Two days, built for engineers.

Spec-Driven Development: Making AI Coding Assistants Build What You Actually Want

Roland Huß

AI coding assistants generate code fast. The problem is that fast and correct are different things. Without a clear specification, even the best AI tools produce code that looks right to you, passes tests, and misses the point entirely. Spec-driven development (SDD) flips the workflow: build a specification first, then let the AI implement against it. The spec starts as a structured brainstorming interview: the AI asks questions, you provide direction, and together you converge on a precise description of what needs to be built. That specification becomes the contract between your intent and the machine's output. When the AI drifts, the spec catches it. When requirements change, you update the spec, not the prompt. This talk introduces the SDD methodology and demonstrates it live using Spec Kit, an open-source toolkit that turns brainstorming conversations into structured specifications, implementation plans, and quality gates. You will see the full cycle: brainstorm, specify, plan, implement, and review, all driven by AI but anchored to a shared specification. Beyond solo development, the talk covers collaborative SDD: how teams split specification ownership from implementation, how code review integrates with spec compliance checks, and how to avoid the "it works but that's not what I asked for" conversation that plagues AI-assisted projects. Walk away with a practical workflow you can apply the same day, whether you use Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, or any other AI coding assistant.