Preset Publishing Guide

This guide explains how to publish your preset to the Spec Kit preset catalog, making it discoverable by specify preset search.

Table of Contents

1. Prerequisites
2. Prepare Your Preset
3. Submit to Catalog
4. Verification Process
5. Release Workflow
6. Best Practices

Prerequisites

Before publishing a preset, ensure you have:

1. Valid Preset: A working preset with a valid preset.yml manifest
2. Git Repository: Preset hosted on GitHub (or other public git hosting)
3. Documentation: A preset-scoped README.md that explains how to use this preset, including a valid specify preset add ... install command (see Usage README Requirements)
4. License: Open source license file (MIT, Apache 2.0, etc.)
5. Versioning: Semantic versioning (e.g., 1.0.0)
6. Testing: Preset tested on real projects with specify preset add --dev

Prepare Your Preset

1. Preset Structure

Ensure your preset follows the standard structure:

your-preset/
├── preset.yml                 # Required: Preset manifest
├── README.md                  # Required: Documentation
├── LICENSE                    # Required: License file
├── CHANGELOG.md               # Recommended: Version history
│
├── templates/                 # Template overrides
│   ├── spec-template.md
│   ├── plan-template.md
│   └── ...
│
└── commands/                  # Command overrides (optional)
    └── speckit.specify.md

Start from the scaffold if you're creating a new preset.

2. preset.yml Validation

Verify your manifest is valid:

schema_version: "1.0"

preset:
  id: "your-preset"               # Unique lowercase-hyphenated ID
  name: "Your Preset Name"        # Human-readable name
  version: "1.0.0"                # Semantic version
  description: "Brief description (one sentence)"
  author: "Your Name or Organization"
  repository: "https://github.com/your-org/spec-kit-preset-your-preset"
  license: "MIT"

requires:
  speckit_version: ">=0.1.0"      # Required spec-kit version

provides:
  templates:
    - type: "template"
      name: "spec-template"
      file: "templates/spec-template.md"
      description: "Custom spec template"
      replaces: "spec-template"

tags:                              # 2-5 relevant tags
  - "category"
  - "workflow"

Validation Checklist:

• ✅ id is lowercase with hyphens only (no underscores, spaces, or special characters)
• ✅ version follows semantic versioning (X.Y.Z)
• ✅ description is concise (under 200 characters)
• ✅ repository URL is valid and public
• ✅ All template and command files exist in the preset directory
• ✅ Template names are lowercase with hyphens only
• ✅ Command names use dot notation (e.g. speckit.specify)
• ✅ Tags are lowercase and descriptive

3. Test Locally

# Install from local directory
specify preset add --dev /path/to/your-preset

# Verify templates resolve from your preset
specify preset resolve spec-template

# Verify preset info
specify preset info your-preset

# List installed presets
specify preset list

# Remove when done testing
specify preset remove your-preset

If your preset includes command overrides, verify they appear in the agent directories:

# Check Claude commands (if using Claude)
ls .claude/commands/speckit.*.md

# Check Copilot commands (if using Copilot)
ls .github/agents/speckit.*.agent.md

# Check Gemini commands (if using Gemini)
ls .gemini/commands/speckit.*.toml

4. Create GitHub Release

Create a GitHub release for your preset version:

# Tag the release
git tag v1.0.0
git push origin v1.0.0

The release archive URL will be:

https://github.com/your-org/spec-kit-preset-your-preset/archive/refs/tags/v1.0.0.zip

5. Test Installation from Archive

specify preset add --from https://github.com/your-org/spec-kit-preset-your-preset/archive/refs/tags/v1.0.0.zip

Usage README Requirements

The catalog documentation field must point at a README that explains how to use this preset — not a product pitch for a broader framework or a separate CLI.

The submission workflow mechanically enforces that the linked README is a GitHub-hosted URL whose path ends with README.md, resolves to a readable file, and contains at least one valid specify preset add ... command. The remaining items (preferring a preset-scoped README in monorepos, covering the minimum structure) are expectations a human reviewer checks — follow them so your submission isn't sent back for changes.

• Point documentation at the preset-scoped README. In a monorepo where the preset lives in a subdirectory (e.g. presets/<id>/), link the README inside that directory (presets/<id>/README.md) rather than the repository-root README. The root README is often a marketing/overview page; the catalog should surface preset usage instead. The key requirement is that this README is reachable at the documentation URL so users can read it before downloading the release artifact — it's fine for the same file to also ship inside the release ZIP.

• Include a valid Spec Kit CLI install command (enforced). The linked README must contain at least one specify preset add ... invocation. Preferably use the catalog-install form whose URL matches your Download URL:

  bashCopy

  # <download-url> is the same URL you submit as the catalog Download URL —
  # either the tag archive or a release asset, e.g.:
  specify preset add --from https://github.com/<org>/<repo>/archive/refs/tags/vX.Y.Z.zip
  specify preset add --from https://github.com/<org>/<repo>/releases/download/vX.Y.Z/<id>-X.Y.Z.zip
  

  specify preset add <id> and specify preset add --dev <path> are also accepted, but the --from <download-url> form is the clearest signal that the README documents this exact preset release.

