msd-core/docs/FEATURES.md

GSD Feature Reference

Complete feature and function documentation with requirements. For architecture details, see Architecture. For command syntax, see Command Reference.

---

Table of Contents

• Core Features
  • Project Initialization
  • Phase Discussion
  • UI Design Contract
  • Phase Planning
  • Phase Execution
  • Work Verification
  • UI Review
  • Milestone Management
• Planning Features
  • Phase Management
  • Quick Mode
  • Autonomous Mode
  • Freeform Routing
  • Note Capture
  • Auto-Advance (Next)
• Quality Assurance Features
  • Nyquist Validation
  • Plan Checking
  • Post-Execution Verification
  • Node Repair
  • Health Validation
  • Cross-Phase Regression Gate
  • Requirements Coverage Gate
• Context Engineering Features
  • Context Window Monitoring
  • Session Management
  • Session Reporting
  • Multi-Agent Orchestration
  • Model Profiles
• Brownfield Features
  • Codebase Mapping
• Utility Features
  • Debug System
  • Todo Management
  • Statistics Dashboard
  • Update System
  • Settings Management
  • Test Generation
• Infrastructure Features
  • Git Integration
  • CLI Tools
  • Multi-Runtime Support
  • Hook System
  • Developer Profiling
  • Execution Hardening

---

Core Features

1. Project Initialization

Command: /gsd:new-project [--auto @file.md]

Purpose: Transform a user's idea into a fully structured project with research, scoped requirements, and a phased roadmap.

Requirements:

• REQ-INIT-01: System MUST conduct adaptive questioning until project scope is fully understood
• REQ-INIT-02: System MUST spawn parallel research agents to investigate the domain ecosystem
• REQ-INIT-03: System MUST extract requirements into v1 (must-have), v2 (future), and out-of-scope categories
• REQ-INIT-04: System MUST generate a phased roadmap with requirement traceability
• REQ-INIT-05: System MUST require user approval of the roadmap before proceeding
• REQ-INIT-06: System MUST prevent re-initialization when .planning/PROJECT.md already exists
• REQ-INIT-07: System MUST support --auto @file.md flag to skip interactive questions and extract from a document

Produces:

Artifact	Description
PROJECT.md	Project vision, constraints, technical decisions
REQUIREMENTS.md	Scoped requirements with unique IDs (REQ-XX)
ROADMAP.md	Phase breakdown with status tracking and requirement mapping
STATE.md	Initial project state with position, decisions, metrics
config.json	Workflow configuration
research/SUMMARY.md	Synthesized domain research
research/STACK.md	Technology stack investigation
research/FEATURES.md	Feature implementation patterns
research/ARCHITECTURE.md	Architecture patterns and trade-offs
research/PITFALLS.md	Common failure modes and mitigations

Process:

1. Questions — Adaptive questioning guided by the "dream extraction" philosophy (not requirements gathering)
2. Research — 4 parallel researcher agents investigate stack, features, architecture, and pitfalls
3. Synthesis — Research synthesizer combines findings into SUMMARY.md
4. Requirements — Extracted from user responses + research, categorized by scope
5. Roadmap — Phase breakdown mapped to requirements, with granularity setting controlling phase count

Functional Requirements:

• Questions adapt based on detected project type (web app, CLI, mobile, API, etc.)
• Research agents have web search capability for current ecosystem information
• Granularity setting controls phase count: coarse (3-5), standard (5-8), fine (8-12)
• --auto mode extracts all information from the provided document without interactive questioning
• Existing codebase context (from /gsd:map-codebase) is loaded if present

---

2. Phase Discussion

Command: /gsd:discuss-phase [N] [--auto] [--batch]

Purpose: Capture user's implementation preferences and decisions before research and planning begin. Eliminates the gray areas that cause AI to guess.

Requirements:

• REQ-DISC-01: System MUST analyze the phase scope and identify decision areas (gray areas)
• REQ-DISC-02: System MUST categorize gray areas by type (visual, API, content, organization, etc.)
• REQ-DISC-03: System MUST ask only questions not already answered in prior CONTEXT.md files
• REQ-DISC-04: System MUST persist decisions in {phase}-CONTEXT.md with canonical references
• REQ-DISC-05: System MUST support --auto flag to auto-select recommended defaults
• REQ-DISC-06: System MUST support --batch flag for grouped question intake
• REQ-DISC-07: System MUST scout relevant source files before identifying gray areas (code-aware discussion)

Produces: {padded_phase}-CONTEXT.md — User preferences that feed into research and planning

Gray Area Categories:

Category	Example Decisions
Visual features	Layout, density, interactions, empty states
APIs/CLIs	Response format, flags, error handling, verbosity
Content systems	Structure, tone, depth, flow
Organization	Grouping criteria, naming, duplicates, exceptions

---

3. UI Design Contract

Command: /gsd:ui-phase [N]

Purpose: Lock design decisions before planning so that all components in a phase share consistent visual standards.

