The Meta-Capability: Agents Build Agents, Skills Build Skills
The most powerful feature you didn't know you needed
What Is Meta-Capability?
SpecWeave isn't just a framework - it's a self-extending system where:
- ✅ Agents build agents - Core agents create custom domain experts
- ✅ Skills build skills - Core skills generate specialized capabilities
- ✅ SpecWeave builds SpecWeave - The framework uses itself to add new features
- ✅ You control everything - No autonomous changes, always approved
In other words: The factory builds factories, and you're the architect.
Why This Matters
Traditional Frameworks
Framework provides tools
↓
You use tools to build app
↓
Framework stays static
↓
You're limited to what framework provides
❌ Problem: Framework can't adapt to YOUR domain, YOUR company, YOUR needs.
SpecWeave's Meta-Capability
Framework provides core agents/skills
↓
You use them to build app
↓
You create custom agents/skills for YOUR domain
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Custom agents create MORE tools
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Framework evolves with YOUR needs
✅ Solution: Infinite extensibility tailored to your exact requirements.
How It Works (Simple Explanation)
1. Agents Build Agents
Scenario: You're building a payment processing system and need Stripe expertise.
Traditional approach:
- Read Stripe docs
- Write boilerplate code
- Handle webhooks manually
- Debug signature verification
- Repeat for EVERY project
SpecWeave approach:
You: "Create a Stripe integration expert agent"
↓
SpecWeave architect agent: Designs the new agent
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Result: Custom stripe-integration agent created
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New agent knows: Stripe API, webhooks, PCI compliance, error handling
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Use it: "Implement subscription billing"
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Stripe agent: Implements production-ready code instantly
One-time effort, infinite reuse - and you can share with your team!
2. Skills Build Skills
Scenario: Your company has strict API conventions that every service must follow.
Traditional approach:
- Write style guide document
- Code reviews catch violations
- Developers forget rules
- Inconsistent APIs across services
SpecWeave approach:
You: "Create a skill to validate our company's API standards"
↓
SpecWeave creates: company-api-validator skill
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Skill activates automatically when you work on APIs
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Validates: RESTful naming, error format, versioning
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Catches violations BEFORE code review
Codify standards once, enforce automatically forever.
3. SpecWeave Builds SpecWeave
Scenario: The framework needs diagram generation capabilities.
How it's built:
Increment: 003-diagram-agents
↓
pm agent: Writes requirements (WHAT & WHY)
↓
architect agent: Designs architecture (HOW)
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docs-writer agent: Creates documentation
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Result: diagrams-architect agent added to framework
↓
SpecWeave now has diagram capabilities (built by SpecWeave!)
The framework uses itself to improve itself - continuous evolution.
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Healthcare SaaS with HIPAA Compliance
Phase 1: Start with core agents
pm agent → Requirements (HIPAA needed)
architect agent → Design (encryption, audit logs)
python-backend agent → Implementation
Phase 2: Create custom healthcare agent
You: "Create HIPAA compliance agent"
↓
SpecWeave creates: hipaa-compliance agent
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Agent knows:
- PHI (Protected Health Information) handling
- BAA (Business Associate Agreement) requirements
- Audit trail requirements
- Encryption standards
Phase 3: Agent builds specialized tools
hipaa-compliance agent → Creates: phi-scanner skill
↓
phi-scanner skill:
- Detects PHI in code/logs automatically
- Alerts before deployment
- Prevents HIPAA violations
Result: Healthcare SaaS with built-in HIPAA expertise!
Example 2: E-Commerce Platform with Shopify Integration
Phase 1: Core functionality
pm agent → Product catalog requirements
architect agent → Microservices design
nodejs-backend agent → API implementation
Phase 2: Create Shopify expert
You: "Create Shopify integration agent"
↓
SpecWeave creates: shopify-integration agent
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Agent knows:
- Shopify Admin API
- Webhook handling
- Product/order sync
- Inventory management
Phase 3: Agent builds mapping tools
shopify-integration agent → Creates: product-mapper skill
↓
product-mapper skill:
- Maps Shopify products to your catalog
- Handles variant differences
- Syncs pricing/inventory
Result: E-commerce platform with Shopify expertise built-in!
Example 3: Fintech with Compliance Requirements
Phase 1: Core banking features
pm agent → Transaction requirements
architect agent → Ledger design
dotnet-backend agent → Banking API
Phase 2: Create financial compliance agent
You: "Create financial compliance agent for SOX/GAAP"
↓
SpecWeave creates: fintech-compliance agent
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Agent knows:
- SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley) requirements
- GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles)
- Audit trail requirements
- Financial reporting standards
Phase 3: Agent builds audit tools
fintech-compliance agent → Creates: audit-log-validator skill
↓
audit-log-validator skill:
- Validates all transactions are logged
- Ensures immutability
- Checks retention policies
Result: Fintech platform with SOX/GAAP compliance built-in!
Benefits in Detail
🚀 Infinite Extensibility
No framework limits:
- Healthcare? Create
hipaa-complianceagent - Gaming? Create
game-balanceagent - IoT? Create
iot-protocolskill - Finance? Create
financial-reportingagent
Any domain, any niche, any requirement - the framework adapts.
