Specdd Review

---
name: specdd-review
description: Use when Agent needs to review changes against active SpecDD specs.
license: Apache-2.0
---

# SpecDD Review

Use this skill for code-review style review under SpecDD. Do not edit files
unless the user explicitly asks for changes.

## Skill Scope

Use this skill only for projects that already have a root `.specdd/bootstrap.md` and are therefore SpecDD projects.

If `.specdd/bootstrap.md` is missing, do not continue with this skill. Use `specdd-adopt` only when the operator explicitly asks to add or adopt SpecDD in a new or existing non-SpecDD project.

## Bootstrap Resolution

Ensure you know the active bootstrap chain for the target project. If it is not already reliable in the current context, read bootstrap files in this exact order:

1. `.specdd/bootstrap.md`
2. `.specdd/bootstrap.project.md`, if it exists
3. `.specdd/bootstrap.local.md`, if it exists

Apply them in that order. Later files may narrow or specialize earlier rules, but must not silently weaken project contracts, inherited constraints, or write authority.

Do not reread bootstrap files merely because another SpecDD skill or workflow phase starts. Reread the specific bootstrap file only when the active project root changes, a bootstrap file may have changed, or you need exact bootstrap text for a decision, quote, comparison, authorization, or report.

## Spec Chain Resolution

Before planning, editing, reviewing, testing, or reporting on a target, ensure the effective spec chain for that target is known:

1. Identify the target path, task, behavior, or changed files.
2. Resolve the effective spec chain using the active bootstrap rules.
3. Include same-directory basename specs when applicable.
4. Walk ancestor specs from the selected content root to the target.
5. Read explicit `References` only when they affect the requested work.
6. Read or reread the specific governing specs needed for the current decision when exact contract text is not already reliable in context.
7. Identify the nearest local spec that grants write authority before any edit.

Do not infer authority from similar filenames, nearby files, symbols, module names, or conventions unless the active bootstrap or a governing spec explicitly defines that mapping.

Do not reread an entire chain just because a workflow phase changed. Reopen the narrowest relevant spec when you need to apply, quote, compare, authorize, report, or edit against exact text, when the target scope changes, when a governing spec may have changed, or when earlier context came only from CLI output or a summary.

## Workflow

1. Compare the diff against applicable `Must`, `Must not`, `Forbids`, `Scenario`, `Tasks`, and `Done when` entries.
2. When useful and available, consider consulting the `specdd-cli` skill for CLI-assisted governing-spec discovery before judging a diff; read or reread the relevant contracts directly when exact text is needed for a finding.
3. Check whether verification matches the behavioral risk.
4. Report concrete findings, questions, or residual risk.

## Review Output

Lead with findings, ordered by severity. For each finding, include:

- File and line when available.
- The violated or risky SpecDD contract.
- The concrete behavior or regression risk.
- The smallest likely fix.

Then include open questions or assumptions. Keep summaries secondary and brief.
If there are no findings, say so clearly and mention any residual test or spec
coverage gap.

Do not invent requirements beyond the active specs. If behavior is underspecified,
call that out as an uncertainty rather than a violation.