buildflow-dev 1.0.7 → 4.0.1

package/README.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # BuildFlow
 
-> Adaptive AI-powered development orchestration for Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Codex CLI, Cursor, Cline, and Continue.
+> Spec-driven, multi-agent development orchestration with automatic token pruning — for Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Codex CLI, Cursor, Cline, and Continue.
 
 [![npm version](https://badge.fury.io/js/buildflow-dev.svg)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/buildflow-dev)
 [![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 - [The .buildflow/ Scaffold](#the-buildflow-scaffold)
 - [Template System](#template-system)
 - [9 Specialized Agents](#9-specialized-agents)
+- [v4.0: Spec-Driven + Token Pruning](#v40-what-changed)
 - [Examples](#examples)
 - [Token Economics](#token-economics)
 - [Contributing](#contributing)
@@ -31,14 +32,18 @@
 
 ## What is BuildFlow?
 
-BuildFlow is a **CLI tool** that installs a structured AI workflow into any project. It does two things:
+BuildFlow is a **CLI tool** that installs a spec-driven, multi-agent AI workflow into any project. It does two things:
 
-1. **Scaffolds `.buildflow/`** — a folder of markdown files that act as persistent memory, project state, and agent instructions for your AI tool
-2. **Installs slash commands** — writes `/buildflow-*` command files into whichever AI tools you use (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.)
+1. **Scaffolds `.buildflow/`** — markdown files that act as persistent memory, formal specs, project state, and agent instructions
+2. **Installs slash commands** — writes `/buildflow-*` command files into whichever AI tools you use (Claude Code, Cursor, Gemini CLI, etc.)
 
-Once installed, you work entirely inside your AI tool using `/buildflow-*` commands. BuildFlow itself stays out of your way — it only runs when you use the CLI (`buildflow audit`, `buildflow fix`, etc.) from the terminal.
+Once installed, you work entirely inside your AI tool using `/buildflow-*` commands.
 
-**The core idea:** AI tools lose context as conversations grow ("context rot"). BuildFlow prevents this by breaking work into phases, using fresh agent sessions per task, and persisting only essential context in `.buildflow/memory/light.md`.
+**Three core ideas that separate BuildFlow from other tools:**
+
+- **Spec-first:** Every phase starts with a formal PRD + Technical Design + Acceptance Criteria. Plans trace to ACs. Ship is blocked if any AC is unsatisfied.
+- **Context isolation:** Each agent receives a minimal context packet — only what it needs. No context rot, no wasted tokens.
+- **Auto-prune:** `light.md` is automatically compressed at session start and after each ship. Long sessions stay lean.
 
 ---
 
@@ -89,13 +94,14 @@ These are installed into your AI tool and triggered by typing `/` (or `@` / `$`
 
 | Command | Agent | Purpose | Token Cost |
 |---------|-------|---------|-----------|
-| `/buildflow-start` | Strategist | Begin project: asks vision questions, detects mode, saves to `core/vision.md` | ~8K |
+| `/buildflow-start` | Strategist | Begin project: vision questions, pruning of stale context, saves to `core/vision.md` | ~8K |
 | `/buildflow-think [topic]` | Researcher × 3 + Synthesizer | Parallel web research on a topic, synthesized into a recommendation | ~30K |
-| `/buildflow-plan [phase]` | Architect | Maps task dependencies, groups into parallel waves, writes `phases/N/PLAN.md` | ~20K |
-| `/buildflow-build [wave]` | Builder × N + Reviewer | Executes the plan wave-by-wave — each wave auto-tests, auto-fixes failures, and only advances when fully green | ~50K/wave |
-| `/buildflow-test [wave]` | Reviewer | Standalone test + fix loop — re-verify a wave or test a manual change outside of `/buildflow-build` | ~25K |
-| `/buildflow-check` | Reviewer × 3 | Three parallel reviewers check correctness, quality, and security | ~20K |
-| `/buildflow-ship` | Strategist + Security Auditor | Pre-ship security gate → retrospective → git tag | ~22K |
+| `/buildflow-spec` | Strategist | **NEW** — Generate formal PRD + Technical Design + Acceptance Criteria. Required before planning | ~18K |
+| `/buildflow-plan [phase]` | Architect | Reads specs, maps tasks to ACs, groups into dependency waves, checks full AC coverage | ~20K |
+| `/buildflow-build [wave]` | Builder × N + Reviewer | Execute waves with context-isolated Builders — each wave auto-tests, auto-fixes, only advances when green | ~50K/wave |
+| `/buildflow-test [wave]` | Reviewer | Standalone test + fix loop — re-verify a wave or test a manual change | ~25K |
+| `/buildflow-check` | Reviewer × 4 | Spec compliance + correctness + quality + security in parallel | ~22K |
+| `/buildflow-ship` | Strategist + Security Auditor | Spec gate + security gate + context pruning + git tag | ~22K |
 
