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1.0 Program Overview

Welcome to the Liatrio Forge: Immersive AI Mastery Program — an immersive, fast-paced experience with minimal lectures and maximum hands-on building.

What This Program Is​

This is language immersion for AI-native engineering. Just like learning a language by living in a country where it's spoken, you'll learn AI-native development by doing everything with AI. The goal is to experience firsthand what AI is good at, what it struggles with, and how to orchestrate it effectively.

Work at your own pace. The content is organized into modules with clear exit criteria. Move through them at the speed that works for you.

If You're Stuck

If you're not making progress or feel like you're spinning, reach out for help. Getting stuck is normal — staying stuck is not.

What is AI-Native Engineering?​

AI-native engineering is a fundamental shift in how software gets built. In this program, you'll experience what it's like to:

  • Delegate 99%+ of coding to AI agents while you provide specifications, guidance, and critical review
  • Use Spec-Driven Development (SDD) to maintain clarity, prevent scope creep, and produce evidence for every feature
  • Ship real artifacts — working software, documentation, pipelines — not toy examples

By the end, you'll confidently treat AI not just as a tool, but as the primary driver in product development.

Program Structure​

The program progresses through four modules, each building on the last:

ModuleFocusExit Criteria
1AI-Driven Development FoundationsFixed all open issues in Pet Clinic with 99% AI-written code
2AI-Augmented Features & Systems ThinkingIntegrated a major AI feature across components/services
3AI-Accelerated DevOps & Platform EngineeringBuilt a working pipeline or IaC deployment slice
4Autonomous Capstone & Client EnablementDelivered an end-to-end solution autonomously and explained it to others

Demos and Sharing​

You will demo your work twice weekly.

Record a short (5-10 minute) demo that walks through:

  • What you built or fixed
  • How you used AI to solve the problem
  • What tools and techniques you used

These demos are shared with the wave. Learning from each other's approaches is a key part of the program.

Proof Artifacts​

Each module requires you to produce proof artifacts that demonstrate your work:

  • Spec document (markdown) — The specification you wrote
  • Task breakdown — How you decomposed the work
  • PR link(s) — Your implementation, reviewed by AI
  • Test output — Proof that acceptance criteria passed
  • Demo recording — Your walkthrough of the solution

These artifacts serve as living documentation and evidence of the accelerated workflow.

Prerequisites​

Jumpstart Webinar

Before starting this program, read through and watch the AI-Native Jumpstart | Building with Spec-Driven Development webinar on liatrio.ai. This background gives you the shared language for:

  • The context window and why it matters
  • Context rot and how to combat it
  • The basics of Spec-Driven Development
  • The "Golden Path" concept for AI-native workflows

Use the liatrio.ai webinar page as the Jumpstart reference for Forge. You do not need a separate Jumpstart document or tool list to complete this program.

Forge setup is terminal-only. Follow this module's setup pages as the authoritative install path. You will use Claude Code in the terminal; do not install additional IDE agents, desktop apps, or tools unless a Forge lesson explicitly asks for them.

tip

Keep the SDD playbook handy. The Spec-Driven Workflow playbook is the direct reference for the workflow you will use throughout Forge. Start there when you need the bigger picture, and check Common Questions before you get stuck on setup, workflow mechanics, or what an SDD step is asking you to do.

Technical Requirements​

  • Familiarity with Git and version control
  • Basic command-line proficiency
  • Experience with at least one programming language
  • Claude Code access via a Claude subscription, unless directed to use an Anthropic API key

What You'll Work With​

Throughout this program, you'll work with Emerald Grove Pet Clinic — a full-featured veterinary management application. This is a production-style codebase designed to mimic the complex, brownfield environments we see at real customers:

  • Real architecture patterns
  • Comprehensive test suites
  • CI/CD pipelines
  • AI-native documentation (CLAUDE.md, specs, standards)

You'll fix issues, add features, and extend functionality — all with AI doing the coding.

Tools You'll Master​

  • Claude Code — Anthropic's terminal CLI for AI-native development
  • Spec-Driven Development (SDD) Prompts — Structured workflow for reliable AI delivery
  • MCP Servers — Tools that give Claude access to external systems
  • AI Code Review — Automated PR review and feedback

Expectations​

  1. AI writes the code. You direct, review, and validate — but you're not typing code by hand.
  2. Demo your work. Twice weekly, share what you built and how you built it.
  3. Ask for help. If you're stuck for more than a few hours, reach out. Don't spin.
  4. Help each other. If you finish quickly, check in with others who might be struggling.

Collaboration​

This is individual work — you're responsible for your own deliverables. But you're not alone:

  • Ask questions in the wave Slack channel
  • Share tips and techniques that worked for you
  • Pair with others if you're stuck on similar problems

Let's Begin​

The next section walks you through setting up your development environment. By the end of this introduction, you'll have:

  1. Claude Code installed and configured
  2. SDD workflow prompts available as slash commands
  3. MCP servers and skills ready to extend Claude's capabilities
  4. The example repository forked and explored

Let's get started.

Knowledge Check​

Test your understanding of the Forge program before moving on.

Question 1 of 3

Program Overview Knowledge Check

Q1. What methodology does the Forge program use to ensure AI delivers reliable, scoped features?