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1.3 Install SDD Workflow

The Spec-Driven Development (SDD) workflow is the core methodology you'll use throughout this program. In this section, you'll install the SDD prompts as slash commands in Claude Code.

What is the SDD Workflow?​

SDD is a four-step process that transforms AI-assisted development from unpredictable "prompt alchemy" into reliable, evidence-based engineering:

StepPromptPurpose
1/SDD-1-generate-specTransform a feature idea into a detailed specification
2/SDD-2-generate-task-list-from-specBreak the spec into actionable tasks with proof artifacts
3/SDD-3-manage-tasksExecute tasks with checkpoints and evidence collection
4/SDD-4-validate-spec-implementationVerify implementation matches the specification

Once installed, you'll invoke these as slash commands directly in Claude Code.

Install slash-man​

The slash-man CLI tool manages prompt installation across AI-native editors. Install it using uvx (part of the uv Python package manager):

Step 1: Install uv (if not already installed)​

macOS/Linux:

curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

Or with Homebrew:

brew install uv

Restart your terminal or run source ~/.bashrc (or ~/.zshrc) to ensure uvx is available.

Step 2: Verify uvx Works​

uvx --help

You should see help output for the uvx command.

Install SDD Prompts​

Run the following command to install the SDD workflow prompts:

uvx --from git+https://github.com/liatrio-labs/slash-command-manager \
  slash-man generate \
  --github-repo liatrio-labs/spec-driven-workflow \
  --github-branch main \
  --github-path prompts/

This command:

  1. Fetches the SDD prompts from the official repository
  2. Detects your installed AI tools (including Claude Code)
  3. Installs the prompts as slash commands

You should see output indicating which prompts were installed and where.

Verify Installation​

Start Claude Code and check that the slash commands are available:

claude

Type / and you should see the SDD commands in the autocomplete suggestions:

  • /SDD-1-generate-spec
  • /SDD-2-generate-task-list-from-spec
  • /SDD-3-manage-tasks
  • /SDD-4-validate-spec-implementation

Try running one to see its documentation:

/SDD-1-generate-spec

Claude will explain what the prompt does and ask for the necessary inputs.

Understanding the Prompts​

Each SDD prompt includes:

Context Verification Markers​

Each prompt instructs Claude to start responses with a specific emoji:

  • SDD1️⃣ for Spec Generation
  • SDD2️⃣ for Task List Generation
  • SDD3️⃣ for Task Management
  • SDD4️⃣ for Validation

Why? These markers help you detect "context rot" — when Claude starts losing track of earlier instructions. If the emoji disappears from responses, it's a signal to start a fresh session.

Structured Output​

Each prompt produces predictable, reviewable artifacts:

  • Specifications in docs/specs/[NN]-spec-[feature-name]/
  • Task lists with proof artifact definitions
  • Validation reports with coverage matrices

Progressive Disclosure​

Prompts include explicit "stop and wait" gates:

  • Questions files before writing specs
  • Parent tasks before sub-tasks
  • Checkpoint confirmations during execution

This prevents Claude from racing ahead with assumptions.

Where Are Prompts Stored?​

The slash-man tool installs prompts to Claude Code's configuration directory. On most systems:

~/.claude/commands/

You can view the installed prompts:

ls ~/.claude/commands/

Manual Installation (Alternative)​

If slash-man doesn't work for your setup, you can manually copy the prompts:

  1. Clone the repository:

    git clone https://github.com/liatrio-labs/spec-driven-workflow.git
    cd spec-driven-workflow/prompts

  2. Copy to Claude's commands directory:

    mkdir -p ~/.claude/commands
    cp *.md ~/.claude/commands/

  3. Restart Claude Code to pick up the new commands.

Troubleshooting​

"uvx: command not found"​

Ensure uv is installed and your PATH is updated:

# Re-run the install
curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

# Reload your shell
source ~/.bashrc  # or ~/.zshrc

Prompts don't appear in Claude Code​

  1. Restart Claude Code completely
  2. Check the commands directory exists: ls ~/.claude/commands/
  3. Try the manual installation method above

Network errors during installation​

The command fetches from GitHub. Ensure you have internet access and can reach github.com.

Next Steps​

With the SDD workflow installed, the next section covers setting up MCP servers and skills that extend Claude's capabilities beyond code generation.

Knowledge Check​

Question 1 of 6

Install SDD Workflow Knowledge Check

Q1. Place the four SDD workflow steps in the correct order.
  • 1.Generate a detailed specification from a feature idea
  • 2.Break the spec into actionable tasks with proof artifacts
  • 3.Verify implementation matches the specification
  • 4.Execute tasks with checkpoints and evidence collection