 ### Workflow — Existing Codebases
 
@@ -125,12 +131,14 @@ If you're not sure where the bug is yet, use `/buildflow-help` first — it's a
 | Know what needs to change | `/buildflow-modify "fix description"` |
 | Don't know where the bug is | `/buildflow-help` first, then `/buildflow-modify` |
 | Tests failing after a change | `/buildflow-debug` |
+| Production incident / tiny patch | `/buildflow-hotfix "description"` — no planning, no waves |
 
 ### Debugging & Deployment
 
 | Command | Agent | Purpose | Token Cost |
 |---------|-------|---------|-----------|
-| `/buildflow-debug ["error"]` | Surgeon | Root-cause analysis for failing tests or broken behavior — traces error to source, applies minimal fix | ~20K |
+| `/buildflow-hotfix "description"` | Surgeon | **NEW** — Fast-path: no spec, no plan, no waves. Restore point → fix → test → commit. For incidents and small patches | ~10K |
+| `/buildflow-debug ["error"]` | Surgeon | Root-cause analysis for failing tests — traces error to source, applies minimal fix | ~20K |
 | `/buildflow-deploy [env]` | Strategist | Pre-flight checks then deploy to staging or production | ~15K |
 
 ### Security
@@ -207,36 +215,62 @@ npx buildflow-dev init
 
 ---
 
-### 3. Plan — Architect auto-generates phases and waves
+### 3. Spec — formal artifacts before any planning
+
+```
+/buildflow-spec
+```
+
+Strategist asks a few clarifying questions, then generates three locked files:
+
+```
+.buildflow/specs/
+├── PRD.md          ← What, for whom, success criteria, out of scope
+├── TDD.md          ← Architecture, API contracts, component breakdown
+└── acceptance.md   ← Testable pass/fail criteria
+
+  AC-001: Given unauthenticated user, when POST /login with valid credentials,
+          then return 200 with session token
+  AC-002: Given invalid password, when POST /login, then return 401
+  AC-003: Given expired token, when any authenticated request, then return 401
+  ...
+```
+
+User reviews and approves. Specs are locked. `/buildflow-plan` will not run without them.
+
+---
+
+### 4. Plan — Architect maps tasks to Acceptance Criteria
 
 ```
 /buildflow-plan
 ```
 
-The Architect reads `vision.md` and produces `.buildflow/phases/01/PLAN.md`:
+The Architect reads `specs/acceptance.md` and produces `.buildflow/phases/01/PLAN.md` with every task traced to an AC:
 
 ```
 Phase 1 — Foundation
 
 Wave 1 (parallel — no dependencies):
-  • Create database schema
-  • Create project config files
-  • Set up folder structure
+  • Create database schema          [AC-001, AC-002]
+  • Create project config files     [AC-NF-001]
 
 Wave 2 (depends on Wave 1):
-  • Create data models
-  • Create auth middleware
+  • Create auth middleware           [AC-001, AC-002, AC-003]
+  • Create data models               [AC-001]
 
 Wave 3 (depends on Wave 2):
-  • Create API routes
-  • Create service layer
+  • Create login API route           [AC-001, AC-002]
+  • Create token refresh route       [AC-003]
 
 Wave 4 (depends on Wave 3):
-  • Create UI components
-  • Write integration tests
+  • Create login UI form             [AC-001, AC-002]
+  • Write integration tests          [all ACs]
+
+AC Coverage check: AC-001 ✓  AC-002 ✓  AC-003 ✓  AC-NF-001 ✓
 ```
 
-You didn't write any of this — the Architect derived it from your vision.
+Every AC is covered. The Architect won't write the plan if any AC is orphaned.
 
