What is Spec-Driven Development?

Explained

Spec-driven development treats machine-readable or reviewable specs (OpenAPI, event schemas, acceptance criteria) as the source of truth. Teams generate stubs, tests, and docs from specs, reducing drift and making AI-assisted coding safer because the model aligns to bounded contracts.

Further reading

• API-First Strategy: Architecting the Composable Enterprise
• AI-Native Application Development: A C-Suite Guide

Related terms

• Acceptance Criteria Testable conditions that define when a feature or model output is “done” and correct.
• AI Bill of Materials Inventory of model lineage, datasets, dependencies, and licenses for an AI system.
• AI Governance Framework of policies, processes, and controls for responsible and ethical AI use in the enterprise.
• AI Native Architecture and processes designed from the ground up for AI, not as an afterthought.
• CRM System for managing customer relationships; AI augments it with prediction and automation.
• CX Customer experience; AI enables personalization and automation at scale.