BMAD-METHOD/src/core-skills/bmad-spec/assets/headless-schemas.md

Headless JSON Schemas

The default invocation is headless: input goes in, JSON comes out. Omit keys for artifacts not produced.

Common fields

• status — "complete", "partial", or "blocked"
• intent — "create", "update", or "validate" (inferred from inputs)
• reason — required when status is "blocked"; one-sentence explanation
• assumptions — array of inferred values not directly confirmed by inputs
• open_questions — array of gaps that need a human decision

Create / Update

{
  "status": "complete",
  "intent": "create",
  "spec_path": "{run_folder}/prd-spec-20260518-1432.md",
  "decision_log_path": "{run_folder}/.decision-log.md",
  "source_artifact": "{run_folder}/prd.md",
  "capabilities": [
    {"id": "CAP-1", "intent": "User can record a voice memo pinned to current GPS coords."},
    {"id": "CAP-2", "intent": "User hears memos auto-trigger when walking within range of a drop."}
  ],
  "verdict": "Ready for downstream. All six Spec Law rules pass.",
  "assumptions": [],
  "open_questions": []
}

• spec_path follows the Workspace rules in SKILL.md: sibling of the source file ({input-basename}-spec-{datetime}.md) when input is a local file, or {planning_artifacts}/specs/{slug}-spec-{datetime}.md when input is chat-only or remote.
• source_artifact is the path consumed when distilling a ceremony doc; null for pure brain-dump or chat-only runs.
• decision_log_path is included only when a .decision-log.md was actually written to (the source's folder already had one). Omit the key entirely otherwise.
• capabilities carries IDs and one-line intents only — enough for downstream consumers to address them without re-reading the Spec.
• verdict is the one-paragraph self-validate result. When status is "partial", the verdict explains what is blocking "ready for downstream."

Validate-only

{
  "status": "complete",
  "intent": "validate",
  "spec_path": "{run_folder}/prd-spec-20260518-1432.md",
  "decision_log_path": "{run_folder}/.decision-log.md",
  "verdict": "Two rules weak: success signal is decorative; non-goals section empty.",
  "findings": [
    {"rule": "Success signal is concrete", "note": "Currently reads 'users love it' — not testable."},
    {"rule": "Non-goals are explicit", "note": "Section absent."}
  ],
  "offer_to_update": true
}

Blocked

{
  "status": "blocked",
  "intent": "create",
  "reason": "Input was a one-line idea with no surrounding context; too thin to distill. Suggest bmad-prd to draw the vision out first."
}

Always include the intent (best-guess if not certain) and a one-sentence reason.