Project kickoff: spec → plan before any code
Make the AI write a short spec and build plan you can approve before it touches a file.
I want to build: [ONE-SENTENCE IDEA]. Who it's for: [AUDIENCE]. Must-have features for v1: [3–5 BULLETS]. Not in v1: [LIST]. Before writing any code: 1. Ask me up to 5 clarifying questions if anything important is ambiguous. Then stop and wait. 2. After I answer, write a one-page spec: user stories, pages/screens, data model (tables + fields), external services, and env vars needed. 3. Propose the simplest stack that fits (prefer boring, well-documented tools) and say why. 4. Break the build into 6–10 small milestones, each ending in something I can run and click. 5. For each milestone list the files you expect to create or change. Don't write code until I reply "approved".
Tips
- Paste your answers back in one message.
- Save the spec as SPEC.md in the repo so every later prompt can reference it.
Works with: Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, Replit, Lovable, Bolt, v0. Last reviewed 2026-11-13.