AI Agent Architecture Explained

Spec Kitty supports 12 different AI agents, allowing teams to use their preferred tools. This document explains how the multi-agent system works and why it's designed this way.

How Slash Commands Work

Slash commands (like /spec-kitty.specify) are a convention for invoking predefined workflows:

User types /spec-kitty.specify in their AI agent
Agent reads the corresponding command file (e.g., .claude/commands/spec-kitty.specify.md)
Agent executes the instructions in that file
Agent interacts with the user and codebase

The command file contains:

A detailed prompt explaining what to do
Instructions for user interaction
References to templates and artifacts

This lets each AI agent execute the same workflow, even though they have different interfaces.

The 12 Supported Agents

Spec Kitty supports multiple AI agents across two categories:

CLI-Based Agents

These agents run from the command line:

Agent	Directory	Format	CLI Tool
Claude Code	`.claude/commands/`	Markdown	`claude`
Gemini CLI	`.gemini/commands/`	TOML	`gemini`
Cursor	`.cursor/commands/`	Markdown	`cursor-agent`
Qwen Code	`.qwen/commands/`	TOML	`qwen`
OpenCode	`.opencode/command/`	Markdown	`opencode`
Amazon Q	`.amazonq/prompts/`	Markdown	`q`

IDE-Based Agents

These agents run inside an IDE or editor:

Agent	Directory	Format
GitHub Copilot	`.github/prompts/`	Markdown
Windsurf	`.windsurf/workflows/`	Markdown
Kilocode	`.kilocode/workflows/`	Markdown
Augment Code	`.augment/commands/`	Markdown
Roo Cline	`.roo/commands/`	Markdown
GitHub Codex	`.codex/prompts/`	Markdown

Agent-Specific Directories

Each agent has its own directory containing command files:

project/
├── .claude/
│   └── commands/
│       ├── spec-kitty.specify.md
│       ├── spec-kitty.plan.md
│       ├── spec-kitty.tasks.md
│       ├── spec-kitty.implement.md
│       ├── spec-kitty.review.md
│       └── spec-kitty.accept.md
│
├── .gemini/
│   └── commands/
│       └── [same commands in TOML format]
│
├── .github/
│   └── prompts/
│       └── [same commands for Copilot]
│
└── ... (10 more agent directories)

Each directory follows the conventions expected by that agent.

Command Template System

Shared Logic, Different Formats

All agents execute the same workflow, but their command file formats differ. Spec Kitty maintains a single source of truth:

src/specify_cli/missions/
└── software-dev/
    └── command-templates/
        ├── specify.md      # Template content
        ├── plan.md
        ├── tasks.md
        └── ...

During spec-kitty init, these templates are adapted for each agent:

Markdown agents get .md files
TOML agents get .toml files with converted syntax
Different arg syntax ($ARGUMENTS vs {{args}}) is handled per agent

Template Structure

Each command template contains:

# /spec-kitty.specify - Create Feature Specification

**Purpose**: [What this command does]

## When to Use
[Guidance on when to run this command]

## Workflow
[Step-by-step instructions for the agent]

## Outputs
[What artifacts will be created]

## Example
[Example usage and expected result]

Keeping Templates in Sync

When you upgrade Spec Kitty (pip install --upgrade spec-kitty-cli), migrations update all agent directories:

# Example migration updating all 12 agents
for agent_key, (agent_dir, _) in AGENT_DIRS.items():
    update_command_template(agent_key, "specify.md", new_content)

This ensures all agents stay synchronized when the workflow changes.

Multi-Agent Collaboration

Different Agents on Different WPs

The workspace-per-WP model enables multi-agent collaboration:

Feature: 012-user-auth
├── WP01 → Agent A (Claude Code) in .worktrees/012-user-auth-WP01/
├── WP02 → Agent B (Gemini) in .worktrees/012-user-auth-WP02/
└── WP03 → Agent C (Copilot) in .worktrees/012-user-auth-WP03/

Each agent:

Works in its own worktree
Has its own branch
Uses the same command templates
Follows the same workflow

Why This Works

All agents:

Read the same WP prompt from tasks/WP##.md
Follow the same implementation workflow
Use the same lane transitions (planned → doing → for_review)
Produce compatible output (code + commits)

The only difference is which AI model powers each agent.

Orchestration

You can run multiple agents simultaneously:

# Terminal 1 (Claude Code)
cd .worktrees/012-user-auth-WP01
claude "/spec-kitty.implement WP01"

# Terminal 2 (Gemini)
cd .worktrees/012-user-auth-WP02
gemini "/spec-kitty.implement WP02"

# Terminal 3 (opencode)
cd .worktrees/012-user-auth-WP03
opencode "/spec-kitty.implement WP03"

All three work in parallel without conflicts.

Why Agent-Agnostic?

User Choice

Different users prefer different agents:

Some teams use Claude Code for its reasoning
Some prefer Copilot for IDE integration
Some use Gemini for its context handling

Spec Kitty doesn't force a choice—use what works for you.

Vendor Independence

AI agents evolve rapidly:

New agents appear regularly
Existing agents gain new capabilities
Pricing and availability change

By supporting multiple agents, Spec Kitty isn't locked to any single vendor.

Team Flexibility

A team might use different agents for different tasks:

Claude Code for complex feature implementation
Copilot for quick edits and reviews
Gemini for research tasks

Spec Kitty's workflows work the same regardless of which agent runs them.

Adding New Agent Support

When a new AI agent appears, Spec Kitty can add support by:

Adding to AGENT_DIRS: Update the canonical list
Creating directory structure: .<agent>/commands/ (or agent-specific path)
Converting templates: Generate command files in the agent's format
Adding CLI checks: Verify the agent's CLI tool is installed (if CLI-based)

See Agent Subcommands for the workflow command reference.

Command Execution Flow

User: /spec-kitty.implement WP01

    ↓

Agent reads .claude/commands/spec-kitty.implement.md

    ↓

Agent executes workflow:
1. Read WP01 prompt from tasks/WP01.md
2. Create worktree (if needed)
3. Navigate to workspace
4. Implement according to WP requirements
5. Run tests
6. Commit changes
7. Move WP to for_review

    ↓

Result: WP01 implemented in isolated workspace

The command file provides all instructions; the agent executes them.

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