openspec-explore

To clarify complex requirements, you can use a thinking-partner to explore ideas, surface uncertainties, and analyze problems across documents and architectural decisions without implementing code. It grounds discussions in actual files and visualizes trade-offs with ASCII diagrams.

Exploring multiple design directions involves surfacing hypotheses, questions, and alternative approaches to inform decision-making. A thinking-partner helps investigate these paths early, reading existing design artifacts to ground the analysis and highlight risks.

Yes, you can analyze code and design artifacts without writing implementation code. It adheres to OpenSpec guardrails by reasoning over files to ground discussions, focusing entirely on exploring ideas and surfacing unknowns rather than producing code.

You surface risks and unknowns during early-stage design by adopting a collaborative, curiosity-driven stance that asks thoughtful questions. This approach investigates problems, visualizes ideas with ASCII diagrams, and highlights trade-offs to guide planning.

You should not use a thinking-partner for requirements exploration when you are ready to implement code. It is designed strictly for early-stage design and change discussions, producing OpenSpec artifacts on request without writing any actual code.

Yes, OpenSpec explore mode works with existing codebase files and documents by reading and reasoning about them. This grounds the requirements clarification process in your actual project context to surface relevant trade-offs and multiple directions.