> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://archie.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Overview

> Specifications are the detailed plans Archie generates from your blueprint — three design groups that the build agents read before writing any code.

<Note>Specifications is coming soon. This documentation previews what the section will look like at launch.</Note>

Specifications are the detailed plans Archie generates from your blueprint and uses to drive code generation. Where the blueprint sets the direction (modules, user types, services, tech stack), specifications fill in the behavior, the visual decisions, and the technical strategy.

## Blueprint comes first

You can't open Specifications until your project has a generated blueprint. The Specifications tab gates itself behind the blueprint state and shows a "Specifications not ready yet" empty state until generation completes — Archie uses your blueprint as the foundation for modules, features, and user stories.

If you land on a "Specifications not ready" screen, click **Go to Blueprint**, run blueprint generation, and come back.

## Three design groups

Specifications are organized by design group, not by feature. Every project has the same three groups:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Functional Design" icon="square-function" href="/features/specifications/functional-design/overview">
    Archetype, user types, features, system services, and system requirements. What the app does and who does it.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Visual Design" icon="palette" href="/features/specifications/visual-design/overview">
    General brand and form factors, design principles, styling, and layout. How the app looks and behaves on screen.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Technical Design" icon="square-terminal" href="/features/specifications/technical-design/overview">
    Technical strategy, data model, custom functions, and integrations. How the app is built and runs.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## What feeds what

The flow is one direction: prompt → blueprint → specifications → code.

* Your **blueprint** defines the modules, user types, services, integrations, and technical stack at the architecture level.
* **Specifications** turn those into concrete editable plans: each archetype option, each user type's permissions, each feature's user stories and acceptance criteria, the visual styling, the technical strategy, and the data model.
* **Code generation** reads the whole spec set and generates frontend, backend, or full-stack code in one pass. There is no per-spec-type generation — you don't generate "just the visual design" or "just the technical design".

See [Specifications and code generation](/features/specifications/specifications-and-code-generation) for the details.

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Why can't I see Specifications on a new project?">
    Specifications are gated until blueprint generation completes. Open the Blueprint tab, run generation, and the Specifications tab becomes available. The empty state literally tells you this with a "Go to Blueprint" button.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I have to fill in every specification before generating code?">
    No. Archie pre-fills specs from the blueprint. You only need to edit the ones you want to steer — for most builders, that's user types, features, and visual styling. The rest can use the generated defaults.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I generate code from just one design group?">
    No. Code generation reads the entire specification set. The split happens at a different axis — Frontend-Only, Backend-Only, or Full-Stack — see [Quick Start](/introduction/getting-started/quick-start).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I edit specs and regenerate without losing other work?">
    Yes. Specifications are stored separately from the generated code; editing a spec doesn't touch your code until you re-run generation. See [Editing specifications](/features/specifications/editing-specifications).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>