speckit-constitution
Create or update the project constitution from interactive or provided principle inputs.
By dceoy · 897 installs
npx skills add dceoy/speckit-agent-skills --skill speckit-constitution
Source repository · Upstream listing
User Input
You MUST consider the user input before proceeding (if not empty).
Scope Guard
This command's own work is limited to updating the project constitution itself. Dependent templates
and commands read the constitution at runtime and are not modified here.
Classify every part of the user input as either constitution content or a separate,
non governance intent.
If the input includes feature implementation, code generation, refactoring, building, or
deployment requests, you MUST NOT execute them. Extract them as deferred intents instead.
You MUST NOT create, modify, or delete application source files, feature routes,
components, tests, deployment files, or other artifacts unrelated to the constitution
workflow.
If it is unclear whether an instruction is constitution content, ask for clarification before
making changes.
After completing the constitution update, include a Next Actions section for each deferred
intent. List the original intent and suggest the appropriate follow up Spec Kit command, such
as /speckit specify , without invoking it.
If there are no non governance intents, omit the Next Actions section.
Pre Execution Checks
Check for extension hooks (before constitution update) :
Check if .specify/extensions.yml exists in the project root.
If it exists, read it and look for entries under the hooks.before constitution key
If the YAML cannot be parsed or is invalid, skip hook checking silently and continue normally
Filter out hooks where enabled is explicitly false . Treat hooks without an enabled field as enabled by default.
For each remaining hook, do not attempt to interpret or evaluate hook condition expressions:
If the hook has no condition field, or it is null/empty, treat the hook as executable
If the hook defines a non empty condition , skip the hook and leave condition evaluation to the HookExecutor implementation
When constructing command invocations from hook command names, replace dots ( . ) with hyphens ( ). For example, speckit.git.commit → /speckit git commit .
For each executable hook, output the following based on its optional flag:
Optional hook ( optional: true ):
Mandatory hook ( optional: false ):
After emitting the block above you MUST actually invoke the hook and wait for it to finish before continuing. Run it the same way you would run the command yourself in this agent/session (the invocation may differ from the literal {command} id shown above, e.g. a skills mode agent runs it as /skill:speckit ... or $speckit ... ). Emitting the block alone does not run the hook.
If no hooks are registered or .specify/extensions.yml does not exist, skip silently
Outline
You are updating the project constitution at .specify/memory/constitution.md . The active
constitution scaffold is resolved at command time from constitution template through the Spec Kit
preset/template resolution stack.
Follow this execution flow:
1. Run .specify/scripts/bash/resolve template.sh constitution template json from the repository root and parse TEMPLATE CONTENT as the active template.
The shared resolver applies project overrides, composing preset layers, and extension layers
before the core template fallback. It MUST succeed before continuing.
If it fails, stop and report the resolution error; do not continue with only one contributing
template layer.
If .specify/memory/constitution.md exists, load it as the source of current project specific
values and amendments. Preserve information that is still applicable when applying the newly
resolved scaffold.
If it does not exist, use the resolved template as the initial document.
Do not write back to any versioned template layer.
Identify every placeholder token of the form [ALL CAPS IDENTIFIER] .
IMPORTANT : The user might require less or more principles than the ones used in the template. If a number is specified, respect that follow the general template. You will update the doc accordingly.
2. Collect/derive values for placeholders:
If user input (conversation) supplies a value, use it.
Otherwise infer from existing repo context (README, docs, prior constitution versions if embedded).
For governance dates: RATIFICATION DATE is the original adoption date (if unknown ask or mark TODO), LAST AMENDED DATE is today if changes are made, otherwise keep previous.
CONSTITUTION VERSION must increment according to semantic versioning rules:
MAJOR: Backward incompatible governance/principle removals or redefinitions.
MINOR: New principle/section added or materially expanded guidance.
PATCH: Clarifications, wording, typo fixes, non semantic refinements.
If version bump type ambiguous, propose reasoning before finalizing.
3. Draft the updated constitution content using the resolved template as the required structure:
Replace every placeholder with concrete text (no bracketed tokens left except intentionally retained template slots that the project has chosen not to define yet—explicitly justify any left).
Preserve heading hierarchy and comments can be removed once replaced unless they still add clarifying guidance.
Ensure each Principle section: succinct name line, paragraph (or bullet list) capturing non‑negotiable rules, explicit rationale if not obvious.
Ensure Governance section lists amendment procedure, versioning policy, and compliance review expectations.
4. Produce a Sync Impact Report (prepend as an HTML comment at top of the constitution file after update):
Version change: old → new
List of modified principles (old title → new title if renamed)
Added sections
Removed sections
Follow up TODOs if any placeholders intentionally deferred.
5. Validation before final output:
No remaining unexplained bracket tokens.
Version line matches report.
Dates ISO format YYYY MM DD.
Principles are declarative, testable, and free of vague language ("should" → replace with MUST/SHOULD rationale where appropriate).
6. Write the completed constitution back to .specify/memory/constitution.md (overwrite).
7. Output a final summary to the user with:
New version and bump rationale.
Any TODO placeholders or deferred items requiring manual follow up.
Suggested commit message (e.g., docs: amend constitution to vX.Y.Z (principle additions + governance update) ).
A Next Actions section for any deferred non governance intents.
Formatting & Style Requirements:
Use Markdown headings exactly as in the template (do not demote/promote levels).
Wrap long rationale lines to keep readability (<100 chars ideally) but do not hard enforce with awkward breaks.
Keep a single blank line between sections.
Avoid trailing whitespace.
If the user supplies partial updates (e.g., only one principle revision), still perform validation and version decision steps.
If critical info missing (e.g., ratification date truly unknown), insert TODO(<FIELD NAME ): explanation and include in the Sync Impact Report under deferred items.
Write only .specify/memory/constitution.md ; do not create or modify template source files.
Post Execution Checks
Check for extension hooks (after constitution update) :
Check if .specify/extensions.yml exists in the project root.
If it exists, read it and look for entries under the hooks.after constitution key
If the YAML cannot be parsed or is invalid, skip hook checking silently and continue normally
Filter out hooks where enabled is explicitly false . Treat hooks without an enabled field as enabled by default.
For each remaining hook, do not attempt to interpret or evaluate hook condition expressions:
If the hook has no condition field, or it is null/empty, treat the hook as executable
If the hook defines a non empty condition , skip the hook and leave condition evaluation to the HookExecutor implementation
When constructing command invocations from hook command names, replace dots ( . ) with hyphens ( ). For example, speckit.git.commit → /speckit git commit .
For each executable hook, output the following based on its optional flag:
Optional hook ( optional: true ):
Mandatory hook ( optional: false ):
After emitting the block above you MUST actually invoke the hook and wait for it to finish before continuing. Run it the same way you would run the command yourself in this agent/session (the invocation may differ from the literal {command} id shown above, e.g. a skills mode agent runs it as /skill:speckit ... or $speckit ... ). Emitting the block alone does not run the hook.
If no hooks are registered or .specify/extensions.yml does not exist, skip silently