🎯 You Control Everything
Every step requires your approval:
SpecWeave: "I can create a custom agent for Stripe. Review the prompt?"
User: [Reviews agent definition]
User: "Approved" or "Modify the error handling section"
↓
SpecWeave: [Creates/updates agent based on your feedback]
No black boxes, no magic - you see exactly what's being created.
🔄 Continuous Learning
Feedback loop:
Day 1: Discover better API pattern
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Day 2: Update custom-api-validator skill
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Day 3+: All future APIs use improved pattern
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Week 2: Share skill with team (git commit)
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Result: Entire team benefits from improvement
Knowledge compounds over time.
📈 Framework Evolution
How SpecWeave grows:
| Contribution | Result |
|---|---|
| User feedback | New agents/skills added |
| Community contributions | Framework capabilities expand |
| Best practices emerge | Codified in agents |
| Edge cases discovered | Skills improved |
The framework gets better every day - driven by real-world usage.
🔓 Zero Lock-In
You own everything:
- ✅ Custom agents/skills in
.claude/(version controlled) - ✅ Can modify SpecWeave agents in
src/(fork-friendly) - ✅ Can replace any agent with custom version
- ✅ Can remove SpecWeave entirely (your specs remain intact)
Your knowledge is portable - even without SpecWeave.
How to Use Meta-Capability
Step 1: Identify Repetitive Patterns
Look for:
- Same type of work repeated across features
- Domain knowledge scattered in docs/wikis
- Manual validation that should be automated
- Company standards enforced through code review
Ask: "Could an agent/skill handle this automatically?"
Step 2: Create Custom Agent/Skill
For complex domain expertise → Create agent:
You: "Create an agent that knows our company's coding standards"
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SpecWeave architect agent: Designs agent structure
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You: Review and approve agent definition
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Result: company-standards agent created
For focused automation → Create skill:
You: "Create a skill to generate SQL migrations from schema changes"
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SpecWeave architect agent: Designs skill
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You: Review and approve skill logic
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Result: migration-generator skill created
Step 3: Use and Refine
Use the custom agent/skill:
First feature: Agent makes some mistakes
↓
You: Update agent definition with corrections
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Second feature: Agent performs better
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You: Further refinements based on experience
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Nth feature: Agent is production-quality
Continuous improvement - each use makes it better.
Step 4: Share with Team
Version control custom components:
git add .claude/agents/company-standards/
git commit -m "Add company standards agent"
git push
Result: Entire team now has access to company expertise!
Common Questions
Q: Does this require coding knowledge?
A: No! You describe WHAT you want, SpecWeave agents BUILD it.
Example:
You: "Create an agent that validates GDPR compliance"
↓
architect agent: Creates agent structure
↓
You: Review (plain English) and approve
↓
No coding required!
Q: How is this different from AI code generation?
A: AI code generation is one-time. Meta-capability is continuous improvement.
Traditional AI coding:
Ask AI → Generate code → Use once → Ask again next time
SpecWeave meta-capability:
Ask SpecWeave → Create agent → Use forever → Agent improves over time
Reusable, refinable, shareable.
Q: Can I sell custom agents/skills?
A: Yes! You own them.
Business models:
- ✅ Sell domain-specific agents (e.g.,
stripe-integrationfor SaaS founders) - ✅ Offer consulting to create custom agents for clients
- ✅ Build agent libraries for specific industries (healthcare, finance, gaming)
Your expertise, your IP, your revenue.
Q: What if I want to keep custom agents private?
A: They're in your repo - you control visibility.
- ✅ Keep in private repo → Only your team has access
- ✅ Keep in
.claude/agents/→ Not published to framework - ✅ Use
.gitignore→ Don't even commit to git
Full control over distribution.
Q: How do I contribute custom agents back to SpecWeave?
A: Submit a PR to the framework!
Steps:
- Create custom agent in your project
- Test thoroughly in production
- Move to SpecWeave's
src/agents/ - Submit PR with test cases
- If accepted → Added to framework for everyone
Community-driven growth.
Get Started
Try it yourself:
-
Install SpecWeave:
npx specweave init -
Create your first custom agent:
Ask: "Create a custom agent for [your domain]" -
Use it in a feature:
Ask: "Use [custom-agent] to implement [feature]" -
See the magic - watch SpecWeave use your custom agent!
The Bottom Line
SpecWeave is not just a framework - it's a self-improving ecosystem where:
- ✅ Agents build agents
- ✅ Skills build skills
- ✅ The framework uses itself to grow
- ✅ You control every step
- ✅ Knowledge compounds over time
Other frameworks give you tools.
SpecWeave gives you a factory that builds MORE tools.
And you're the architect of it all.
Related Documentation
- CLAUDE.md - Development guide for contributors
- Plugin Development - Claude Code plugin system documentation
- Creating Custom Agents - Step-by-step guide (coming soon)
- Creating Custom Skills - Step-by-step guide (coming soon)
Ready to build factories that build factories?