Spec-Driven Development AI Coding Agents Plan Mode Spec Kit Harness Engineering Engineering Workflow
After Spec-Driven Development: Articulate Always, Spec Sometimes
The 2026 evidence does not show that spec files reliably cut defects. It does show practitioners thinking before they delegate, then persisting only what must outlive the session. Here is the proportional ladder: direct, plan, or spec — plus the checks that make any tier trustworthy.
15 min read