 ---
 
@@ -271,17 +305,20 @@ If a wave can't be fixed within 5 attempts, the build stops and reports exactly
 
 ---
 
-### 5. Check, ship, and deploy
+### 6. Check, ship, and deploy
 
 ```
 /buildflow-check
 ```
-> 3 Reviewers in parallel: correctness / quality / security
+> 4 Reviewers in parallel: spec compliance (all ACs?) / correctness / quality / security
 
 ```
 /buildflow-ship
 ```
-> Security gate → retrospective written to `phases/01/retro.md` → git tag
+> Gate 0: all ACs satisfied — blocks if any are ✗  
+> Gate 1: security scan — blocks on critical issues  
+> Gate 2: all tests passing  
+> Then: retrospective → context pruning (`light.md` compressed) → git tag
 
 ```
 /buildflow-deploy staging
@@ -416,19 +453,21 @@ buildflow-dev/
 │   │                         all available /buildflow-* commands.
 │   │                         {{APP_NAME}} is replaced with the detected project name.
 │   │
-│   └── commands/             17 markdown files — one per slash command.
+│   └── commands/             19 markdown files — one per slash command.
 │       │                     Each file is the full instruction set for that command.
 │       │                     The AI reads and executes these when you trigger the command.
 │       │                     Format: YAML frontmatter (name, description, agent, tools)
 │       │                     followed by numbered steps the agent follows.
 │       │
-│       ├── start.md          Vision gathering, mode detection (greenfield vs existing)
+│       ├── start.md          Vision gathering, mode detection, light.md pruning on session start
 │       ├── think.md          Parallel research with up to 3 Researcher agents
-│       ├── plan.md           Dependency mapping → wave-based execution plan
+│       ├── spec.md           Generate PRD + TDD + Acceptance Criteria (required before plan)
+│       ├── plan.md           AC-traced dependency mapping → wave-based execution plan
 │       ├── build.md          Wave-by-wave parallel Builder execution
 │       ├── test.md           Run tests + UI verification after each wave
 │       ├── check.md          3-reviewer parallel quality check
-│       ├── ship.md           Pre-ship security gate → retro → git tag
+│       ├── ship.md           Spec gate + security gate + context pruning → retro → git tag
+│       ├── hotfix.md         Fast-path fix — no spec, no plan, restore point → fix → test → commit
 │       ├── onboard.md        One-time codebase analysis → MAP/PATTERNS/DEPENDENCIES/HOTSPOTS
 │       ├── modify.md         Surgical code change with blast-radius analysis
 │       ├── refactor.md       Quality improvement without behavior change
@@ -472,12 +511,17 @@ their-project/
     │                         settings, parallelization limits. The AI adapts its
     │                         explanation depth based on the experience: field.
     │
+    ├── specs/                Generated by /buildflow-spec. Required before /buildflow-plan.
+    │   ├── PRD.md            Product Requirements: what, for whom, success criteria, out of scope.
+    │   ├── TDD.md            Technical Design: architecture, API contracts, component breakdown.
+    │   └── acceptance.md     Acceptance Criteria (AC-001, AC-002...). Every plan task traces
+    │                         to an AC. /buildflow-check verifies each. /buildflow-ship blocks
+    │                         if any AC is unsatisfied.
+    │
     ├── memory/
-    │   └── light.md          The core of the memory system. Persists project essentials
-    │                         across AI sessions: app name, framework, phase, last session
-    │                         date, onboarding status, style fingerprint, recent decisions.
-    │                         Kept under 5K tokens deliberately — costs less to load than
-    │                         it saves in re-detection work.
+    │   └── light.md          Persistent context across sessions. Auto-pruned to ≤3K tokens
