% ls Books

Agentic Spec-Driven Development

A Practical Method for Using AI to Build Complete Specifications for Software, Products, and Knowledge Work

Specifications have always mattered. Agentic AI makes them matter more.

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The revolution started in software engineering. The term spec-driven development is recent: build the specification first, then code. The coding half is increasingly automated by long-running AI agents, and they get better every week. This shift takes the load off the coder and lands it on the specification. An autonomous agent produces a meaningful result only if the spec is near-perfect, and writing specs by hand is no longer enough. This book focuses on building specifications at the level of detail that autonomous development demands — and leans heavily on AI in the process.

The same shift is reaching other knowledge-work fields. Before a lawyer drafts the final contract, they work out the parties, the obligations, the consideration, the edge cases, and the termination conditions. Drafting a final contract is the "coding" step; the working-out is the "specification" step. They may not call it that, but it is the same shape of work. A product manager runs discovery and writes a PRD before engineering work begins. A researcher writes a protocol before the study runs. A policy writer drafts intent and scope before finalizing the policy itself. An author drafts a synopsis and an outline before writing the book. A consultant writes a scope of work before the engagement begins. In every case, a highly detailed document is produced before the final stage of the work starts; that document is the specification. The methodology in this book applies to most such cases, not just to engineering.

The method is AI-heavy. You will learn to drive frontier AI agents — a skill that goes far beyond spec writing. By the end, you will operate AI confidently as a true agentic AI handler.

Become an Awesome Software Architect

A practical guide to building the skills, knowledge, and mindset needed to excel as a software architect.

Learn how to design systems that are scalable, maintainable, and aligned with business goals.

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