Spec-Driven Development Is the Future of Software Engineering (medium.com)

After experimenting with "vibe coding"—prompting an AI to bang out features—an experienced engineer found it works great for quick prototypes but collapses as projects grow. The AI began rewriting files, duplicating APIs, breaking state management and styling consistency, and generating expensive, throwaway code. The fix wasn’t more models but better structure: treat AI like a junior teammate by giving explicit specs, context, and guardrails. The author calls this Spec-Driven Development (SDD): write problem statements, user flows, technical requirements, integration points, and clear acceptance criteria, and feed the AI a living document of existing APIs, types, state-management patterns (e.g., how your TypeScript/CSS and component architecture are organized). SDD matters because it reduces integration friction, slashes wasted API calls, and produces maintainable code that fits existing patterns—turning AI from an improvising coder into a predictable implementer. Key technical implications: include concrete context (APIs, data structures, navigation, common types), precise integration instructions, and consistency rules so generated code adheres to your state management and styling systems. The author also notes limits: AI raises your productivity floor but won’t invent architectures you don’t understand. Long-term, expect tooling to automate spec/context management; architects and product-minded developers will get the most leverage from AI-assisted engineering.