Add `init` workflow step to bootstrap projects like `specify init` by Copilot · Pull Request #2838 · github/spec-kit

Copilot · 2026-06-03T21:49:49Z

Workflows had no way to scaffold a project; users had to run specify init manually before any workflow could drive the spec-driven process. This adds an init step type so a workflow can bootstrap (or merge into) a project itself.

Changes

New InitStep (type: init) in src/specify_cli/workflows/steps/init/ — runs the bundled specify init command in-process against context.project_root, capturing exit_code/stdout/stderr and returning FAILED on non-zero exit.
- Config fields (all optional): project, here, integration, integration_options, script, force, ignore_agent_tools, preset; string fields resolve {{ }} expressions.
- Integration falls back to the workflow-level default, then to DEFAULT_INIT_INTEGRATION (copilot); defaults to --ignore-agent-tools since workflows run unattended.
- When only engine-owned directories (.specify/) exist, --force is implicitly added so init proceeds unattended.
- validate() rejects script values other than sh/ps.
Registration — added to STEP_REGISTRY and the engine's valid-step-types fallback.
Docs — workflows/ARCHITECTURE.md and workflows/README.md updated (step table, module tree, new "Init Steps" section).
Tests — coverage for bootstrap, default-integration fallback, project-name subdirectory, invalid-integration failure, engine-owned dir handling, integration_options passthrough, and validation.

Example

- id: bootstrap
  type: init
  here: true
  integration: copilot   # optional; defaults to workflow integration
  integration_options: "--skills"  # optional
  script: sh

Copilot

Pull request overview

Adds a new workflow step type (type: init) so workflows can bootstrap (or merge into) a Spec Kit project by invoking the bundled specify init logic in-process, enabling end-to-end “scaffold → run steps” workflows without requiring a manual pre-step.

Changes:

Introduces InitStep (src/specify_cli/workflows/steps/init/) that builds specify init argv from step config, runs it via CliRunner, and captures exit_code/stdout/stderr.
Registers the new step type in the workflow step registry and engine’s valid-step-type fallback, and updates architecture/README docs.
Adds tests covering argv building, workflow-default integration fallback, directory creation via project, invalid integration failure, and validation.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
workflows/README.md	Documents the new `init` step type and provides a YAML example.
workflows/ARCHITECTURE.md	Updates step-type counts/table and module tree to include `init`.
tests/test_workflows.py	Adds test coverage for the new `InitStep`.
src/specify_cli/workflows/steps/init/init.py	Implements `InitStep` execution, expression resolution, and validation.
src/specify_cli/workflows/engine.py	Adds `init` to the engine’s valid step-type fallback set.
src/specify_cli/workflows/init.py	Registers `InitStep` in the built-in `STEP_REGISTRY`.

Copilot's findings

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Files reviewed: 6/6 changed files
Comments generated: 3

Copilot

Copilot's findings

Files reviewed: 6/6 changed files
Comments generated: 1

Copilot

Copilot's findings

Files reviewed: 6/6 changed files
Comments generated: 3

…ne-owned dirs - Apply DEFAULT_INIT_INTEGRATION fallback when neither step config nor workflow context provides an integration, so output.integration always reflects the actual integration used. - Add integration_options config field to support --integration-options passthrough (required for generic integration and --skills mode). - Exclude .specify/ from the non-empty directory fast-fail check so that here: true works when the engine has already created its run-state directory before steps execute. - Note: mix_stderr=False is not needed — Click 8.2+ captures stderr separately by default and the existing try/except handles access. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot

Copilot's findings

Files reviewed: 6/6 changed files
Comments generated: 3

When the workflow engine creates .specify/workflows/runs/ before steps execute, the directory is technically non-empty. Previously, specify init would prompt for confirmation (hanging in unattended mode) unless the user explicitly set force: true. Now the step detects that only engine-owned directories (.specify/) are present and implicitly adds --force so init proceeds without user interaction. Also fixes the test to exercise the implicit-force path rather than passing force: True explicitly (which bypassed the check entirely). Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot

Copilot's findings

Files reviewed: 6/6 changed files
Comments generated: 4

…rror, include all resolved fields in output - Derive VALID_SCRIPT_TYPES from SCRIPT_TYPE_CHOICES in _agent_config so the valid set cannot drift from the specify init CLI. - Fail fast with a clear error when os.scandir() raises OSError (e.g. permission denied) instead of silently treating the directory as empty. - Include preset, force, and ignore_agent_tools in all output dicts (both fast-fail and normal paths) for consistent interpolation and debugging downstream. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot

Copilot's findings

Files reviewed: 6/6 changed files
Comments generated: 2

…rding - When Click does not expose result.stderr (older versions where stderr is mixed into stdout), use stdout as stderr on non-zero exit so workflows can consistently read steps.<id>.output.stderr for errors. - Update README inline comment for force: wording to say 'when target directory already exists' rather than 'non-empty directory', matching the actual specify init behavior for the project: form. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot

Copilot's findings

Files reviewed: 6/6 changed files
Comments generated: 3

- Move argv flag-building (--integration, --script, --preset, --ignore-agent-tools) before the non-empty-dir and OSError early returns so output['argv'] always reflects the complete command. - --force is appended after the check since it may be set implicitly. - Replace list comprehension with any() generator expression to short-circuit without allocating a full list of DirEntry objects. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot

Copilot's findings

Files reviewed: 6/6 changed files
Comments generated: 1

A file or symlink named .specify should not be excluded from the non-empty check. Use entry.is_dir(follow_symlinks=False) to ensure only an actual directory is considered engine-owned content. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot

Copilot's findings

Files reviewed: 6/6 changed files
Comments generated: 2

…ack order - Only set implicit --force when engine-owned directories (.specify/) are actually present. A completely empty directory no longer gets --force added unnecessarily. - Fix integration resolution precedence: resolve step config expression first, then fall back to workflow default (also resolved), then to DEFAULT_INIT_INTEGRATION. Previously, a step expression resolving to falsy would bypass the workflow default entirely. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot

Copilot's findings

Files reviewed: 6/6 changed files
Comments generated: 0 new

Copilot AI assigned Copilot and mnriem Jun 3, 2026

Copilot AI requested review from Copilot and removed request for Copilot June 3, 2026 21:49

Copilot AI linked an issue Jun 3, 2026 that may be closed by this pull request

Add a InitStep so we can use a workflow to bootstrap a project #2837

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Copilot AI requested review from Copilot and removed request for Copilot June 3, 2026 21:56

Copilot AI changed the title ~~[WIP] Add InitStep for bootstrapping project workflow~~ Add init workflow step to bootstrap projects like specify init Jun 3, 2026

Copilot finished work on behalf of mnriem June 3, 2026 21:58

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mnriem merged commit 00bff78 into main Jun 17, 2026
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mnriem deleted the copilot/add-init-step-bootstrap-project branch June 17, 2026 16:46

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Copilot AI commented Jun 3, 2026 •

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