openspec-explore

To explore design options and clarify requirements without writing code, you can enter a dedicated explore mode that acts as a thinking partner. It helps you brainstorm ideas, investigate problems, and surface design options while strictly prohibiting code implementation.

Yes, you can safely analyze a codebase to inform design decisions without modifying files. This exploration mode allows reading and analyzing codebases to surface options, ensuring safe investigation by blocking any code writing or execution.

The best way to capture design thinking before implementation is by generating OpenSpec artifacts. This exploration mode facilitates creating proposals, designs, and specs on demand, capturing your thought process and requirements without executing changes.

Yes, this requirements exploration approach works directly for problem framing sessions. It is designed to act as a thinking partner across problem framing, requirements clarification, and codebase investigations where exploration and intuition are valued over immediate implementation.

The primary limitation of using this exploration mode for codebase investigations is that it strictly prohibits code writing. While it enables access to files and artifact creation for safe exploration, it cannot implement changes or execute code modifications during the investigation.