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Technical skills needed

Spec-Up-T is a simple tool designed to facilitate the creation, management, and rendering of technical specifications. Users who intend to leverage Spec-Up-T for their projects must possess this technical knowledge: Installation, configuration, and utilization of this tool. This article delves into the technical prerequisites necessary to operate Spec-Up-T competently.

Each type of user needs only some of the knowledge described here. We distinguish different roles.

1​

Node.js and npm​

At the core of Spec-Up-T's installation and operation lies the Node.js environment, coupled with npm (Node Package Manager).

Required Knowledge:

  • Installation and Setup: Download and install Node.js, and set up all relevant dependencies correctly.
  • Command-Line Interface (CLI) Proficiency: Operations, including installing Spec-Up-T, running npm commands, and managing directories, are executed via terminal commands.
  • Understanding npm Scripts: Think of npm run install, npm run render, and npm run dev. These scripts automate various tasks in Spec-Up-T, from installing dependencies to rendering the final HTML output.

2​

File System Navigation and Directory Management​

Spec-Up-T users need to navigate through the file system, create and manage directories, and understand relative paths. These tasks are fundamental to setting up and maintaining a Spec-Up-T project.

Required Knowledge:

  • Know how to move between directories using the command line. (cd command) and create directories (mkdir).

3​

JSON Configuration Files​

The specs.json file plays a key role in Spec-Up-T, as it contains configuration details that dictate how the tool generates and outputs the specification documents. It's JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format; it's a lightweight data-interchange format that is doable for humans to read and write.

Required Knowledge:

  • Editing JSON Files: Be able to open, read, and edit JSON files to customize their Spec-Up-T setup.
  • Understanding JSON Structure: A basic understanding of JSON structure—such as key-value pairs, arrays, and nested objects—is necessary to effectively modify the specs.json file.

4​

Markdown Language​

Markdown is a lightweight markup language that you can use to add formatting elements to plaintext text documents. Read more about Markdown

Required Knowledge:

  • Markdown Syntax: Be comfortable with Markdown syntax, including headers, lists, links, and code blocks. Structure the content of your specification clearly and concisely.

5​

Web Development​

Since Spec-Up-T ultimately renders an HTML file that is intended for web viewing, a foundational understanding of web development is beneficial.

Required Knowledge:

  • Browser Usage: Use a web browser to open the index.html file.

6​

GitHub Version Control and GitHub Actions Automation​

Automate the rendering and deployment of your specifications.

Required Knowledge:

  • Basic Git Operations: Understand how to commit changes, push them to a remote repository, and manage branches within a Git version control system. This is crucial for maintaining a history of changes and collaborating with others. Offering a PR is another skill you need to possess.
  • GitHub Actions: GitHub Actions or similar CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) automates the rendering process. Set up workflows that trigger rendering and deployment automatically upon certain events, such as commits or pull requests (PRs).

7​

Debugging and Development Tools​

Spec-Up-T provides different modes for rendering specifications, including a development mode that enables debugging features.

Required Knowledge:

  • Using npm run dev: Users should be familiar with development workflows, where the npm run dev command allows them to test and debug their specifications before finalizing them.
  • Debugging Techniques: Basic debugging techniques, such as checking for errors in the terminal output and using browser developer tools to inspect rendered HTML, can be very helpful in troubleshooting issues with the specification files.

Summary​

Operating Spec-Up-T requires a blend of technical skills across several domains, including Node.js and npm, file system management, JSON configuration, Markdown proficiency, web development, version control, and debugging. Users with a solid understanding of these areas can use Spec-Up-T fully. Once installed and configured, you can structure your technical specifications, including your terminology, well for your projects.