docs/reference/extensions.md
Extensions add new capabilities to Spec Kit — domain-specific commands, external tool integrations, quality gates, and more. They introduce new commands and templates that go beyond the built-in Spec-Driven Development workflow.
specify extension search [query]
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
--tag | Filter by tag |
--author | Filter by author |
--verified | Show only verified extensions |
Searches all active catalogs for extensions matching the query. Without a query, lists all available extensions.
specify extension add <name>
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
--dev | Install from a local directory (for development) |
--from <url> | Install from a custom URL instead of the catalog |
--force | Overwrite if the extension is already installed |
--priority <N> | Resolution priority (default: 10; lower = higher precedence) |
Installs an extension from the catalog, a URL, or a local directory. Extension commands are automatically registered with the currently installed AI coding agent integration.
Note: All extension commands require a project already initialized with
specify init.
specify extension remove <name>
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
--keep-config | Preserve configuration files during removal |
--force | Skip confirmation prompt |
Removes an installed extension. Configuration files are backed up by default; use --keep-config to leave them in place or --force to skip the confirmation.
specify extension list
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
--available | Show available (uninstalled) extensions |
--all | Show both installed and available extensions |
Lists installed extensions with their status, version, and command counts.
specify extension info <name>
Shows detailed information about an installed or available extension, including its description, version, commands, and configuration.
specify extension update [<name>]
Updates a specific extension, or all installed extensions if no name is given.
specify extension enable <name>
specify extension disable <name>
Disable an extension without removing it. Disabled extensions are not loaded and their commands are not available. Re-enable with enable.
specify extension set-priority <name> <priority>
Changes the resolution priority of an extension. When multiple extensions provide a command with the same name, the extension with the lowest priority number takes precedence.
Extension catalogs control where search and add look for extensions. Catalogs are checked in priority order (lower number = higher precedence).
specify extension catalog list
Shows all active catalogs in the stack with their priorities and install permissions.
specify extension catalog add <url>
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
--name <name> | Required. Unique name for the catalog |
--priority <N> | Priority (default: 10; lower = higher precedence) |
--install-allowed / --no-install-allowed | Whether extensions can be installed from this catalog |
--description <text> | Optional description |
Adds a catalog to the project's .specify/extension-catalogs.yml.
specify extension catalog remove <name>
Removes a catalog from the project configuration.
Catalogs are resolved in this order (first match wins):
SPECKIT_CATALOG_URL overrides all catalogs.specify/extension-catalogs.yml~/.specify/extension-catalogs.ymlExample .specify/extension-catalogs.yml:
catalogs:
- name: "my-org-catalog"
url: "https://example.com/catalog.json"
priority: 5
install_allowed: true
description: "Our approved extensions"
Most extensions include configuration files in their install directory:
.specify/extensions/<ext>/
├── <ext>-config.yml # Project config (version controlled)
├── <ext>-config.local.yml # Local overrides (gitignored)
└── <ext>-config.template.yml # Template reference
Configuration is merged in this order (highest priority last):
extension.yml)<ext>-config.yml)<ext>-config.local.yml)SPECKIT_<EXT>_*)To set up configuration for a newly installed extension, copy the template:
cp .specify/extensions/<ext>/<ext>-config.template.yml \
.specify/extensions/<ext>/<ext>-config.yml
Spec Kit stores project-level extension registration and hook configuration in:
.specify/extensions.yml
The file contains installed extensions, global settings, and hooks that are surfaced before or after Spec Kit commands.
installed:
- git
- my-extension
settings:
auto_execute_hooks: true
hooks:
before_implement:
- extension: git
command: speckit.git.commit
enabled: true
optional: true
priority: 10
prompt: "Commit outstanding changes before implementation?"
description: "Auto-commit before implementation"
after_implement:
- extension: my-extension
command: speckit.my-extension.verify
enabled: true
optional: false
priority: 5
description: "Run verification after implementation"
The top-level installed list records extensions installed in the project. The settings mapping stores project-wide extension settings, and hooks groups hook registrations by event.
auto_execute_hooks defaults to true, but is currently reserved and is not consulted when hooks are surfaced or invoked.
Each hook entry supports the following fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
extension | ID of the extension that registered the hook. |
command | Extension command associated with the hook. |
enabled | Whether the hook is active. Hooks with enabled: false are skipped. |
optional | Whether the hook is optional. If true, the hook is presented with its prompt and can be skipped; if false, the hook is emitted as an automatic hook (includes EXECUTE_COMMAND markers). |
priority | Priority metadata for the hook. Values must be integers >= 1; invalid values fall back to the default priority 10. Current command templates surface hooks in their configured YAML order and do not sort them by priority. |
prompt | Message shown when asking whether to run an optional hook. |
description | Human-readable explanation of what the hook does. |
condition | Optional expression evaluated by HookExecutor (using config.<path> or env.<VAR> with is set, ==, or !=). Current command templates do not evaluate conditions and skip hooks with a non-empty condition. |
Hook event names identify when a hook is invoked. They generally use before_<command> or after_<command>, such as before_implement, after_implement, before_tasks, and after_tasks. |
HookExecutor.get_hooks_for_event() returns hooks ordered by priority, with lower values first. However, current command templates read hook lists directly and surface them in their configured YAML order rather than using priority ordering.
search?Check the spelling of the extension name. The extension may not be published yet, or it may be in a catalog you haven't added. Use specify extension catalog list to see which catalogs are active.
Verify the extension is installed and enabled with specify extension list. If it shows as installed, restart your AI coding agent — it may need to reload for it to take effect.
Copy the config template that ships with the extension:
cp .specify/extensions/<ext>/<ext>-config.template.yml \
.specify/extensions/<ext>/<ext>-config.yml
See Extension Configuration for details on config layers and overrides.
Update Spec Kit to the version required by the extension.
Most extensions are independently created and maintained by their respective authors. The Spec Kit maintainers do not review, audit, endorse, or support extension code. Review an extension's source code before installing and use at your own discretion. For issues with a specific extension, contact its author or file an issue on the extension's repository.