enforcement

Kiro CLI provides:

Interactive implementation assistance
Real-time code help and debugging
Advanced AI-powered development tools
Agent switching with /agent swap