Developer builds spec-driven workflow to keep AI coding agents on track

A solo developer shipped a crypto fintech platform spanning 13 apps, three databases, and Kubernetes in roughly 70 days by using AI agents guided through a structured specification workflow rather than open-ended prompting. The core problem he identified was that capable AI models, lacking memory between sessions, tend to confidently implement the wrong solution when given vague instructions. To address this, he built an open-source kit called pi-sdd-kit for the Pi coding agent, which forces every feature through a fixed pipeline — from idea to plan to spec to execution — with mandatory human sign-off at each stage. The kit uses persistent 'steering documents' to give the agent lasting context about the product, tech stack, and architectural rationale, preventing it from making conflicting suggestions across sessions. A key enforcement mechanism is a simple .status file per feature, which the agent must check before acting — ensuring that a completed-looking spec is never mistaken for an approved one.