Vibe coding needs a spec, too

Spec-driven development is emerging as a structured approach to AI-assisted coding, where developers write specifications that AI agents translate into code. AWS's Kiro IDE implements this methodology by breaking development into three phases: requirements, design, and tasks. Senior engineers are adopting this approach faster because it mirrors their natural problem-solving process of whiteboarding and documenting before coding. The shift emphasizes systems thinking and critical problem decomposition over raw coding skills, as AI handles implementation while developers focus on architecture and context. Kiro enforces test-driven development and uses techniques like neuro-symbolic AI for spec validation, addressing challenges around context management and hallucination reduction.