spec-kitty

Understanding Spec Kitty Missions

Divio type: Tutorial

Spec Kitty supports three mission types that tailor the workflow and artifacts to your goal.

Time: ~45 minutes Prerequisites: Completed Getting Started

What Is a Mission?

A mission selects the default templates, prompts, and outputs for your feature. You choose it during spec-kitty init or when running /spec-kitty.specify.

The Three Missions

Software Dev Kitty

Best for building software features and products.

Example use cases:

• New API endpoint
• UI feature development
• Performance improvements

Deep Research Kitty

Best for structured research deliverables.

Example use cases:

• Competitive analysis
• Architecture decision research
• Technology evaluation

Documentation Kitty

Best for creating or updating documentation sets.

Example use cases:

• End-user docs refresh
• API reference overhaul
• Internal playbooks

Try It: Create a Research Feature

Create a project with the research mission:

spec-kitty init my-research-project --mission research --ai claude
cd my-research-project

Run a research workflow.

In your agent:

/spec-kitty.research Compare three task queue options for a Python service.

Expected results (abridged):

• kitty-specs/###-task-queue-research/ directory
• Research artifacts defined by the mission templates

How Missions Affect Your Workflow

• Templates: Each mission uses its own spec/plan/templates.
• Artifacts: Research missions create research notes; documentation missions generate Divio-oriented sections.
• Validation: Review criteria differ based on mission expectations.

Troubleshooting

• “Unknown mission”: Use spec-kitty mission to list available missions.
• Missing /spec-kitty.research: Re-run spec-kitty init --mission research or refresh agent context with spec-kitty agent context update-context.

What’s Next?

Explore the full workflow in Your First Feature or dive deeper into specific missions.

Related How-To Guides

• Switch Missions - Change mission types
• Create a Specification - Start with any mission
• Install and Upgrade - Initial setup options

Reference Documentation

• Missions - All mission types reference
• CLI Commands - Full command reference
• Configuration - Project settings

Learn More

• Mission System - How missions work internally
• Documentation Mission - Divio-based docs workflow
• Spec-Driven Development - The underlying philosophy

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