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docs(assess): clarify the pipeline works on an empty project #3732

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mnriem merged 2 commits into from
Jul 27, 2026
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docs(assess): clarify the pipeline works on an empty project #3732

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docs(assess): clarify the pipeline works on an empty project
mnriem Jul 24, 2026
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docs(assess): distinguish empty project from no project
mnriem Jul 24, 2026
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2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions extensions/assess/README.md
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Expand Up @@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ Discovery answers *"is this worth building?"* Delivery answers *"how do we build

## Overview

`assess` runs inside an initialized Spec Kit project (it writes assessments under `.specify/assessments/`), but that project can be **completely empty of source code** — a freshly initialized project with no code works just as well as an established codebase. The input is just an idea: pasted text, a URL, or a ticket need no existing code, while a codebase pointer lets you assess an idea for code that already exists. Neither starting point is more "correct" than the other.

Each idea lives in its own directory under `.specify/assessments/<slug>/`, with one Markdown artifact per stage:

```
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2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions extensions/assess/commands/speckit.assess.intake.md
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Expand Up @@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ The user input is the idea and (optionally) a slug. Treat it as one of:
3. **A codebase pointer** — phrasing like "an idea for this repo" or a path. Read enough of the repository to record what the idea relates to.
4. **A mix** of the above.

There is **no requirement for existing source code**: within an initialized Spec Kit project, intake works just as well when the project is empty of code as when it already has a codebase. Pasted text or a URL (options 1–2) need no existing codebase; a codebase pointer (option 3) targets existing code. Both are equally valid.

If the input is empty, ask the user for the idea (interactive), or stop with a note that there is nothing to intake (automated).

## Slug Resolution
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