Requirements:

• REQ-UI-01: System MUST detect existing design system state (shadcn components.json, Tailwind config, tokens)
• REQ-UI-02: System MUST ask only unanswered design contract questions
• REQ-UI-03: System MUST validate against 6 dimensions (Copywriting, Visuals, Color, Typography, Spacing, Registry Safety)
• REQ-UI-04: System MUST enter revision loop if validation returns BLOCKED (max 2 iterations)
• REQ-UI-05: System MUST offer shadcn initialization for React/Next.js/Vite projects without components.json
• REQ-UI-06: System MUST enforce registry safety gate for third-party shadcn registries

Produces: {padded_phase}-UI-SPEC.md — Design contract consumed by executors

6 Validation Dimensions:

1. Copywriting — CTA labels, empty states, error messages
2. Visuals — Focal points, visual hierarchy, icon accessibility
3. Color — Accent usage discipline, 60/30/10 compliance
4. Typography — Font size/weight constraint adherence
5. Spacing — Grid alignment, token consistency
6. Registry Safety — Third-party component inspection requirements

shadcn Integration:

• Detects missing components.json in React/Next.js/Vite projects
• Guides user through ui.shadcn.com/create preset configuration
• Preset string becomes a planning artifact reproducible across phases
• Safety gate requires npx shadcn view and npx shadcn diff before third-party components

---

4. Phase Planning

Command: /gsd:plan-phase [N] [--auto] [--skip-research] [--skip-verify]

Purpose: Research the implementation domain and produce verified, atomic execution plans.

Requirements:

• REQ-PLAN-01: System MUST spawn a phase researcher to investigate implementation approaches
• REQ-PLAN-02: System MUST produce plans with 2-3 tasks each, sized for a single context window
• REQ-PLAN-03: System MUST structure plans as XML with <task> elements containing name, files, action, verify, and done fields
• REQ-PLAN-04: System MUST include read_first and acceptance_criteria sections in every plan
• REQ-PLAN-05: System MUST run plan checker verification loop (up to 3 iterations) unless --skip-verify is set
• REQ-PLAN-06: System MUST support --skip-research flag to bypass research phase
• REQ-PLAN-07: System MUST prompt user to run /gsd:ui-phase if frontend phase detected and no UI-SPEC.md exists (UI safety gate)
• REQ-PLAN-08: System MUST include Nyquist validation mapping when workflow.nyquist_validation is enabled
• REQ-PLAN-09: System MUST verify all phase requirements are covered by at least one plan before planning completes (requirements coverage gate)

Produces:

Artifact	Description
{phase}-RESEARCH.md	Ecosystem research findings
{phase}-{N}-PLAN.md	Atomic execution plans (2-3 tasks each)
{phase}-VALIDATION.md	Test coverage mapping (Nyquist layer)

Plan Structure (XML):

<task type="auto">
  <name>Create login endpoint</name>
  <files>src/app/api/auth/login/route.ts</files>
  <action>
    Use jose for JWT. Validate credentials against users table.
    Return httpOnly cookie on success.
  </action>
  <verify>curl -X POST localhost:3000/api/auth/login returns 200 + Set-Cookie</verify>
  <done>Valid credentials return cookie, invalid return 401</done>
</task>

Plan Checker Verification (8 Dimensions):

1. Requirement coverage — Plans address all phase requirements
2. Task atomicity — Each task is independently committable
3. Dependency ordering — Tasks sequence correctly
4. File scope — No excessive file overlap between plans
5. Verification commands — Each task has testable done criteria
6. Context fit — Tasks fit within a single context window
7. Gap detection — No missing implementation steps
8. Nyquist compliance — Tasks have automated verify commands (when enabled)

---

5. Phase Execution

Command: /gsd:execute-phase <N>

Purpose: Execute all plans in a phase using wave-based parallelization with fresh context windows per executor.

Requirements:

• REQ-EXEC-01: System MUST analyze plan dependencies and group into execution waves
• REQ-EXEC-02: System MUST spawn independent plans in parallel within each wave
• REQ-EXEC-03: System MUST give each executor a fresh context window (200K tokens)
• REQ-EXEC-04: System MUST produce atomic git commits per task
• REQ-EXEC-05: System MUST produce a SUMMARY.md for each completed plan
• REQ-EXEC-06: System MUST run post-execution verifier to check phase goals were met
• REQ-EXEC-07: System MUST support git branching strategies (none, phase, milestone)
• REQ-EXEC-08: System MUST invoke node repair operator on task verification failure (when enabled)
• REQ-EXEC-09: System MUST run prior phases' test suites before verification to catch cross-phase regressions

Produces:

Artifact	Description
{phase}-{N}-SUMMARY.md	Execution outcomes per plan
{phase}-VERIFICATION.md	Post-execution verification report
Git commits	Atomic commits per task

Wave Execution:

• Plans with no dependencies → Wave 1 (parallel)
• Plans depending on Wave 1 → Wave 2 (parallel, waits for Wave 1)
• Continues until all plans complete
• File conflicts force sequential execution within same wave

Executor Capabilities:

• Reads PLAN.md with full task instructions
• Has access to PROJECT.md, STATE.md, CONTEXT.md, RESEARCH.md
• Commits each task atomically with structured commit messages
• Handles checkpoint types: auto, checkpoint:human-verify, checkpoint:decision, checkpoint:human-action
• Reports deviations from plan in SUMMARY.md

---

6. Work Verification

Command: /gsd:verify-work [N]

Purpose: User acceptance testing — walk the user through testing each deliverable and auto-diagnose failures.

