to-spec

Synthesizes conversation context into a structured spec published to the project issue tracker.

1|Updated Aug 24, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/yamcodes/the-hat --skill to-spec-yamcodes
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: to-spec
Source: https://github.com/yamcodes/the-hat/tree/main/skills/to-spec
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/yamcodes/the-hat --skill to-spec-yamcodes

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Turning a long design conversation into a formal specification usually requires tedious re-interviewing and manual write-up. This Skill converts the discussion you have already had into a complete spec and publishes it directly to your issue tracker, with no repeated questions. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Conversation Synthesis: Generates a spec from existing conversation context and codebase understanding without interviewing the user again. - Test Seam Planning: Identifies the highest-level existing seams for testing the feature and confirms them with the user before writing. - Issue Tracker Publishing: Writes the spec using a fixed template (problem statement, user stories, implementation and testing decisions, out of scope) and applies the ready-for-agent triage label. - Use Case: After discussing a new billing feature with your AI assistant, invoke the Skill to produce a full spec with extensive user stories and publish it as a triaged issue ready for an implementation agent. ## Quick Start Ask your AI assistant to turn the current conversation into a spec and publish it to the project issue tracker.

Frequently Asked Questions about to-spec

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I turn a conversation into a feature spec?▼

Invoke the Skill after discussing the feature with your AI assistant. It synthesizes the existing conversation and codebase context into a spec covering problem statement, user stories, implementation decisions, and testing decisions, then publishes it to your issue tracker.

How to write user stories for a software specification?▼

The Skill generates a long numbered list of user stories in the format 'As an <actor>, I want a <feature>, so that <benefit>'. The list is intentionally extensive and covers all aspects of the feature from the user's perspective.

Does the spec include specific file paths or code snippets?▼

No, implementation decisions deliberately exclude file paths and code snippets because they become outdated quickly. The only exception is a prototype snippet that encodes a decision more precisely than prose, such as a state machine or schema.

What happens if the issue tracker setup is missing?▼

The Skill expects the issue tracker and triage label vocabulary to be provided beforehand. If they are not available, it instructs the user to run /setup-matt-pocock-skills before proceeding.

When should I not use conversation-to-spec synthesis?▼

Avoid it when requirements have not been discussed yet, since the Skill does not interview the user. It only synthesizes what is already known, so an empty or shallow conversation produces an incomplete spec.