What is Living Spec?
The dot byob file set that carries a project forward across sessions: vision plus living spec plus bootstrap plus task plan. Chat history compacts, files persist, and every turn starts from the files instead of a bloated transcript.
Related terms
Guided Preflight
The multi-step setup wizard BYOB runs before generating code: refining the prompt, identifying features, proposing UX direction, and choosing data options. Planning first is what separates coherent apps from random screens.
Agent Blueprint
The create-time record of a project’s seed, axes, and build plan. Blueprints make generation reproducible: the same brief plus the same plan rebuilds the same shape.
Session Compaction
Summarizing long build conversations so work continues within context limits without losing decisions. Compaction plus model lock keeps multi-session projects coherent.
Lucky Build (Autopilot)
The one-shot fast path that skips guided setup and generates directly from the prompt. Best for experiments and landing pages; guided preflight wins for anything with data or auth.
Pass-1 Build
The uninterruptible first generation surface: styles, layout, page, components, then validation. Letting pass one finish prevents half-built states that later edits have to repair.
Act Mode
The gear where BYOB edits files, connects services, runs checks, and moves the project forward. Chat Mode reasons and plans without touching files; Act Mode executes once decided.