Requirements:

• REQ-VERIFY-01: System MUST extract testable deliverables from the phase
• REQ-VERIFY-02: System MUST present deliverables one at a time for user confirmation
• REQ-VERIFY-03: System MUST spawn debug agents to diagnose failures automatically
• REQ-VERIFY-04: System MUST create fix plans for identified issues
• REQ-VERIFY-05: System MUST inject cold-start smoke test for phases modifying server/database/seed/startup files
• REQ-VERIFY-06: System MUST produce UAT.md with pass/fail results

Produces: {phase}-UAT.md — User acceptance test results, plus fix plans if issues found

---

6.5. Ship

Command: /gsd:ship [N] [--draft]

Purpose: Bridge local completion → merged PR. After verification passes, push branch, create PR with auto-generated body from planning artifacts, optionally trigger review, and track in STATE.md.

Requirements:

• REQ-SHIP-01: System MUST verify phase has passed verification before shipping
• REQ-SHIP-02: System MUST push branch and create PR via gh CLI
• REQ-SHIP-03: System MUST auto-generate PR body from SUMMARY.md, VERIFICATION.md, and REQUIREMENTS.md
• REQ-SHIP-04: System MUST update STATE.md with shipping status and PR number
• REQ-SHIP-05: System MUST support --draft flag for draft PRs

Prerequisites: Phase verified, gh CLI installed and authenticated, work on feature branch

Produces: GitHub PR with rich body, STATE.md updated

---

7. UI Review

Command: /gsd:ui-review [N]

Purpose: Retroactive 6-pillar visual audit of implemented frontend code. Works standalone on any project.

Requirements:

• REQ-UIREVIEW-01: System MUST score each of the 6 pillars on a 1-4 scale
• REQ-UIREVIEW-02: System MUST capture screenshots via Playwright CLI to .planning/ui-reviews/
• REQ-UIREVIEW-03: System MUST create .gitignore for screenshot directory
• REQ-UIREVIEW-04: System MUST identify top 3 priority fixes
• REQ-UIREVIEW-05: System MUST work standalone (without UI-SPEC.md) using abstract quality standards

6 Audit Pillars (scored 1-4):

1. Copywriting — CTA labels, empty states, error states
2. Visuals — Focal points, visual hierarchy, icon accessibility
3. Color — Accent usage discipline, 60/30/10 compliance
4. Typography — Font size/weight constraint adherence
5. Spacing — Grid alignment, token consistency
6. Experience Design — Loading/error/empty state coverage

Produces: {padded_phase}-UI-REVIEW.md — Scores and prioritized fixes

---

8. Milestone Management

Commands: /gsd:audit-milestone, /gsd:complete-milestone, /gsd:new-milestone [name]

Purpose: Verify milestone completion, archive, tag release, and start the next development cycle.

Requirements:

• REQ-MILE-01: Audit MUST verify all milestone requirements are met
• REQ-MILE-02: Audit MUST detect stubs, placeholder implementations, and untested code
• REQ-MILE-03: Audit MUST check Nyquist validation compliance across phases
• REQ-MILE-04: Complete MUST archive milestone data to MILESTONES.md
• REQ-MILE-05: Complete MUST offer git tag creation for the release
• REQ-MILE-06: Complete MUST offer squash merge or merge with history for branching strategies
• REQ-MILE-07: Complete MUST clean up UI review screenshots
• REQ-MILE-08: New milestone MUST follow same flow as new-project (questions → research → requirements → roadmap)
• REQ-MILE-09: New milestone MUST NOT reset existing workflow configuration

Gap Closure: /gsd:plan-milestone-gaps creates phases to close gaps identified by audit.

---

Planning Features

9. Phase Management

Commands: /gsd:add-phase, /gsd:insert-phase [N], /gsd:remove-phase [N]

Purpose: Dynamic roadmap modification during development.

Requirements:

• REQ-PHASE-01: Add MUST append a new phase to the end of the current roadmap
• REQ-PHASE-02: Insert MUST use decimal numbering (e.g., 3.1) between existing phases
• REQ-PHASE-03: Remove MUST renumber all subsequent phases
• REQ-PHASE-04: Remove MUST prevent removing phases that have been executed
• REQ-PHASE-05: All operations MUST update ROADMAP.md and create/remove phase directories

---

10. Quick Mode

Command: /gsd:quick [--full] [--discuss] [--research]

Purpose: Ad-hoc task execution with GSD guarantees but a faster path.

