Batch 02 — Spec-driven (Spec Kit + Kiro derivatives)
Roster (10)
| slug | stars | distribution | cli_binary | local_ui | orchestration | multi_model | tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cc-sdd | 3394 | npm-package | cc-sdd | none | task-decomposition-tree | no | A |
| claude-code-spec-workflow | 3744 | npm-package | claude-code-spec-workflow | web-dashboard (8247) + Tauri | sequential | no | A |
| spec-workflow-mcp | 4199 | mcp-server | spec-workflow-mcp | web-dashboard (5000) + VSCode ext | sequential | no | A |
| spec-kit-aider | 0 | cli-tool (py) | specify | none | sequential | no | A |
| spec-kit-command-cursor | 182 | command-pack | none | none | parallel-fan-out | no | A |
| spec-kit-command-cursor-foxgod | 3 | command-pack | none | none | sequential | no | A |
| kiro-jasonkneen | 665 | claude-plugin | none | none | sequential | no | A |
| spec-driven-kiro-project | 3 | standalone-repo | none | none | none | no | C |
| kiro-spec-agent-gist | unknown | methodology-doc | none | none | sequential | no | C |
| maxim-saplin-kiro-sdd | unknown | methodology-doc | none | none | sequential | no | C |
Intra-batch patterns
All 10 frameworks in this batch share the same three-phase spec workflow (requirements → design → tasks) with EARS notation, and all use .kiro/ or equivalent directories for spec storage — a clear genetic lineage from Amazon's Kiro IDE. The batch splits cleanly into three tiers by architectural ambition: (1) full harnesses with subagent orchestration and autonomous implementation (cc-sdd, spec-kit-command-cursor), (2) portal/dashboard frameworks that wrap the workflow in a real-time UI (claude-code-spec-workflow, spec-workflow-mcp), and (3) minimal redistributions of the core spec-phase pattern with no tooling beyond the prompt files themselves (kiro-jasonkneen, the gists, the demo project). The dominant execution model is interactive-loop with three human approval gates (one per spec phase), inherited from Kiro's original design. No framework in the batch uses multi-model routing or worktrees by default. The spec-workflow-mcp → claude-code-spec-workflow successor relationship is the only explicit evolution lineage in the batch.
Most interesting find
spec-kit-command-cursor (madebyaris): The file-conflict detection mechanism — where sdd.touchedFiles declarations on tasks are used to compute safe parallel batches before dispatching background implementer subagents — is the most architecturally novel idea in the entire batch. No other framework in the full corpus tracks file-level parallelism safety. The checkpoint-resume (execution-checkpoint.json) and downstream-propagation (/evolve) features compound this: together they constitute a micro-workflow engine inside a Cursor IDE plugin.
spec-workflow-mcp (Pimzino): The approvals MCP tool that creates dashboard-backed blocking gates — where the agent literally cannot continue until the browser/VSCode sidebar shows an explicit user action — is the strongest human-in-the-loop gate in the corpus. It survives session boundaries and is the only framework where "phase approval" is a separately persisted state rather than just a conversational exchange.
Items written as Tier C
| slug | reason |
|---|---|
| spec-driven-kiro-project | Demonstration project, not a framework; ships only spec artifacts and app code, no redistributable tooling |
| kiro-spec-agent-gist | Single-file gist (CLAUDE.md); complete spec workflow encoded in one file, not a framework |
| maxim-saplin-kiro-sdd | 5-file gist; dual-format (Cursor + Copilot) command files only, no unique architectural contribution |
Cross-references discovered
- spec-workflow-mcp is the explicit successor to claude-code-spec-workflow (same author: Pimzino); README in predecessor states "development focus has shifted to the MCP version"
- cc-sdd explicitly acknowledges Kiro IDE as inspiration ("Kiro-inspired") and states "existing Kiro specs remain compatible and portable"
- kiro-jasonkneen ships the verbatim Kiro IDE system prompt from
.kiro/system/complete-instructions.md - spec-kit-aider is a direct fork of GitHub's
spec-kit(same philosophy text copied verbatim fromspec-driven.md) - spec-kit-command-cursor (foxgod183) appears to derive from spec-kit-command-cursor (madebyaris) without attribution (same command names, directory structure,
feat-{N}-{name}pattern) - kiro-spec-agent-gist (notdp) and maxim-saplin-kiro-sdd independently implement nearly identical workflows — both are minimal single/multi-file ports of the Kiro spec workflow to non-Kiro agents
- spec-kit-command-cursor (madebyaris) cites Cursor 3.2 as a key dependency and references the Cursor-specific
is_background: trueagent feature not available in other frameworks