is-it-christmas/.specify/memory/constitution.md

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  SYNC IMPACT REPORT
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  Version Change: None → 1.0.0
  Change Type: Initial constitution ratification

  Modified Principles: N/A (initial version)

  Added Sections:
    - Core Principles (5 principles):
      I. User Story-Driven Development
      II. Specification-First Planning
      III. Test-Optional with Clear Intent
      IV. Independent User Story Implementation
      V. Simplicity and Justified Complexity
    - Development Workflow
    - Quality Standards
    - Governance

  Removed Sections: N/A

  Templates Status:
    ✅ .specify/templates/plan-template.md - Aligned with constitution principles
    ✅ .specify/templates/spec-template.md - Aligned with user story approach
    ✅ .specify/templates/tasks-template.md - Aligned with test-optional & user story structure
    ✅ .specify/templates/checklist-template.md - Compatible with quality standards

  Commands Status:
    ✅ .claude/commands/speckit.plan.md - No updates needed
    ✅ .claude/commands/speckit.specify.md - No updates needed
    ✅ .claude/commands/speckit.tasks.md - No updates needed
    ✅ .claude/commands/speckit.analyze.md - No updates needed
    ✅ .claude/commands/speckit.clarify.md - No updates needed
    ✅ .claude/commands/speckit.implement.md - No updates needed
    ✅ .claude/commands/speckit.checklist.md - No updates needed

  Follow-up TODOs: None
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# is-it-christmas Constitution

## Core Principles

### I. User Story-Driven Development

Every feature MUST begin with clearly defined, prioritized user stories that are independently testable. Each user story represents a complete slice of functionality that delivers standalone value.

**Requirements:**
- User stories MUST be prioritized (P1, P2, P3, etc.) with P1 being the most critical
- Each story MUST be independently implementable, testable, and deployable
- User stories MUST include acceptance scenarios in Given/When/Then format
- Implementation MUST enable incremental delivery (MVP = P1 story complete)

**Rationale**: User story-driven development ensures that every increment delivers real user value, enables parallel development, and allows early validation of the most critical functionality.

### II. Specification-First Planning

Features MUST be fully specified before implementation begins. Specifications include user scenarios, functional requirements, success criteria, and technical design documents.

**Requirements:**
- Every feature MUST have a spec.md with user stories, requirements, and success criteria
- Every feature MUST have a plan.md with technical context, structure, and constitution check
- Complex features MUST include research.md, data-model.md, and contract definitions
- All specifications MUST use technology-agnostic language focusing on "what" not "how"

**Rationale**: Specification-first planning reduces implementation churn, catches design issues early, enables better collaboration through clear documentation, and provides a reference for validation.

### III. Test-Optional with Clear Intent

Testing is OPTIONAL and MUST be explicitly requested. When tests are required, they MUST be written first and MUST fail before implementation.

**Requirements:**
- Tests are ONLY written when explicitly requested in the feature specification
- When requested, tests MUST follow the Test-Driven Development (TDD) cycle:
  1. Write tests that capture the requirements
  2. Verify tests FAIL (proving they test real behavior)
  3. Implement the feature
  4. Verify tests PASS
- Test types: Contract tests (API/interface contracts), Integration tests (user journeys), Unit tests (component logic)
- Task lists MUST clearly mark test tasks as "OPTIONAL - only if tests requested"

**Rationale**: Making tests optional reduces overhead for prototypes and simple features while maintaining rigor when quality gates are needed. Explicit test-first approach prevents false confidence from tests written after implementation.

### IV. Independent User Story Implementation

Implementation MUST be structured to enable each user story to be developed, tested, and deployed independently without breaking other stories.

**Requirements:**
- Task lists MUST be organized by user story (Phase 3: User Story 1, Phase 4: User Story 2, etc.)
- Shared infrastructure MUST be completed in a blocking "Foundational" phase before any user story work begins
- Each user story phase MUST include an "Independent Test" description
- Each user story phase MUST end with a checkpoint confirming standalone functionality
- Cross-story dependencies MUST be minimized; when unavoidable, they MUST be explicitly documented

**Rationale**: Independent user stories enable parallel team work, incremental delivery, easier debugging, and the ability to defer or cut lower-priority stories without impacting core functionality.

### V. Simplicity and Justified Complexity

Solutions MUST start simple. Complexity MUST be explicitly justified with documented alternatives that were rejected.