+    │                         at session start and after each /buildflow-ship. Archived phase
+    │                         data moves to phases/N/retro.md — not deleted, just unloaded.
     │
     ├── learnings/
     │   ├── glossary.md       Project-specific jargon and BuildFlow concepts. Grows as
@@ -499,7 +543,8 @@ their-project/
     │
     ├── phases/               One subfolder per phase (01/, 02/, etc.)
     │   └── 01/
-    │       ├── PLAN.md       Task breakdown with dependency waves
+    │       ├── PLAN.md       Task breakdown with AC references and dependency waves.
+    │       │                 Archived context from light.md lands here after /buildflow-ship.
     │       └── retro.md      Written during /buildflow-ship: what worked, what didn't
     │
     └── security/
@@ -638,6 +683,36 @@ buildflow fix
 
 ---
 
+## v4.0: What Changed
+
+### Spec-Driven Layer
+Every phase now has a formal spec before any code is planned or written.
+
+| Old flow | New flow |
+|----------|----------|
+| vision → plan → build | vision → **spec** → plan → build |
+| Plan tasks were freeform | Plan tasks trace to Acceptance Criteria |
+| Check was code review only | Check verifies every AC is satisfied |
+| Ship had security gate | Ship has **spec gate** + security gate |
+
+### Context Isolation (Token Pruning)
+Agents now receive minimal context packets instead of full project state.
+
+| What changed | Effect |
+|-------------|--------|
+| Each Builder gets max 5 relevant files | −10–30K tokens per wave |
+| `light.md` auto-pruned to ≤3K at session start | Prevents bloat across long projects |
+| `light.md` pruned after every `/buildflow-ship` | Stale phase data archived, not re-loaded |
+| Reviewers receive diff + ACs only (not full codebase) | Faster, more focused reviews |
+
+### New Commands
+| Command | Purpose |
+|---------|---------|
+| `/buildflow-spec` | Generate PRD + TDD + Acceptance Criteria |
+| `/buildflow-hotfix` | Fast-path for incidents — no planning overhead |
+
+---
+
 ## Token Economics
 
 | Scenario | Tokens | Notes |
@@ -645,10 +720,18 @@ buildflow fix
 | Greenfield full workflow | 130–160K | All phases, one session |
 | Onboarding existing project | +35K | One-time, never again |
 | Existing project after onboard | 130–160K | Same as greenfield |
+| `/buildflow-spec` | ~18K | One-time per phase — produces PRD + TDD + ACs |
 | Security gate (per ship) | +10K | Always runs with `/buildflow-ship` |
-| Light memory load (per session) | ~2K | **Saves** ~10K in re-detection |
-
-Light memory pays for itself after one session — loading 2K to avoid re-detecting framework, phase, and preferences each time.
+| Light memory load (per session) | ~1.5K | Pruned to ≤3K — **saves** ~10K in re-detection |
+| Context pruning savings | −5–15K | Old phase data archived, not reloaded each session |
+| Hotfix (vs full build) | ~10K vs ~50K | 5× cheaper for small patches |
+| Per-agent context packets | −10–30K | Builders get minimal context, not full codebase |
+
+**Token efficiency strategy:**
+- `light.md` stays under 3K (auto-pruned after each ship and at session start)
+- Each agent gets a context packet: only task spec + relevant files + style rules
+- Builders never receive full codebase — they get max 5 relevant files
+- Old phase data lives in `phases/N/retro.md`, not loaded unless needed
 
 ---
 

package/package.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "buildflow-dev",
-  "version": "1.0.7",
-  "description": "Adaptive AI-powered development orchestration. Works with Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Codex CLI, Cursor, and more.",
+  "version": "4.0.1",
+  "description": "Spec-driven, multi-agent AI development orchestration with automatic token pruning. Works with Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Codex CLI, Cursor, and more.",
   "keywords": [
     "ai",
     "claude",
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
     "developer-tools",
