Spec-Flow Quick Start

Spec-Flow Quick Start

Get Spec-Flow running in your project in **5 minutes**.

Prerequisites

✅ **Git 2.39+** | ✅ **PowerShell 7.3+** | ✅ **Python 3.10+** | ✅ **Claude Code**

Not sure? Run the prerequisite checker after installation (Step 3).

---

Installation

Option 1: NPM (Recommended - Fastest)

Install Spec-Flow with a single command using npx:

# Initialize in current directory (interactive wizard)
npx spec-flow init

# Or specify target directory
npx spec-flow init --target ./my-project

# Non-interactive mode (uses defaults)
npx spec-flow init --non-interactive

**What happens:**

• ✅ Detects your project type (Next.js, React, API, etc.)
• ✅ Installs .claude/, .spec-flow/, and CLAUDE.md
• ✅ Initializes memory files with default values
• ✅ Validates prerequisites

**Update existing installation:**

npx spec-flow update

Option 2: Manual Installation (Clone Repository)

If you prefer to clone the repository first:

Step 1: Clone Spec-Flow Repository

# Clone to a workspace directory (not inside your project)
cd ~/projects  # or C:\Projects on Windows
git clone https://github.com/marcusgoll/Spec-Flow.git
cd Spec-Flow

Step 2: Run the Installation Wizard

**Windows (PowerShell):**

# Interactive wizard
powershell -File .spec-flow/scripts/powershell/install-wizard.ps1

# Or specify target directory
powershell -File .spec-flow/scripts/powershell/install-wizard.ps1 -TargetDir ../my-project

**macOS/Linux (Bash):**

# Interactive wizard
./.spec-flow/scripts/bash/install-wizard.sh

# Or\spec-flow target directory
./.spec-flow/scripts/bash/install-wizard.sh --target-dir ../my-project

Step 3: Verify Installation (Both Methods)

The installer runs checks automatically, but you can verify manually:

**Windows:**

cd /path/to/your/project
pwsh -File .spec-flow/scripts/powershell/check-prerequisites.ps1

**macOS/Linux:**

cd /path/to/your/project
./.spec-flow/scripts/bash/check-prerequisites.sh

Expected output:

✅ Git 2.39+ installed
✅ PowerShell 7.3+ installed
✅ Python 3.10+ installed
✅ Claude Code accessible

If any checks fail, see [Installation Guide](docs/installation.md) for troubleshooting.

---

Let Claude Code Set Up Your Project

Instead of manually editing files, let Claude Code's interactive commands configure your project with guided Q&A.

Recommended Setup (Optional but Powerful)

Open Claude Code in your project directory and run these commands:

1. Define Your Engineering Standards (Optional)

/constitution

Claude will interactively help you:

• Set project type (Web App, API, Mobile, CLI, etc.)
• Define test coverage requirements (50%, 70%, 80%, 90%)
• Configure performance targets (API response times, page load speeds)
• Set accessibility standards (WCAG Level A, AA, AAA)
• Add custom principles specific to your project

**Why?** Your constitution becomes the Single Source