grace-spec

<skill> <change_bundle_contract> `.grace/changes/active/C-CHANGE-ID/`

• spec.xml — normative GraceChangeSpec
• design-context.xml — optional, explanatory only
• plan.xml — created later by grace-plan </change_bundle_contract>

<status_rules> Create spec.xml as status="draft". Set status="approved" only after explicit user approval. Rejected or cancelled specs move to archive with terminal status. Do not create or edit plan.xml in this skill. </status_rules>

<strict_contract> The direct C-* wrapper must contain exactly one meaningful Summary, Goals, Constraints, NonGoals, AcceptanceCriteria, AffectedAreas, and VerificationIntent section. Empty containers are not approval-ready. Semantic anchors are canonical attribute-free XML tags, never attributes or attribute values. </strict_contract>

<workflow> 1. Ask one focused question at a time until goal, scope, constraints, non-goals, acceptance criteria, affected areas, and verification expectations are clear. 2. Propose a concise design summary and explicit assumptions. Ask for approval before writing an approved spec. 3. Create a deterministic uppercase-kebab `C-*` change id. 4. Write `spec.xml` from `references/change-spec-template.xml` with exactly one direct `C-*` wrapper and no empty required section. 5. If rationale, alternatives, scenarios, or external constraints would otherwise bloat the spec, write non-normative `design-context.xml` from its template. 6. If approval is not explicit, leave `spec.xml` as `status="draft"` and report the approval step needed. </workflow>

<hard_rules>

• spec.xml is the source of truth for grace-plan; design context never adds requirements.
• Do not implement code, mutate current graph/verification state, or create retroactive change bundles.
• Recommend grace lint --path <project-root> --assertions current as a pre-implementation active-baseline check after writing the bundle; never present it as target or final evidence. </hard_rules> </skill>