SPARC Methodology

SPARC is a structured approach to software development using specialized AI agents.

What is SPARC?

Specification - Pseudocode - Architecture - Refinement - Completion

A systematic methodology where each phase has dedicated agent support.

The Five Phases

1. Specification

Agent: /sparc:specification

Define what you're building:

• Requirements gathering
• Constraint identification
• Success criteria
• Scope boundaries

/sparc:specification User authentication system

2. Pseudocode

Agent: /sparc:pseudocode

Design before coding:

• High-level algorithm
• Data flow
• State transitions
• Error handling paths

/sparc:pseudocode OAuth login flow

3. Architecture

Agent: /sparc:architecture

System design:

• Component structure
• API contracts
• Database schema
• Integration points

/sparc:architecture Authentication service architecture

4. Refinement

Agent: /sparc:refinement

Implementation and iteration:

• Code implementation
• Performance tuning
• Edge case handling
• Code review

/sparc:refinement Optimize token validation

5. Completion

Agent: /sparc:completion

Finalize delivery:

• Testing
• Documentation
• Deployment prep
• Handoff

/sparc:completion Finalize OAuth implementation

When to Use SPARC

Scenario	Recommended
New feature	Yes
Bug fix	No (use /fix:*)
Refactoring	Partial (R and C phases)
Spike/POC	Partial (S and P phases)
Documentation	No (use /sparc:documenter directly)

Agent Collaboration

Agents can work together:

# Research phase
/sparc:specification Payment gateway requirements

# Architecture based on research
/sparc:architecture Payment integration design

# Implementation
/sparc:refinement Implement payment flow

# Quality
/sparc:testing Test payment edge cases
/sparc:completion Final review

Best Practices

1. Don't skip phases - Each builds on previous
2. Keep phases focused - Don't overload single phase
3. Review between phases - Validate before proceeding
4. Document decisions - Capture rationale for architecture choices
5. Iterate within phases - Refinement is expected

Integration with Commands

SPARC works with planning commands:

# /plan:hard uses SPARC internally
/plan:hard Build payment system
# -> Runs specification analysis
# -> Creates architecture design
# -> Plans implementation phases

Related

• SPARC Agents Reference - All 16 agents
• Workflows - Development patterns