Product Spec Template

A structured 9-section template for defining software product specifications.

When to Use

• Starting a new project from a one-liner idea
• Converting rough notes into a formal specification
• Reviewing spec completeness before implementation
• Ensuring consistent spec format across projects

The 9 Sections

Section Structure

Every spec.md should include these sections:

## 🎯 [Product Name]

### 🧠 One-Line Definition

> **[Concise description: what it is, key differentiator, core value prop]**

### Top Principles
- [Guiding principle 1]
- [Guiding principle 2]
- [Guiding principle 3]

### 1. [Core Capability Area]
| Category | Feature |
|----------|---------|
| ... | ... |

### 2. [Controls / Interactions]
| Feature | Support |
|---------|---------|
| ... | ... |

### 3. [Technical / Output Format]
| Feature | Support |
|---------|---------|
| ... | ... |

### 4. [Secondary Feature Area]
| Feature | Support |
|---------|---------|
| ... | ... |

### 5. [Tertiary Feature Area]
| Feature | Support |
|---------|---------|
| ... | ... |

### 6. [Optional Feature Area]
| Feature | Support |
|---------|---------|
| ... | ... |

### 7. UI / UX Principles
| Principle | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| ... | ... |

### 8. Platform / Scope
| Platform | Priority |
|----------|----------|
| ... | ... |

### 9. Explicit Non-Goals
| Feature | Status |
|---------|--------|
| [Feature X] | ❌ |
| [Feature Y] | ❌ |

Section Guidelines

One-Line Definition

• Must be a single sentence
• Include: what it is, how it differs, core value
• Example: "A lightweight screen recorder that matches GNOME Screencast's minimal UX, adds audio capture, and supports basic post-capture annotation."

Top Principles

• 3-5 guiding principles
• Drive prioritization decisions
• Examples: "Quickly deliverable MVP", "Cross-platform support", "Minimal UI"

Feature Sections (1-6)

• Use tables for consistency
• Mark support: ✅ (yes), ❌ (no), Optional, Basic
• Group related features
• Section names vary by product type

UI/UX Principles

• Reference existing UX patterns when applicable
• Define the "feel" of the product
• Include mode-based behavior if relevant

Platform Scope

• List all target platforms
• Mark priority: Primary, Supported, Future
• Be explicit about what's NOT supported initially

Non-Goals

• Critical section—prevents scope creep
• List features explicitly excluded
• Mark all with ❌
• Include common requests that won't be built

Output Quality Checklist

• One-liner is truly one sentence
• Principles are actionable, not vague
• Feature tables use consistent format
• Non-goals section is substantive (5+ items)
• No ambiguous "maybe" features—decide yes/no
• Platform priorities are clear