**Requirements:**
- Default to the simplest solution that meets requirements
- Apply YAGNI (You Aren't Gonna Need It) principles
- When complexity is introduced (additional layers, patterns, frameworks), MUST document:
  - Why the complexity is needed
  - What simpler alternative was considered
  - Why the simpler alternative was insufficient
- Constitution Check violations MUST be tracked in plan.md Complexity Tracking table

**Rationale**: Unnecessary complexity increases maintenance burden, slows development, and makes onboarding harder. Requiring justification ensures complexity is only introduced when it provides clear value.

## Development Workflow

### Specification Workflow

1. **Clarify** (`/speckit.clarify`): Identify underspecified areas and ask targeted questions
2. **Specify** (`/speckit.specify`): Create feature specification with user stories and requirements
3. **Plan** (`/speckit.plan`): Generate implementation plan with technical context and design documents
4. **Analyze** (`/speckit.analyze`): Cross-check consistency across spec, plan, and tasks
5. **Tasks** (`/speckit.tasks`): Generate dependency-ordered task list organized by user story
6. **Checklist** (`/speckit.checklist`): Generate custom validation checklists as needed
7. **Implement** (`/speckit.implement`): Execute the implementation plan

### Implementation Workflow

1. Complete Setup phase (project structure, dependencies, tooling)
2. Complete Foundational phase (blocking infrastructure that all stories need)
3. Implement user stories in priority order (P1 → P2 → P3):
   - If tests requested: Write tests → Verify tests fail → Implement → Verify tests pass
   - If tests not requested: Implement directly
   - Verify story checkpoint (independent functionality)
4. Complete Polish phase (cross-cutting concerns, documentation, validation)

### Parallel Execution

- Tasks marked `[P]` can run in parallel (different files, no dependencies)
- Once Foundational phase completes, different user stories can be implemented in parallel by different team members
- Within a user story, tests (if included) can run in parallel, models can run in parallel

## Quality Standards

### Documentation Requirements

- Every feature MUST have spec.md with prioritized user stories
- Every feature MUST have plan.md with technical context and structure decisions
- Complex features SHOULD have research.md, data-model.md, and contracts/
- Every feature MUST have tasks.md organized by user story
- All templates MUST clearly indicate placeholders vs. actual content
- Placeholders MUST use `[ALL_CAPS]` format or `NEEDS CLARIFICATION:` tags

### Code Organization

- Project structure MUST match one of three patterns:
  - **Single project**: `src/` and `tests/` at repository root (default)
  - **Web application**: `backend/` and `frontend/` directories with separate src/tests
  - **Mobile + API**: `api/` directory plus `ios/` or `android/` platform directories
- Structure decisions MUST be documented in plan.md
- File paths MUST be explicit in task descriptions (e.g., "Create User model in src/models/user.py")

### Validation Gates

- Constitution Check MUST pass before Phase 0 research and be re-checked after Phase 1 design
- Violations MUST be justified in plan.md Complexity Tracking table
- Each user story checkpoint MUST verify independent functionality
- Final validation MUST run quickstart.md if present

## Governance

### Amendment Procedure

1. Propose amendment with rationale and impact analysis
2. Update constitution.md with new version number:
   - **MAJOR**: Backward incompatible governance/principle removals or redefinitions
   - **MINOR**: New principle/section added or materially expanded guidance
   - **PATCH**: Clarifications, wording, typo fixes, non-semantic refinements
3. Update LAST_AMENDED_DATE to current date (RATIFICATION_DATE stays constant)
4. Prepend Sync Impact Report as HTML comment listing changes
5. Review and update dependent templates and commands
6. Commit with message: `docs: amend constitution to vX.Y.Z (summary)`

### Compliance Review

- All specifications MUST verify compliance with Core Principles
- Constitution Check in plan.md MUST identify and justify any violations
- The `/speckit.analyze` command SHOULD be used to validate cross-artifact consistency
- This constitution supersedes any conflicting guidance in other documents

### Versioning Policy

- Constitution version follows semantic versioning (MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH)
- Version line format: `**Version**: X.Y.Z | **Ratified**: YYYY-MM-DD | **Last Amended**: YYYY-MM-DD`
- All dates MUST use ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD)

**Version**: 1.0.0 | **Ratified**: 2025-11-11 | **Last Amended**: 2025-11-11