Create PRD

Generates a detailed Product Requirements Document (PRD) in Markdown format, based on a project's seed file and user input. The PRD is designed to be clear, actionable, and suitable for a junior developer to understand and implement.

Prerequisites

Before creating a PRD, verify:

Project exists: The project should have its own folder at .planning/[project-name]/
Tasks folder exists: Ensure .planning/[project-name]/tasks/ directory exists (create if missing)
Seed file exists: Check for .planning/[project-name]/seed.md containing the initial idea or concept

If the project structure doesn't exist, create it first following the project-setup conventions.

Process

Step 1: Read the Seed File from Disk

Read .planning/[project-name]/seed.md directly from disk — do not rely on any in-context version. The user may have edited the file after the project setup phase. Always use the on-disk content as the source of truth.

Use the file to understand:

The initial problem or opportunity
Rough feature ideas or concepts
Inspiration or reference links
Questions or uncertainties
Any initial thoughts that inform the PRD

Step 2: Ask Clarifying Questions

IMPORTANT: Do not skip this step. Ask questions to gather sufficient detail before generating the PRD.

Adapt questions based on the seed file content. Common areas to explore:

Area	Example Questions
Problem/Goal	"What problem does this feature solve for the user?" / "What is the main goal?"
Target User	"Who is the primary user of this feature?"
Core Functionality	"What are the key actions a user should be able to perform?"
User Stories	"Can you provide user stories? (As a [user], I want to [action] so that [benefit])"
Acceptance Criteria	"How will we know when this is successfully implemented?"
Scope/Boundaries	"What should this feature not do (non-goals)?"
Data Requirements	"What data does this feature need to display or manipulate?"
Design/UI	"Are there mockups or UI guidelines to follow?"
Edge Cases	"What edge cases or error conditions should we consider?"

Focus on understanding the "what" and "why" — the developer will figure out the "how."

Step 3: Generate the PRD

Based on the seed file and user's answers, generate a PRD with this structure:

# [Feature Name] - Product Requirements Document

## 1. Introduction/Overview
Briefly describe the feature and the problem it solves. State the goal.

## 2. Goals
List specific, measurable objectives for this feature.
- Goal 1
- Goal 2

## 3. User Stories
Detail user narratives describing feature usage and benefits.
- As a [type of user], I want to [action] so that [benefit]

## 4. Functional Requirements
List specific functionalities the feature must have. Use clear, concise language.
1. The system must allow users to...
2. The system must validate...
3. The system must display...

## 5. Non-Goals (Out of Scope)
Clearly state what this feature will NOT include.
- Will not support...
- Future consideration: ...

## 6. Design Considerations (Optional)
Link to mockups, describe UI/UX requirements, or mention relevant components/styles.

## 7. Technical Considerations (Optional)
Mention known technical constraints, dependencies, or suggestions.
- Should integrate with...
- Consider using...

## 8. Success Metrics
How will success be measured?
- Metric 1: ...
- Metric 2: ...

## 9. Open Questions
List remaining questions or areas needing clarification.
- [ ] Question 1
- [ ] Question 2

Step 4: Save the PRD

Generate filename: prd-[feature-name].md (kebab-case)
Save to: .planning/[project-name]/tasks/prd-[feature-name].md
Confirm creation with the user, showing the file path

Target Audience

The PRD reader is a junior developer. Requirements should be:

Explicit and unambiguous
Free of unexplained jargon
Detailed enough to understand the feature's purpose and core logic

Important Rules

Do NOT start implementing after creating the PRD
Always ask clarifying questions based on the seed file before generating
Iterate on the PRD based on user feedback

Edge Cases

No Seed File

Ask the user to describe their idea
Optionally create a seed.md first to capture raw thoughts
Proceed with questions as if seed content was provided verbally

Vague Requirements

Ask more specific questions
Suggest concrete options for the user to react to
Break down broad concepts into smaller, specific features

Multiple Features

Suggest creating separate PRDs for each major feature
Or create one PRD with clearly separated sections per feature

Existing PRD

If a PRD already exists for the feature, ask if user wants to:
- Update the existing PRD
- Create a new version (e.g., prd-feature-name-v2.md)
- Replace the existing one

Output

Format: Markdown (.md)
Location: .planning/[project-name]/tasks/
Filename: prd-[feature-name].md
Example: .planning/my-project/tasks/prd-user-authentication.md

gsdl-create-prd