openspec-explore

Clarify complex requirements by entering a thinking partner mode that surfaces assumptions and explores ideas without writing code. It reads the codebase for context and asks questions to guide safe decision making during early-stage changes.

Exploring ideas without implementing is best done by investigating problems through a curious, non-prescriptive stance. This approach surfaces risks, unknowns, and multiple threads to guide problem framing and design discussions freely.

You can generate OpenSpec artifacts during exploration by reading codebase context and surfacing specs. This thinking partner optionally produces these artifacts while meeting constraints to think freely without directly implementing the changes.

Visualize system architecture during problem framing by using visual thinking support that generates ASCII diagrams and sketches. This helps map out complex ideas and surface assumptions clearly before committing to a specific design direction.

This thinking partner approach works for surfacing risks and unknowns by reading the codebase for context and investigating the problem space. It highlights potential issues to guide safe exploration and informed decision making.

You should not use exploration mode when you need immediate code implementation rather than problem framing. This approach focuses on clarifying requirements and thinking freely without implementing, so it is unsuited for direct code generation.