Claude Code Integration

Claude Code — specsmith Governance Integration

One-time setup

specsmith integrate claude-code   # generates CLAUDE.md in project root

For MCP server (structured tool calls without shell roundtrips), add to .mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "specsmith-governance": {
      "command": "specsmith",
      "args": ["mcp", "serve", "--project-dir", "."]
    }
  }
}

Or run: specsmith mcp install-claude-code

Every Claude Code session — mandatory protocol

1. Run at session start:

specsmith kill-session 2>/dev/null || true
specsmith audit --project-dir .
specsmith sync  --project-dir .
specsmith checkpoint --project-dir .

1. Output the checkpoint block verbatim before any other response.
2. Before every code change: specsmith preflight "" --json

• decision == "accepted" → proceed with work_item_id in scope
• decision == "needs_clarification" → surface instruction to user first

1. Every 8–10 turns: specsmith checkpoint (output verbatim)
2. Session end: specsmith save && specsmith kill-session

Via MCP (preferred when configured)

Claude can call governance_preflight, governance_audit, governance_checkpoint, governance_req_list, governance_phase, and governance_trace_seal as native tools.

Key files

• CLAUDE.md — project-level governance instructions (read by Claude automatically)
• .mcp.json — MCP server config (project root or ~/.claude/mcp.json for global)
• .agents/skills/ — skill files auto-discovered by Claude Code 3.x+

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: layer1labs
• Source: layer1labs/specsmith
• License: MIT
• Homepage: https://specsmith.readthedocs.io

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.