Requirements:

• REQ-QUICK-01: System MUST accept freeform task description
• REQ-QUICK-02: System MUST use same planner + executor agents as full workflow
• REQ-QUICK-03: System MUST skip research, plan checker, and verifier by default
• REQ-QUICK-04: --full flag MUST enable plan checking (max 2 iterations) and post-execution verification
• REQ-QUICK-05: --discuss flag MUST run lightweight pre-planning discussion
• REQ-QUICK-06: --research flag MUST spawn focused research agent before planning
• REQ-QUICK-07: Flags MUST be composable (--discuss --research --full)
• REQ-QUICK-08: System MUST track quick tasks in .planning/quick/YYMMDD-xxx-slug/
• REQ-QUICK-09: System MUST produce atomic commits for quick task execution

---

11. Autonomous Mode

Command: /gsd:autonomous [--from N]

Purpose: Run all remaining phases autonomously — discuss → plan → execute per phase.

Requirements:

• REQ-AUTO-01: System MUST iterate through all incomplete phases in roadmap order
• REQ-AUTO-02: System MUST run discuss → plan → execute for each phase
• REQ-AUTO-03: System MUST pause for explicit user decisions (gray area acceptance, blockers, validation)
• REQ-AUTO-04: System MUST re-read ROADMAP.md after each phase to catch dynamically inserted phases
• REQ-AUTO-05: --from N flag MUST start from a specific phase number

---

12. Freeform Routing

Command: /gsd:do

Purpose: Analyze freeform text and route to the appropriate GSD command.

Requirements:

• REQ-DO-01: System MUST parse user intent from natural language input
• REQ-DO-02: System MUST map intent to the best matching GSD command
• REQ-DO-03: System MUST confirm the routing with the user before executing
• REQ-DO-04: System MUST handle project-exists vs no-project contexts differently

---

13. Note Capture

Command: /gsd:note

Purpose: Zero-friction idea capture without interrupting workflow. Append timestamped notes, list all notes, or promote notes to structured todos.

Requirements:

• REQ-NOTE-01: System MUST save timestamped note files with a single Write call
• REQ-NOTE-02: System MUST support list subcommand to show all notes from project and global scopes
• REQ-NOTE-03: System MUST support promote N subcommand to convert a note into a structured todo
• REQ-NOTE-04: System MUST support --global flag for global scope operations
• REQ-NOTE-05: System MUST NOT use Task, AskUserQuestion, or Bash — runs inline only

---

14. Auto-Advance (Next)

Command: /gsd:next

Purpose: Automatically detect current project state and advance to the next logical workflow step, eliminating the need to remember which phase/step you're on.

Requirements:

• REQ-NEXT-01: System MUST read STATE.md, ROADMAP.md, and phase directories to determine current position
• REQ-NEXT-02: System MUST detect whether discuss, plan, execute, or verify is needed
• REQ-NEXT-03: System MUST invoke the correct command automatically
• REQ-NEXT-04: System MUST suggest /gsd:new-project if no project exists
• REQ-NEXT-05: System MUST suggest /gsd:complete-milestone when all phases are complete

State Detection Logic:

State	Action
No .planning/ directory	Suggest /gsd:new-project
Phase has no CONTEXT.md	Run /gsd:discuss-phase
Phase has no PLAN.md files	Run /gsd:plan-phase
Phase has plans but no SUMMARY.md	Run /gsd:execute-phase
Phase executed but no VERIFICATION.md	Run /gsd:verify-work
All phases complete	Suggest /gsd:complete-milestone

---

Quality Assurance Features

15. Nyquist Validation

Purpose: Map automated test coverage to phase requirements before any code is written. Named after the Nyquist sampling theorem — ensures a feedback signal exists for every requirement.

Requirements:

• REQ-NYQ-01: System MUST detect existing test infrastructure during plan-phase research
• REQ-NYQ-02: System MUST map each requirement to a specific test command
• REQ-NYQ-03: System MUST identify Wave 0 tasks (test scaffolding needed before implementation)
• REQ-NYQ-04: Plan checker MUST enforce Nyquist compliance as 8th verification dimension
• REQ-NYQ-05: System MUST support retroactive validation via /gsd:validate-phase
• REQ-NYQ-06: System MUST be disableable via workflow.nyquist_validation: false

Produces: {phase}-VALIDATION.md — Test coverage contract

Retroactive Validation (/gsd:validate-phase [N]):

• Scans implementation and maps requirements to tests
• Identifies gaps where requirements lack automated verification
• Spawns auditor to generate tests (max 3 attempts)
• Never modifies implementation code — only test files and VALIDATION.md
• Flags implementation bugs as escalations for user to address

---

16. Plan Checking

Purpose: Goal-backward verification that plans will achieve phase objectives before execution.

