Set up a Spec Kit project

Published from docs/start/install-speckit.md at 835522e. Edit the source in the repository, not this page.

Sanduq extensions install into a Spec Kit project. This page creates one, or prepares an existing repository, and registers the Sanduq catalog. Skip it if you only use portable skills.

1. Install the tools

Install Spec Kit, Python and Git. The prerequisites page lists versions and the install command for your OS.

specify --version
python --version
git --version

2. Initialize the project

Run this in your repository root. Pick the integration for your host:

specify init --here --integration codex
# or, for Claude Code:
specify init --here --integration claude

For an existing repository, commit or back up first. Back up .specify/, your agent configuration and .github/workflows/. Use specify init --force only after you have read what it overwrites. Run git diff afterwards and keep your constitution, CI files and project metadata.

3. Register the Sanduq catalog

specify extension catalog add --name sanduq --priority 1 --install-allowed https://raw.githubusercontent.com/samykabu/sanduq/main/catalog.json

The catalog lists published versions. catalog add writes .specify/extension-catalogs.yml. While that file exists, Spec Kit reads only the catalogs it lists, so after this command Sanduq is your only catalog.

If you keep Spec Kit's default catalogs

If that file also lists Spec Kit's default and community catalogs, the catalog with the lowest priority number wins when two catalogs publish the same ID. The community catalog (priority 2) publishes unrelated extensions called scope ("Spec Scope") and memory ("Spec Kit Memory") for discovery only. With Sanduq at a higher number, specify extension add scope or add memory refuses to install, search and info show the other product, and specify extension update skips the extension without an error.

Priority 1 keeps Sanduq ahead of the community catalog, so install and update both find Sanduq's package. If you registered Sanduq with a higher number (older guides used 10), register it again:

specify extension catalog remove sanduq
specify extension catalog add --name sanduq --priority 1 --install-allowed https://raw.githubusercontent.com/samykabu/sanduq/main/catalog.json

specify extension info memory shows which product you get: Sanduq's is "Sanduq Memory".

For a one-off install, use the extension's download_url from the catalog, for example specify extension add memory --from https://github.com/samykabu/sanduq/releases/download/memory-v<version>/memory.zip. Spec Kit asks you to confirm. update still reads the catalogs, so it keeps skipping that extension.

The Workflow installer is not affected. It installs Scope from Sanduq's release and refuses a package with the same ID from another repository. SPECKIT_CATALOG_URL replaces every catalog, Sanduq's too.

4. Add extensions

You are ready to add extensions. Choose a path:

• One extension: one-extension scenario.
• A set of extensions: pick your extensions and the set recipes.
• The managed Workflow: managed-workflow scenario.

Limits

• Spec Kit does not install an extension's dependencies for you. See who enforces dependencies.
• Installing an extension does not enable its process. Run its init command.