SpecWeave vs GitHub SpecKit: Understanding the Ecosystem
The Core Insight: SpecKit is a Particular Case of SpecWeave
SpecKit is mathematically equivalent to ONE SpecWeave increment — with no lifecycle management afterward.
SpecKit output ≡ ONE SpecWeave increment (spec.md + plan.md + tasks.md)
SpecWeave = N increments + lifecycle + external sync + living docs + hooks
In set theory: SpecKit ⊂ SpecWeave. Every SpecKit capability exists in SpecWeave. SpecWeave adds the enterprise layer that manages what happens AFTER specification creation.
The Rise of Spec-Driven Development
In September 2025, GitHub released SpecKit — an open-source toolkit that formalized spec-driven development for AI coding agents. With 28k+ stars and growing, SpecKit proved that structured specifications dramatically improve AI code generation quality.
SpecWeave extends this foundation from a single-increment generator into a multi-increment lifecycle management system.
Quick Comparison
| Dimension | SpecKit | SpecWeave |
|---|---|---|
| Core Philosophy | Specification snapshot for one feature | Living documentation for entire product lifecycle |
| Workflow Phases | Specify → Plan → Tasks → Implement | Same + Hooks → Sync → Validate → Close |
| Project Scope | Single project, single repo | Multi-project, multi-repo, umbrella setups |
| External Tools | None | GitHub Issues, JIRA, Azure DevOps (bidirectional) |
| Documentation | Static snapshots | Living docs (auto-update after every task) |
| Codebase Support | Greenfield only | Greenfield + Brownfield |
| Team Scale | Solo / small team | Solo to 50+ teams |
| Quality Enforcement | Developer discipline | 3-gate validation (tasks, tests, docs) |
| AI Tool Support | Claude, Copilot, etc. | Same + plugin ecosystem with hooks |
SpecKit: The Foundation
SpecKit introduced a clean 4-phase workflow:
/speckit.constitution → Project principles
/speckit.specify → Feature requirements
/speckit.plan → Technical approach
/speckit.tasks → Implementation checklist
/speckit.implement → Code generation
Best for:
- Weekend MVPs
- Single-feature greenfield projects
- Learning spec-driven development
- Solo developers or small teams
- Projects with no external tool dependencies
Limitations:
- Specs are snapshots — they don't evolve with implementation
- No integration with project management tools
- Single project focus
- No quality gates — completion is honor-based
- Limited brownfield support
SpecWeave: Enterprise Evolution
SpecWeave extends the SpecKit foundation with enterprise capabilities:
1. Living Documentation (Not Snapshots)
In SpecKit, specs are created once and may become stale. In SpecWeave, documentation updates automatically after every task:
# Task completed → Hooks fire → Living docs sync
/sw:do
# What happens automatically:
# 1. tasks.md updated with completion status
# 2. spec.md acceptance criteria checked off
# 3. Living docs in .specweave/docs/ synchronized
# 4. External tools (GitHub/JIRA/ADO) updated
2. External Tool Integration
Real enterprise projects don't live in vacuum — they have JIRA epics, GitHub issues, Azure DevOps work items:
# Bidirectional sync with your tools
/sw:sync-progress
# Creates GitHub issue from increment
/sw-github:create-issue
# Syncs JIRA epic/story hierarchy
/sw-jira:sync
3. Multi-Project Support
Enterprise = multiple repos, multiple teams, one source of truth:
# Initialize umbrella project
specweave init . --multiproject
# Work spans frontend, backend, mobile
/sw:increment "User authentication"
# → Creates specs mapped to correct repos
# → Syncs to correct JIRA projects/ADO areas
4. Brownfield Support
10-year-old codebase? Existing documentation sprawl? No problem:
# Analyze existing project
specweave init . --brownfield
# Import from existing tools
/sw:import-external --source jira --days 90
# Import documentation
/sw:import-docs ./legacy-wiki
5. Quality Gates
Nothing ships without validation:
/sw:done 0042
# Validates:
# ✓ All tasks complete
# ✓ Test coverage ≥ 60%
# ✓ Documentation updated
# ✓ External tools synced
When to Use Which
Choose SpecKit When:
- Building a weekend project or MVP
- Learning spec-driven development concepts
- Working solo on a single greenfield repo
- No need for project management tool integration
- You want minimal setup overhead
Choose SpecWeave When:
- Working on brownfield (existing) codebases
- Needing JIRA, GitHub Issues, or Azure DevOps sync
- Managing multiple repos or projects
- Working with multiple teams
- Requiring quality gates and compliance
- Building enterprise products with audit trails
- Wanting documentation that stays current automatically
Migration Path
SpecKit → SpecWeave is seamless:
- SpecWeave uses the same 3-file structure (
spec.md,plan.md,tasks.md) - Existing SpecKit specs work directly in SpecWeave
- SpecWeave adds hooks, sync, and quality gates on top
# In a project with existing SpecKit specs
specweave init .
# Your specs are now living documents
# with external sync and quality gates
The Bigger Picture
The relationship is precise:
- SpecKit = Generates ONE increment's artifacts (
spec.md+plan.md+tasks.md) - SpecWeave = Manages N increments through their full lifecycle
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SPECWEAVE │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Increment 1 │ │ Increment 2 │ │ Increment N │ ... │
│ │ (SpecKit≡) │ │ (SpecKit≡) │ │ (SpecKit≡) │ │
│ │ spec.md │ │ spec.md │ │ spec.md │ │
│ │ plan.md │ │ plan.md │ │ plan.md │ │
│ │ tasks.md │ │ tasks.md │ │ tasks.md │ │
│ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ └────────────────┴────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ ENTERPRISE LAYER (SpecWeave only) │ │
│ │ • Lifecycle management (active → review → completed → archived) │ │
│ │ • External sync (GitHub Issues, JIRA, Azure DevOps) │ │
│ │ • Living documentation (auto-update after every task) │ │
│ │ • Hooks system (pre/post task automation) │ │
│ │ • Quality gates (tasks + tests + docs) │ │
│ │ • Multi-project coordination │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
SpecKit solves: "How do I create a good spec for this feature?" SpecWeave solves: "How do I manage 60+ features across 5 repos with JIRA sync and living docs?"
SpecKit is the foundation. SpecWeave is the system built on top of it.