     "cli",
     "workflow",
+    "spec-driven-development",
+    "multi-agent",
     "scaffolding",
     "security-audit",
     "code-generation"

package/src/commands/init.js

@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ function scaffoldBuildflow(appName, projectInfo) {
   const dirs = [
     'core', 'you', 'memory', 'phases',
     'learnings', 'research', 'codebase',
+    'specs',
     'security/reports', 'security/rules',
     'security/suppressions',
   ]
@@ -451,6 +452,24 @@ Phase 0 — Initial setup complete. Run \`/buildflow-start\` to begin.
 ---
 
 *New decisions are appended below by \`/buildflow-think\` and \`/buildflow-plan\`.*
+`)
+
+  // ── specs/ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+  writeFileSync(join(base, 'specs', 'README.md'),
+    `# Specs
+
+> Generated by \`/buildflow-spec\`. Run it after \`/buildflow-start\`.
+
+| File | Purpose |
+|------|---------|
+| \`PRD.md\` | Product Requirements — what, for whom, success criteria |
+| \`TDD.md\` | Technical Design — architecture, API contracts, decisions |
+| \`acceptance.md\` | Acceptance Criteria — testable pass/fail conditions per feature |
+
+These files are the source of truth for planning and verification.
+\`/buildflow-plan\` traces every task to an AC.
+\`/buildflow-check\` verifies every AC is satisfied.
+\`/buildflow-ship\` blocks if any AC is unmet.
 `)
 
   // ── security/DEBT.md ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

package/src/commands/install.js

@@ -620,8 +620,8 @@ function loadCommandTemplates() {
   const templatesDir = join(__dirname, '../../templates/commands')
   const commands = {}
   const commandNames = [
-    'start', 'think', 'plan', 'build', 'test', 'check', 'ship',
-    'onboard', 'modify', 'refactor', 'audit',
+    'start', 'think', 'spec', 'plan', 'build', 'test', 'check', 'ship',
+    'onboard', 'modify', 'refactor', 'hotfix', 'audit',
     'debug', 'deploy',
     'status', 'explain', 'back', 'help',
   ]

package/templates/CLAUDE.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # {{APP_NAME}} — Claude Code Configuration
 
-This project uses **BuildFlow v3.0** for adaptive AI-powered development orchestration.
+This project uses **BuildFlow v4.0** for spec-driven, multi-agent development orchestration.
 
 ## Session Start Checklist (Run Every Time)
 
@@ -15,45 +15,57 @@ Before doing anything else at the start of every session:
      Then display the contents of UPDATE.md.
    - If the file does not exist, proceed silently.
 
-2. **Load memory** — read `.buildflow/memory/light.md` for project context
+2. **Prune memory** — read `.buildflow/memory/light.md`. If over 3K tokens, prune it:
+   - Archive phase task lists and build timestamps to `phases/[last phase]/retro.md`
+   - Keep: app_name, framework, language, current_phase, spec_status, style_fingerprint, last 2 decisions
+   - Report: "Context pruned: light.md [X] → [Y] tokens"
+
 3. **Load state** — read `.buildflow/core/state.md` for current phase and status
 
 ---
 
-## Quick Start
-
-Type `/` in Claude Code to see available commands:
-
-- `/buildflow-start` — begin or continue the project
-- `/buildflow-onboard` — analyze existing codebase (run once for existing projects)
-- `/buildflow-think` — research and discuss
-- `/buildflow-plan` — create execution plan
-- `/buildflow-build` — implement the plan
-- `/buildflow-test` — run tests and verify UI/functionality after each wave
-- `/buildflow-check` — verify quality with 3 parallel reviewers
-- `/buildflow-debug` — root-cause analysis when tests fail or something breaks
-- `/buildflow-ship` — finalize with security gate
-- `/buildflow-deploy` — pre-flight checks then deploy to staging or production
-- `/buildflow-audit` — run security scan
-- `/buildflow-modify` — surgical change or bugfix to existing code
-- `/buildflow-status` — see where you are
-- `/buildflow-help` — get help or recover from issues
+## BuildFlow v4.0 Workflow
 
-## Always Do at Session Start