Requirements:

• REQ-PLANCK-01: System MUST verify plans against 8 quality dimensions
• REQ-PLANCK-02: System MUST loop up to 3 iterations until plans pass
• REQ-PLANCK-03: System MUST produce specific, actionable feedback on failures
• REQ-PLANCK-04: System MUST be disableable via workflow.plan_check: false

---

17. Post-Execution Verification

Purpose: Automated check that the codebase delivers what the phase promised.

Requirements:

• REQ-POSTVER-01: System MUST check against phase goals, not just task completion
• REQ-POSTVER-02: System MUST produce VERIFICATION.md with pass/fail analysis
• REQ-POSTVER-03: System MUST log issues for /gsd:verify-work to address
• REQ-POSTVER-04: System MUST be disableable via workflow.verifier: false

---

18. Node Repair

Purpose: Autonomous recovery when task verification fails during execution.

Requirements:

• REQ-REPAIR-01: System MUST analyze failure and choose one strategy: RETRY, DECOMPOSE, or PRUNE
• REQ-REPAIR-02: RETRY MUST attempt with a concrete adjustment
• REQ-REPAIR-03: DECOMPOSE MUST break task into smaller verifiable sub-steps
• REQ-REPAIR-04: PRUNE MUST remove unachievable tasks and escalate to user
• REQ-REPAIR-05: System MUST respect repair budget (default: 2 attempts per task)
• REQ-REPAIR-06: System MUST be configurable via workflow.node_repair_budget and workflow.node_repair

---

19. Health Validation

Command: /gsd:health [--repair]

Purpose: Validate .planning/ directory integrity and auto-repair issues.

Requirements:

• REQ-HEALTH-01: System MUST check for missing required files
• REQ-HEALTH-02: System MUST validate configuration consistency
• REQ-HEALTH-03: System MUST detect orphaned plans without summaries
• REQ-HEALTH-04: System MUST check phase numbering and roadmap sync
• REQ-HEALTH-05: --repair flag MUST auto-fix recoverable issues

---

20. Cross-Phase Regression Gate

Purpose: Prevent regressions from compounding across phases by running prior phases' test suites after execution.

Requirements:

• REQ-REGR-01: System MUST run test suites from all completed prior phases after phase execution
• REQ-REGR-02: System MUST report any test failures as cross-phase regressions
• REQ-REGR-03: Regressions MUST be surfaced before post-execution verification
• REQ-REGR-04: System MUST identify which prior phase's tests were broken

When: Runs automatically during /gsd:execute-phase before the verifier step.

---

21. Requirements Coverage Gate

Purpose: Ensure all phase requirements are covered by at least one plan before planning completes.

Requirements:

• REQ-COVGATE-01: System MUST extract all requirement IDs assigned to the phase from ROADMAP.md
• REQ-COVGATE-02: System MUST verify each requirement appears in at least one PLAN.md
• REQ-COVGATE-03: Uncovered requirements MUST block planning completion
• REQ-COVGATE-04: System MUST report which specific requirements lack plan coverage

When: Runs automatically at the end of /gsd:plan-phase after the plan checker loop.

---

Context Engineering Features

22. Context Window Monitoring

Purpose: Prevent context rot by alerting both user and agent when context is running low.

Requirements:

• REQ-CTX-01: Statusline MUST display context usage percentage to user
• REQ-CTX-02: Context monitor MUST inject agent-facing warnings at ≤35% remaining (WARNING)
• REQ-CTX-03: Context monitor MUST inject agent-facing warnings at ≤25% remaining (CRITICAL)
• REQ-CTX-04: Warnings MUST debounce (5 tool uses between repeated warnings)
• REQ-CTX-05: Severity escalation (WARNING→CRITICAL) MUST bypass debounce
• REQ-CTX-06: Context monitor MUST differentiate GSD-active vs non-GSD-active projects
• REQ-CTX-07: Warnings MUST be advisory, never imperative commands that override user preferences
• REQ-CTX-08: All hooks MUST fail silently and never block tool execution

Architecture: Two-part bridge system:

1. Statusline writes metrics to /tmp/claude-ctx-{session}.json
2. Context monitor reads metrics and injects additionalContext warnings

---

23. Session Management

Commands: /gsd:pause-work, /gsd:resume-work, /gsd:progress

Purpose: Maintain project continuity across context resets and sessions.

Requirements:

• REQ-SESSION-01: Pause MUST save current position and next steps to continue-here.md and structured HANDOFF.json
• REQ-SESSION-02: Resume MUST restore full project context from HANDOFF.json (preferred) or state files (fallback)
• REQ-SESSION-03: Progress MUST show current position, next action, and overall completion
• REQ-SESSION-04: Progress MUST read all state files (STATE.md, ROADMAP.md, phase directories)
• REQ-SESSION-05: All session operations MUST work after /clear (context reset)
• REQ-SESSION-06: HANDOFF.json MUST include blockers, human actions pending, and in-progress task state
• REQ-SESSION-07: Resume MUST surface human actions and blockers immediately on session start

---

24. Session Reporting

Command: /gsd:session-report

Purpose: Generate a structured post-session summary document capturing work performed, outcomes achieved, and estimated resource usage.

