# How to write a good spec for AI agents

DevFeed: [How to write a good spec for AI agents](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/how-to-write-a-good-spec-for-ai-agents-18052.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://addyo.substack.com/p/how-to-write-a-good-spec-for-ai-agents>)

Author: Addy Osmani

Published: 2026-01-19T15:31:16Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Elevate](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/elevate.md>)

Topics: [AI-assisted coding](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ai-assisted-coding.md>), [AI Agent](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ai-agent.md>), [Code](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/code.md>), [context window](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/context-window.md>), [Claude Code](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/claude-code.md>)

Tags: [agents](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/agents.md>), [claude-code](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/claude-code.md>), [cli](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cli.md>), [coding](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/coding.md>), [coding-agents](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/coding-agents.md>), [context-window](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/context-window.md>), [how-to](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/how-to.md>), [prompting](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/prompting.md>)

## AI overview

A practical guide to writing specifications for AI coding agents. It recommends starting with a concise high-level vision, adding enough structure, style, testing, and boundaries to guide the agent, breaking large tasks into smaller ones, and iterating on a plan before implementation.

## Source excerpt

How to structure, plan, and iterate for high-performance coding agents