+```
+/buildflow-start    → capture vision
+/buildflow-think    → research (optional)
+/buildflow-spec     → generate PRD + TDD + Acceptance Criteria  ← NEW
+/buildflow-plan     → map tasks to ACs, group into waves
+/buildflow-build    → execute waves with auto-test + auto-fix
+/buildflow-check    → verify all ACs satisfied
+/buildflow-ship     → spec gate + security gate + context pruning
+/buildflow-deploy   → pre-flight + deploy to staging/production
+```
 
-1. Read `.buildflow/memory/light.md` for project context
-2. Read `.buildflow/core/state.md` for current phase and status
-3. If onboarded: load `.buildflow/codebase/MAP.md`
+## Quick Reference
+
+| Command | When to use |
+|---------|-------------|
+| `/buildflow-start` | Begin or continue the project |
+| `/buildflow-spec` | Define PRD, TDD, Acceptance Criteria before planning |
+| `/buildflow-plan` | Create spec-traced wave plan |
+| `/buildflow-build` | Execute plan — auto-tests and auto-fixes each wave |
+| `/buildflow-test` | Re-verify a wave or test a manual change |
+| `/buildflow-check` | Verify all ACs satisfied + code quality |
+| `/buildflow-ship` | Spec gate + security gate + context prune + git tag |
+| `/buildflow-deploy` | Pre-flight checks + deploy staging/production |
+| `/buildflow-hotfix` | Fast-path fix — no planning, no waves |
+| `/buildflow-debug` | Root-cause analysis when tests fail |
+| `/buildflow-onboard` | One-time analysis of existing codebase |
+| `/buildflow-modify` | Surgical change or bugfix to existing code |
+| `/buildflow-audit` | OWASP Top 10 security scan |
+| `/buildflow-status` | See current phase and progress |
+| `/buildflow-help` | Diagnostic mode + recovery |
 
 ## Core Rules
 
+- Each agent receives a **minimal context packet** — only what it needs, nothing else
+- `light.md` must stay under 3K tokens — prune at session start if over
 - Ask confidence (1-5) before locking major decisions
-- Show alternatives before making architectural choices
-- Add `LEARN:` comments when introducing unfamiliar patterns
+- Run `/buildflow-spec` before `/buildflow-plan` — no spec, no plan
+- `/buildflow-ship` blocks if any Acceptance Criterion is unsatisfied
 - Create git restore points before destructive operations
 - Run `/buildflow-audit` before every `/buildflow-ship`
-- Cite research sources with trust scores (1-5)
-- Keep `.buildflow/memory/light.md` under 5K tokens
 
 ## Agents
 
@@ -62,14 +74,14 @@ Type `/` in Claude Code to see available commands:
 | Strategist | Vision, decisions, direction |
 | Researcher | Parallel web research with sources |
 | Synthesizer | Combines research findings |
-| Architect | Dependency-aware planning |
-| Builder | Code matching project style |
-| Reviewer | Quality checks |
+| Architect | Spec-traced dependency planning |
+| Builder | Code matching project style, AC-referenced |
+| Reviewer | Spec compliance + quality checks |
 | Cartographer | Maps existing codebases |
 | Surgeon | Precise modifications to existing code |
 | Security Auditor | OWASP Top 10 scanning |
 
-Each agent gets a **fresh context window** — no context rot.
+Each agent gets a **fresh context window** with a **minimal context packet** — no context rot, no wasted tokens.
 
 ## Project Structure
 
@@ -78,10 +90,14 @@ Each agent gets a **fresh context window** — no context rot.
 ├── core/
 │   ├── vision.md       ← What we're building
 │   └── state.md        ← Current phase and status
+├── specs/              ← Generated by /buildflow-spec  ← NEW
+│   ├── PRD.md          ← Product Requirements
+│   ├── TDD.md          ← Technical Design
+│   └── acceptance.md   ← Acceptance Criteria (AC-001, AC-002...)
 ├── you/
 │   └── preferences.md  ← Experience level, style prefs
 ├── memory/
-│   └── light.md        ← Persistent context (≤5K tokens)
+│   └── light.md        ← Persistent context (≤3K tokens, auto-pruned)
 ├── codebase/           ← Generated by /buildflow-onboard
 │   ├── MAP.md
 │   ├── PATTERNS.md