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Installation — Claude Code ​

SpecArk works in both Claude Code (CLI) and Claude Cowork (desktop). Both use the same plugin format and the same marketplace install commands — one install covers both. See the Cowork section for Cowork-specific notes.

Install from the marketplace ​

bash
claude plugin marketplace add maxgda/spec-ark
claude plugin install specark

This registers the SpecArk marketplace from GitHub and installs the specark plugin, making all twelve spdd-* skills available as namespaced slash commands.

Local development install ​

For local plugin work or testing before publishing:

bash
claude --plugin-dir ./plugins/specark

This loads the plugin directly from the local directory. Useful when you are developing or modifying the plugin itself.

Verify the install ​

Check that the skills are available:

bash
claude plugin list

You should see specark listed. All twelve skills are then invokable as:

/specark:spdd-orchestrator
/specark:spdd-discovery
/specark:spdd-plan
/specark:spdd-story
/specark:spdd-analysis
/specark:spdd-reasons-canvas
/specark:spdd-generate
/specark:spdd-prompt-update
/specark:spdd-sync
/specark:spdd-api-test
/specark:spdd-doc-sync
/specark:spdd-session-health

First run ​

Start with the orchestrator for the default guided path:

text
/specark:spdd-orchestrator @idea.md semi-auto

Or jump directly to the matching phase if you already have an artifact:

text
/specark:spdd-story @requirements/brief.md
/specark:spdd-analysis @requirements/STORY-001.md
/specark:spdd-reasons-canvas @spdd/analysis/ANALYSIS-001.md
/specark:spdd-generate @spdd/prompt/PROMPT-001.md

Skill invocation reference ​

ActionCommand
Full orchestrated workflow/specark:spdd-orchestrator @idea.md semi-auto
Discovery Interview (manual)/specark:spdd-discovery @idea.md
Planning slice (optional)/specark:spdd-plan @idea.md
Create stories/specark:spdd-story @requirements/brief.md
Run analysis/specark:spdd-analysis @requirements/STORY-001.md
Generate prompt/specark:spdd-reasons-canvas @spdd/analysis/ANALYSIS-001.md
Implement/specark:spdd-generate @spdd/prompt/PROMPT-001.md
Update prompt after change/specark:spdd-prompt-update @spdd/prompt/PROMPT-001.md
Sync after refactor/specark:spdd-sync @spdd/prompt/PROMPT-001.md
Generate API tests/specark:spdd-api-test @spdd/prompt/PROMPT-001.md
Sync documentation/specark:spdd-doc-sync "Update docs for this workflow change"
Check session health/specark:spdd-session-health spdd-analysis @requirements/STORY-001.md

Keeping the plugin up to date ​

bash
claude plugin marketplace upgrade

Using SpecArk in Claude Cowork ​

Claude Cowork uses the identical plugin format and marketplace system as Claude Code. No separate install is needed — once the plugin is installed, it is available in both.

How to invoke skills in Cowork:

  • Click the + button in the Cowork input bar to browse available skills, or
  • Type /specark: to filter to SpecArk skills directly.

The skill invocation syntax is the same as Claude Code:

/specark:spdd-orchestrator @idea.md semi-auto
/specark:spdd-analysis @requirements/STORY-001.md

Cowork-specific notes:

  • Skills appear in the "+" skill picker alongside any other installed plugins.
  • File references (@file.md) work the same way as in Claude Code sessions.
  • The SPDD artifact handoff model (each phase writing a repository file) fits naturally with Cowork's longer agentic work model.

Structured Prompt-Driven Development — works with Codex and Claude Code.