/blueprint:development
Guide and reference for the Blueprint Development methodology that generates project-specific behavioral rules and workflow commands from PRDs (Product Requirements Documents).
When to Use This Skill
| Use this skill when... | Use alternative when... |
|---|---|
| Starting Blueprint Development in a project | Project is already using Blueprint (use /blueprint:status) |
| Need to generate rules from PRDs | Starting a brand new project with no PRD yet |
| Want project-specific behavioral guidelines | Using generic development practices |
| Creating workflow automation for a project | Working on isolated tasks without project context |
For detailed rule templates, command templates, and generation guidelines, see REFERENCE.md.
Context
- Blueprint initialized:!
find docs/blueprint -maxdepth 1 -name 'manifest.json' -type f - PRDs present:!
find docs/prds -name "*.md" -type f - Rules directory:!
find.claude -maxdepth 1 -name 'rules' -type d - Existing rules:!
find.claude/rules -maxdepth 1 -name "*.md" - Project type:!
find. -maxdepth 1 \(-name 'package.json' -o -name 'pyproject.toml' -o -name 'Cargo.toml' -o -name 'go.mod' \) -type f -print -quit
Execution
Execute the complete Blueprint Development setup and rule generation workflow:
Step 1: Verify project readiness
Check context values above:
- If Blueprint initialized = "NO" → Error: "Blueprint not initialized. Run
/blueprint:initfirst" - If PRDs present = "0" → Error: "No PRDs found. Create at least one PRD in
docs/prds/before generating rules" - If Rules directory = "NO" → Create:
mkdir -p.claude/rules
Step 2: Analyze PRDs and extract patterns
Read all PRD files in docs/prds/ and extract:
- Architecture Patterns: Project structure, dependency injection, error handling, module boundaries, layering, code organization
- Testing Strategies: TDD workflow, test types (unit, integration, e2e), mocking patterns, coverage requirements
- Implementation Guides: Patterns for implementing feature types (APIs, UI, database, external services)
- Quality Standards: Code review checklist, performance baselines, security requirements, style standards
See REFERENCE.md for specific extraction patterns for each category.
Step 3: Generate four behavioral rules in .claude/rules/
Create project-specific rules that guide Claude's behavior during development:
Three required core rules:
architecture-patterns.md- Project structure, design patterns, dependency management, error handling, integration patternstesting-strategies.md- TDD workflow, test structure, test types, mocking patterns, coverage requirementsquality-standards.md- Code review checklist, performance baselines, security standards, style, documentation
One optional advanced rule (if applicable):
implementation-guides.md- Step-by-step patterns for implementing specific feature types from PRDs
For each rule file:
- Use templates from REFERENCE.md
- Extract content directly from PRDs
- Include code examples and specific references
- Document rationale for architectural choices
- Use imperative language ("Use...", "Follow...", "Ensure...")
See REFERENCE.md for detailed guidelines on creating effective rules.
Step 4: Generate workflow commands
Create project-specific workflow commands in .claude/skills/ or docs/blueprint/:
Six core commands:
/blueprint:init- Initialize Blueprint Development structure/blueprint:generate-rules- Generate project rules from PRDs (main entry point)/blueprint:generate-commands- Generate workflow commands based on project type/blueprint:work-order- Create isolated work-order for subagent execution/project:continue- Analyze state and resume development/project:test-loop- Run automated TDD cycle
For each command:
- Determine project type and language
- Extract test runners, build commands, development workflows
- Customize command implementations using REFERENCE.md
- Verify with expected
allowed-toolspermissions
Step 5: Create mapping in manifest
Update docs/blueprint/manifest.json with:
{
"generated": {
"rules": [
"architecture-patterns.md",
"testing-strategies.md",
"quality-standards.md",
"implementation-guides.md"
],
"commands": [
"blueprint-init.md",
"blueprint-generate-rules.md",
"blueprint-generate-commands.md",
"blueprint-work-order.md",
"project-continue.md",
"project-test-loop.md"
]
},
"source_prds": ["project-overview.md"],
"last_generated": "ISO-8601-timestamp"
}This enables regeneration without losing track of what was auto-generated vs. manually created.
Step 6: Test and validate
Verify rules and commands work correctly:
- Test rules apply: Check that Claude follows architecture-patterns, testing-strategies, and quality-standards during development
- Test commands execute: Run each command to verify it works as expected
- Verify output quality: Check that generated rules match PRD requirements and include concrete examples
- Refine as needed: Update rules and commands based on feedback and actual project development
Step 7: Report results and next steps
Create summary report:
- Rules generated: {count} in
.claude/rules/ - Commands created: {count} (use
/project:continueto start development) - Manifest updated with tracking metadata
- Next steps:
1. Review generated rules for accuracy 2. Add project-specific additions or clarifications 3. Run /project:continue to begin Blueprint Development workflow 4. Use /blueprint:work-order to create isolated tasks for team members
Integration with Blueprint Development
This skill enables the core Blueprint Development workflow:
PRDs (requirements) - Rules (behavioral guidelines) - Commands (workflow automation) - Work-orders (isolated tasks)
By generating project-specific rules and commands from PRDs, Blueprint Development creates a self-documenting, AI-native development environment where behavioral guidelines, patterns, and quality standards are first-class citizens.
GitHub Work Order Integration
Work orders can be linked to GitHub issues for transparency and cooperative development. See REFERENCE.md for workflow modes (--no-publish, --from-issue N), label setup, completion workflow, and work order file format.
Agentic Optimizations
| Context | Action | |
|---|---|---|
| Check if rules exist | `find.claude/rules -maxdepth 1 -name "*.md" \ | wc -l` |
| List existing rules | ls -1.claude/rules/*.md 2>/dev/null | |
| Count PRDs | `ls docs/prds/*.md 2>/dev/null \ | wc -l` |
| Extract PRD sections | Use Grep to find specific sections by heading pattern | |
| Fast generation | Skip manual review step, proceed with standard templates |
Examples
See .claude/docs/blueprint-development/ for complete workflow documentation and examples.
For detailed rule templates, command examples, extraction patterns, and project-specific customization, see REFERENCE.md.