AI Era: Prototype First, Spec Later
haltakov · x · 2026-07-14
The author argues that the traditional "spec first, prototype later" sequence is being reversed in the AI era.
In a recent project, they first collaborated with stakeholders to build runnable UI and API prototypes. This allowed everyone to test and suggest changes based on a real system rather than imagining things from abstract documents. The code was then handed over to Claude Code to generate UI requirements, spec documents, and complete API documentation.
They conclude that code now embeds actual decisions and edge cases rather than team guesses. Historically, the most expensive part of software development was "writing highly detailed requirements upfront," but with AI assistance, this premise no longer holds true.
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