PIV Spec-Kit
PIV (Prime-Implement-Validate) + Spec-Kit: Structured specs, strict TDD, for AI-assisted development.
Works with Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, OpenAI Codex, and 20+ AI coding tools.
What is PIV?
PIV = Prime → Implement → Validate
A development methodology for AI-assisted software development:
- Prime: Load codebase context before making changes
- Implement: Write tests FIRST (strict TDD), then minimal code
- Validate: Automatic testing and verification
→ Interactive Visual Guide | → Full Methodology
Enhanced with Spec-Kit
This framework integrates best practices from GitHub's Spec-Kit, adding structured specification artifacts to the PIV methodology.
What This Adds
| Artifact | Purpose | Created By |
|---|
constitution.md | Project principles (one-time setup) | /piv-speckit:constitution |
spec.md | Functional requirements (WHAT) | /piv-speckit:plan-feature |
plan.md | Technical approach (HOW) | /piv-speckit:plan-feature |
tasks.md | Implementation steps (DO) | /piv-speckit:plan-feature |
quickstart.md | TL;DR for humans | /piv-speckit:plan-feature |
Multi-AI Compatibility
All artifacts are structured Markdown - works with ANY AI tool:
- Claude Code (plugin) - Full experience with commands
- Cursor - Reads files directly
- GitHub Copilot - Reads files directly
No Claude Code dependency for planning or implementation!
Installation
Claude Code (Full Experience) ⭐ Recommended
# Add marketplace
/plugin marketplace add galando/piv-speckit
# Install PIV + Spec-Kit
/plugin install piv-speckit
Commands: /piv-speckit:prime, /piv-speckit:plan-feature, /piv-speckit:execute, /piv-speckit:constitution
Features: Auto-activating skills (TDD, code-review, security), full reference docs, agent context system.
Cursor / GitHub Copilot / Other AI Tools
curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/galando/piv-speckit/main/scripts/piv.sh | bash
How it works:
- Generates
AGENTS.md - a single file with PIV methodology instructions
- Cursor, Copilot, and other tools read
AGENTS.md automatically via their project-aware features
- No slash commands - type your requests naturally, the AI follows PIV methodology
Difference from Claude Code:
| Feature | Claude Code | Cursor / Copilot |
|---|
| Slash commands | ✅ /piv-speckit:* | ❌ (natural language) |
| Auto-skills | ✅ TDD, security | ❌ |
| Constitution template | ✅ Embedded in plugin | ✅ Included |
| Spec templates | ✅ Embedded in plugin | ✅ Included |
| PIV methodology | ✅ Full | ✅ Compact (AGENTS.md) |
Note: Plugin templates are embedded directly in command files - they work immediately after installation without needing external template files.
Tool Comparison
| Feature | Claude Code (Plugin) | Cursor / Copilot (Script) |
|---|
| Commands | /piv-speckit:prime, /piv-speckit:plan-feature, /piv-speckit:execute, /piv-speckit:constitution | Natural language (AI reads AGENTS.md) |
| Auto-Skills | ✅ TDD, code-review, security activate automatically | ❌ |
| Spec Templates | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| Constitution | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| Context Loading | Smart layering (~15KB on-demand) | AGENTS.md (~500 lines, always loaded) |
| Updates | /plugin update | Re-run script |
Architecture & Workflow
Complete Development Flow