Requirements:

• REQ-REPORT-01: System MUST gather data from STATE.md, git log, and plan/summary files
• REQ-REPORT-02: System MUST include commits made, plans executed, and phases progressed
• REQ-REPORT-03: System MUST estimate token usage and cost based on session activity
• REQ-REPORT-04: System MUST include active blockers and decisions made
• REQ-REPORT-05: System MUST recommend next steps

Produces: .planning/reports/SESSION_REPORT.md

Report Sections:

• Session overview (duration, milestone, phase)
• Work performed (commits, plans, phases)
• Outcomes and deliverables
• Blockers and decisions
• Resource estimates (tokens, cost)
• Next steps recommendation

---

25. Multi-Agent Orchestration

Purpose: Coordinate specialized agents with fresh context windows for each task.

Requirements:

• REQ-ORCH-01: Each agent MUST receive a fresh context window
• REQ-ORCH-02: Orchestrators MUST be thin — spawn agents, collect results, route next
• REQ-ORCH-03: Context payload MUST include all relevant project artifacts
• REQ-ORCH-04: Parallel agents MUST be truly independent (no shared mutable state)
• REQ-ORCH-05: Agent results MUST be written to disk before orchestrator processes them
• REQ-ORCH-06: Failed agents MUST be detected (spot-check actual output vs reported failure)

---

26. Model Profiles

Command: /gsd:set-profile <quality|balanced|budget|inherit>

Purpose: Control which AI model each agent uses, balancing quality vs cost.

Requirements:

• REQ-MODEL-01: System MUST support 4 profiles: quality, balanced, budget, inherit
• REQ-MODEL-02: Each profile MUST define model tier per agent (see profile table)
• REQ-MODEL-03: Per-agent overrides MUST take precedence over profile
• REQ-MODEL-04: inherit profile MUST defer to runtime's current model selection
• REQ-MODEL-04a: inherit profile MUST be used when running non-Anthropic providers (OpenRouter, local models) to avoid unexpected API costs
• REQ-MODEL-05: Profile switch MUST be programmatic (script, not LLM-driven)
• REQ-MODEL-06: Model resolution MUST happen once per orchestration, not per spawn

Profile Assignments:

Agent	quality	balanced	budget	inherit
gsd-planner	Opus	Opus	Sonnet	Inherit
gsd-roadmapper	Opus	Sonnet	Sonnet	Inherit
gsd-executor	Opus	Sonnet	Sonnet	Inherit
gsd-phase-researcher	Opus	Sonnet	Haiku	Inherit
gsd-project-researcher	Opus	Sonnet	Haiku	Inherit
gsd-research-synthesizer	Sonnet	Sonnet	Haiku	Inherit
gsd-debugger	Opus	Sonnet	Sonnet	Inherit
gsd-codebase-mapper	Sonnet	Haiku	Haiku	Inherit
gsd-verifier	Sonnet	Sonnet	Haiku	Inherit
gsd-plan-checker	Sonnet	Sonnet	Haiku	Inherit
gsd-integration-checker	Sonnet	Sonnet	Haiku	Inherit
gsd-nyquist-auditor	Sonnet	Sonnet	Haiku	Inherit

---

Brownfield Features

27. Codebase Mapping

Command: /gsd:map-codebase [area]

Purpose: Analyze an existing codebase before starting a new project, so GSD understands what exists.

Requirements:

• REQ-MAP-01: System MUST spawn parallel mapper agents for each analysis area
• REQ-MAP-02: System MUST produce structured documents in .planning/codebase/
• REQ-MAP-03: System MUST detect: tech stack, architecture patterns, coding conventions, concerns
• REQ-MAP-04: Subsequent /gsd:new-project MUST load codebase mapping and focus questions on what's being added
• REQ-MAP-05: Optional [area] argument MUST scope mapping to a specific area

Produces:

Document	Content
STACK.md	Languages, frameworks, databases, infrastructure
ARCHITECTURE.md	Patterns, layers, data flow, boundaries
CONVENTIONS.md	Naming, file organization, code style, testing patterns
CONCERNS.md	Technical debt, security issues, performance bottlenecks
STRUCTURE.md	Directory layout and file organization
TESTING.md	Test infrastructure, coverage, patterns
INTEGRATIONS.md	External services, APIs, third-party dependencies

---

Utility Features

28. Debug System

Command: /gsd:debug [description]

Purpose: Systematic debugging with persistent state across context resets.

Requirements:

• REQ-DEBUG-01: System MUST create debug session file in .planning/debug/
• REQ-DEBUG-02: System MUST track hypotheses, evidence, and eliminated theories
• REQ-DEBUG-03: System MUST persist state so debugging survives context resets
• REQ-DEBUG-04: System MUST require human verification before marking resolved
• REQ-DEBUG-05: Resolved sessions MUST append to .planning/debug/knowledge-base.md
• REQ-DEBUG-06: Knowledge base MUST be consulted on new debug sessions to prevent re-investigation

Debug Session States: gathering → investigating → fixing → verifying → awaiting_human_verify → resolved

---

29. Todo Management

Commands: /gsd:add-todo [desc], /gsd:check-todos

Purpose: Capture ideas and tasks during sessions for later work.

