Context Driven Development

What CDD Is

Context Driven Development is a specification-first way to build software where project intent lives in context files, not in transient chat state.

The most important principle is reproducibility: a project should be reconstructable from scratch from context files only, with clear outcomes and verifiable actions.

• Code is disposable; the durable IP is the problem-solving knowledge.
• Context files capture that knowledge as outcomes plus E2E-testable next actions.
• With strong context files, teams can rewrite code from scratch without losing features.

What a Context File Is

A context file defines one desired outcome and the next actions required to reach it.

• One file = one outcome.
• Context files describe what to build, not implementation details.
• Each file uses required YAML frontmatter (context_id, title, project, created).
• Required sections are ordered: Desired Outcome, optional Reference, and Next Actions.
• Next Actions are black-box E2E testable and written as Description + Test table rows.

What a Project Is

A project is an operational unit with its own project index at .context/<project-name>/index.md.

• The index is operational knowledge, not a numbered context spec.
• It documents overview, architecture, CLI usage, key dependencies, environment variables, and troubleshooting.
• It focuses on what the project does and how to run it, without embedding implementation code.
• Project metadata (project_id, status, dependencies) keeps project relationships and sequencing explicit.