• Cover the minimum structure so a reader can decide whether the preset fits:

  • What the preset does / what it provides
  • The install command using Spec Kit CLI syntax (above)
  • When to use it / when not to use it

A submission whose linked README lacks a valid specify preset add ... command fails validation (workflow check 2d) and will not be added until corrected.

Submit to Catalog

Understanding the Catalogs

Spec Kit uses a dual-catalog system:

• catalog.json — Official, verified presets (install allowed by default)
• catalog.community.json — Community-contributed presets (discovery only by default)

All community presets should be submitted to catalog.community.json.

1. Fork the spec-kit Repository

git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/spec-kit.git
cd spec-kit

2. Add Preset to Community Catalog

Edit presets/catalog.community.json and add your preset.

⚠️ Entries must be sorted alphabetically by preset ID. Insert your preset in the correct position within the "presets" object.

{
  "schema_version": "1.0",
  "updated_at": "2026-03-10T00:00:00Z",
  "catalog_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/github/spec-kit/main/presets/catalog.community.json",
  "presets": {
    "your-preset": {
      "name": "Your Preset Name",
      "id": "your-preset",
      "description": "Brief description of what your preset provides",
      "author": "Your Name",
      "version": "1.0.0",
      "download_url": "https://github.com/your-org/spec-kit-preset-your-preset/archive/refs/tags/v1.0.0.zip",
      "sha256": "OPTIONAL: SHA-256 hex digest of the archive above; verified before install",
      "repository": "https://github.com/your-org/spec-kit-preset-your-preset",
      "documentation": "https://github.com/your-org/spec-kit-preset-your-preset/blob/main/README.md",
      "license": "MIT",
      "requires": {
        "speckit_version": ">=0.1.0"
      },
      "provides": {
        "templates": 3,
        "commands": 1
      },
      "tags": [
        "category",
        "workflow"
      ],
      "created_at": "2026-03-10T00:00:00Z",
      "updated_at": "2026-03-10T00:00:00Z"
    }
  }
}

3. Update Community Presets Table

Add your preset to the Community Presets table on the docs site at docs/community/presets.md:

| Your Preset Name | Brief description of what your preset does | N templates, M commands[, P scripts] | — | [repo-name](https://github.com/your-org/spec-kit-preset-your-preset) |

Insert your row in alphabetical order by preset name (the first column of the table).

4. Submit Pull Request

git checkout -b add-your-preset
git add presets/catalog.community.json docs/community/presets.md
git commit -m "Add your-preset to community catalog

- Preset ID: your-preset
- Version: 1.0.0
- Author: Your Name
- Description: Brief description
"
git push origin add-your-preset

Pull Request Checklist:

## Preset Submission

**Preset Name**: Your Preset Name
**Preset ID**: your-preset
**Version**: 1.0.0
**Repository**: https://github.com/your-org/spec-kit-preset-your-preset

### Checklist
- [ ] Valid preset.yml manifest
- [ ] Usage README with a valid `specify preset add ...` command, linked from `documentation` (preset-scoped README recommended for monorepos)
- [ ] LICENSE file included
- [ ] GitHub release created
- [ ] Preset tested with `specify preset add --dev`
- [ ] Templates resolve correctly (`specify preset resolve`)
- [ ] Commands register to agent directories (if applicable)
- [ ] Commands match template sections (command + template are coherent)
- [ ] Added to presets/catalog.community.json
- [ ] Added row to docs/community/presets.md table

Verification Process

After submission, maintainers will review:

1. Manifest validation — valid preset.yml, all files exist
2. Template quality — templates are useful and well-structured
3. Command coherence — commands reference sections that exist in templates
4. Security — no malicious content, safe file operations
5. Documentation — the README linked from documentation explains how to use this preset and contains a valid specify preset add ... command

Reviewer note: the workflow can mechanically check structure (the linked README resolves and contains a valid specify preset add ... snippet; when that snippet uses the --from <url> form, its URL must match the submitted download URL exactly — other accepted forms like specify preset add <id> don't reference the download URL at all). Whether the README genuinely documents this preset is partly a content judgment, so a human reviewer should still confirm the linked doc isn't just a funnel to a separate product or CLI before approving.

Once verified, verified: true is set and the preset appears in specify preset search.

Release Workflow

When releasing a new version:

1. Update version in preset.yml
2. Update CHANGELOG.md
3. Tag and push: git tag v1.1.0 && git push origin v1.1.0
4. Submit PR to update version and download_url in presets/catalog.community.json

Best Practices

Template Design

• Keep sections clear — use headings and placeholder text the LLM can replace
• Match commands to templates — if your preset overrides a command, make sure it references the sections in your template
• Document customization points — use HTML comments to guide users on what to change

Naming

• Preset IDs should be descriptive: healthcare-compliance, enterprise-safe, startup-lean
• Avoid generic names: my-preset, custom, test

Stacking

• Design presets to work well when stacked with others
• Only override templates you need to change
• Document which templates and commands your preset modifies

Command Overrides

• Only override commands when the workflow needs to change, not just the output format
• If you only need different template sections, a template override is sufficient
• Test command overrides with multiple agents (Claude, Gemini, Copilot)