Requirements:

• REQ-TODO-01: System MUST capture todo from current conversation context
• REQ-TODO-02: Todos MUST be stored in .planning/todos/pending/
• REQ-TODO-03: Completed todos MUST move to .planning/todos/done/
• REQ-TODO-04: Check-todos MUST list all pending items with selection to work on one

---

30. Statistics Dashboard

Command: /gsd:stats

Purpose: Display project metrics — phases, plans, requirements, git history, and timeline.

Requirements:

• REQ-STATS-01: System MUST show phase/plan completion counts
• REQ-STATS-02: System MUST show requirement coverage
• REQ-STATS-03: System MUST show git commit metrics
• REQ-STATS-04: System MUST support multiple output formats (json, table, bar)

---

31. Update System

Command: /gsd:update

Purpose: Update GSD to the latest version with changelog preview.

Requirements:

• REQ-UPDATE-01: System MUST check for new versions via npm
• REQ-UPDATE-02: System MUST display changelog for new version before updating
• REQ-UPDATE-03: System MUST be runtime-aware and target the correct directory
• REQ-UPDATE-04: System MUST back up locally modified files to gsd-local-patches/
• REQ-UPDATE-05: /gsd:reapply-patches MUST restore local modifications after update

---

32. Settings Management

Command: /gsd:settings

Purpose: Interactive configuration of workflow toggles and model profile.

Requirements:

• REQ-SETTINGS-01: System MUST present current settings with toggle options
• REQ-SETTINGS-02: System MUST update .planning/config.json
• REQ-SETTINGS-03: System MUST support saving as global defaults (~/.gsd/defaults.json)

Configurable Settings:

Setting	Type	Default	Description
mode	enum	interactive	interactive or yolo (auto-approve)
granularity	enum	standard	coarse, standard, or fine
model_profile	enum	balanced	quality, balanced, budget, or inherit
workflow.research	boolean	true	Domain research before planning
workflow.plan_check	boolean	true	Plan verification loop
workflow.verifier	boolean	true	Post-execution verification
workflow.auto_advance	boolean	false	Auto-chain discuss→plan→execute
workflow.nyquist_validation	boolean	true	Nyquist test coverage mapping
workflow.ui_phase	boolean	true	UI design contract generation
workflow.ui_safety_gate	boolean	true	Prompt for ui-phase on frontend phases
workflow.node_repair	boolean	true	Autonomous task repair
workflow.node_repair_budget	number	2	Max repair attempts per task
planning.commit_docs	boolean	true	Commit .planning/ files to git
planning.search_gitignored	boolean	false	Include gitignored files in searches
parallelization.enabled	boolean	true	Run independent plans simultaneously
git.branching_strategy	enum	none	none, phase, or milestone

---

33. Test Generation

Command: /gsd:add-tests [N]

Purpose: Generate tests for a completed phase based on UAT criteria and implementation.

Requirements:

• REQ-TEST-01: System MUST analyze completed phase implementation
• REQ-TEST-02: System MUST generate tests based on UAT criteria and acceptance criteria
• REQ-TEST-03: System MUST use existing test infrastructure patterns

---

Infrastructure Features

34. Git Integration

Purpose: Atomic commits, branching strategies, and clean history management.

Requirements:

• REQ-GIT-01: Each task MUST get its own atomic commit
• REQ-GIT-02: Commit messages MUST follow structured format: type(scope): description
• REQ-GIT-03: System MUST support 3 branching strategies: none, phase, milestone
• REQ-GIT-04: Phase strategy MUST create one branch per phase
• REQ-GIT-05: Milestone strategy MUST create one branch per milestone
• REQ-GIT-06: Complete-milestone MUST offer squash merge (recommended) or merge with history
• REQ-GIT-07: System MUST respect commit_docs setting for .planning/ files
• REQ-GIT-08: System MUST auto-detect .planning/ in .gitignore and skip commits

Commit Format:

type(phase-plan): description

# Examples:
docs(08-02): complete user registration plan
feat(08-02): add email confirmation flow
fix(03-01): correct auth token expiry

---

35. CLI Tools

Purpose: Programmatic utilities for workflows and agents, replacing repetitive inline bash patterns.

Requirements:

• REQ-CLI-01: System MUST provide atomic commands for state, config, phase, roadmap operations
• REQ-CLI-02: System MUST provide compound init commands that load all context for each workflow
• REQ-CLI-03: System MUST support --raw flag for machine-readable output
• REQ-CLI-04: System MUST support --cwd flag for sandboxed subagent operation
• REQ-CLI-05: All operations MUST use forward-slash paths on Windows

Command Categories: State (11 subcommands), Phase (5), Roadmap (3), Verify (8), Template (2), Frontmatter (4), Scaffold (4), Init (12), Validate (2), Progress, Stats, Todo

---

36. Multi-Runtime Support

Purpose: Run GSD across 6 different AI coding agent runtimes.

Requirements:

• REQ-RUNTIME-01: System MUST support Claude Code, OpenCode, Gemini CLI, Codex, Copilot, Antigravity
• REQ-RUNTIME-02: Installer MUST transform content per runtime (tool names, paths, frontmatter)
• REQ-RUNTIME-03: Installer MUST support interactive and non-interactive (--claude --global) modes
• REQ-RUNTIME-04: Installer MUST support both global and local installation
• REQ-RUNTIME-05: Uninstall MUST cleanly remove all GSD files without affecting other configurations
• REQ-RUNTIME-06: Installer MUST handle platform differences (Windows, macOS, Linux, WSL, Docker)

Runtime Transformations:

Aspect	Claude Code	OpenCode	Gemini	Codex	Copilot	Antigravity
Commands	Slash commands	Slash commands	Slash commands	Skills (TOML)	Slash commands	Skills
Agent format	Claude native	mode: subagent	Claude native	Skills	Tool mapping	Skills
Hook events	PostToolUse	N/A	AfterTool	N/A	N/A	N/A
Config	settings.json	opencode.json(c)	settings.json	TOML	Instructions	Config

---

37. Hook System

Purpose: Runtime event hooks for context monitoring, status display, and update checking.

Requirements:

• REQ-HOOK-01: Statusline MUST display model, current task, directory, and context usage
• REQ-HOOK-02: Context monitor MUST inject agent-facing warnings at threshold levels
• REQ-HOOK-03: Update checker MUST run in background on session start
• REQ-HOOK-04: All hooks MUST respect CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR env var
• REQ-HOOK-05: All hooks MUST include 3-second stdin timeout guard
• REQ-HOOK-06: All hooks MUST fail silently on any error
• REQ-HOOK-07: Context usage MUST normalize for autocompact buffer (16.5% reserved)

Statusline Display:

[⬆ /gsd:update │] model │ [current task │] directory [█████░░░░░ 50%]

Color coding: <50% green, <65% yellow, <80% orange, ≥80% red with skull emoji

38. Developer Profiling

Command: /gsd:profile-user [--questionnaire] [--refresh]

Purpose: Analyze Claude Code session history to build behavioral profiles across 8 dimensions, generating artifacts that personalize Claude's responses to the developer's style.

Dimensions:

1. Communication style (terse vs verbose, formal vs casual)
2. Decision patterns (rapid vs deliberate, risk tolerance)
3. Debugging approach (systematic vs intuitive, log preference)
4. UX preferences (design sensibility, accessibility awareness)
5. Vendor/technology choices (framework preferences, ecosystem familiarity)
6. Frustration triggers (what causes friction in workflows)
7. Learning style (documentation vs examples, depth preference)
8. Explanation depth (high-level vs implementation detail)

Generated Artifacts:

• USER-PROFILE.md — Full behavioral profile with evidence citations
• /gsd:dev-preferences command — Load preferences in any session
• CLAUDE.md profile section — Auto-discovered by Claude Code

Flags:

• --questionnaire — Interactive questionnaire fallback when session history is unavailable
• --refresh — Re-analyze sessions and regenerate profile

Pipeline Modules:

• profile-pipeline.cjs — Session scanning, message extraction, sampling
• profile-output.cjs — Profile rendering, questionnaire, artifact generation
• gsd-user-profiler agent — Behavioral analysis from session data

Requirements:

• REQ-PROF-01: Session analysis MUST cover at least 8 behavioral dimensions
• REQ-PROF-02: Profile MUST cite evidence from actual session messages
• REQ-PROF-03: Questionnaire MUST be available as fallback when no session history exists
• REQ-PROF-04: Generated artifacts MUST be discoverable by Claude Code (CLAUDE.md integration)

39. Execution Hardening

Purpose: Three additive quality improvements to the execution pipeline that catch cross-plan failures before they cascade.

Components:

1. Pre-Wave Dependency Check (execute-phase) Before spawning wave N+1, verify key-links from prior wave artifacts exist and are wired correctly. Catches cross-plan dependency gaps before they cascade into downstream failures.

2. Cross-Plan Data Contracts — Dimension 9 (plan-checker) New analysis dimension that checks plans sharing data pipelines have compatible transformations. Flags when one plan strips data that another plan needs in its original form.

3. Export-Level Spot Check (verify-phase) After Level 3 wiring verification passes, spot-check individual exports for actual usage. Catches dead stores that exist in wired files but are never called.

Requirements:

• REQ-HARD-01: Pre-wave check MUST verify key-links from all prior wave artifacts before spawning next wave
• REQ-HARD-02: Cross-plan contract check MUST detect incompatible data transformations between plans
• REQ-HARD-03: Export spot-check MUST identify dead stores in wired files