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Guide: desktop tools with local project access

How-to Steps for one specific job. Assumes you already know the basics.

🌍 Language pair / Par de idioma

Section titled “🌍 Language pair / Par de idioma”

🗣️ Friendly prompt (copy/paste)

Section titled “🗣️ Friendly prompt (copy/paste)”

Use this when you are not technical and want the AI to do setup + guidance end-to-end:

Using https://github.com/juanklagos/spec-driven-development-template, create everything needed to carry out my project end-to-end.
My project is: [describe your project in plain language].


If my project is new, initialize it with this template and GitHub Spec Kit.
If my project already exists, adapt it to idea/specs/bitacora without breaking current behavior.
Guide me step by step for my level (beginner/intermediate/advanced), using simple language.
Do not skip specification, plan, tasks, refinement trace, logbook, and validation.

[!TIP] For startup instructions and prompts, use:

This guide explains how to use this template with Artificial Intelligence desktop assistants that can read and write local files.

Goal

Section titled “Goal”

Codex desktop, Claude desktop, or any other assistant you have pointed at a local folder: same structure, same trace, same result. The tool changes; the discipline does not.

What “local access” means

Section titled “What “local access” means”

The assistant can read your project files, create and edit documents, and — if you allow it — run terminal commands. That last one is where mistakes get expensive, so read the safety notes below before you enable it.

Section titled “Recommended workflow (always)”
flowchart LR
  A["Open local project"] --> B["Read idea + specs + logbook"]
  B --> C["Select active spec"]
  C --> D["Plan changes"]
  D --> E["Write/edit files"]
  E --> F["Validate"]
  F --> G["Update logbook"]

Session startup checklist

Section titled “Session startup checklist”
  • Opened the correct project root.
  • Confirmed idea/, specs/, bitacora/ exist.
  • Read idea/IDEA_GENERAL.md.
  • Read specs/INDEX.md.
  • Read latest file in bitacora/handoffs/.

Base prompt for desktop assistants

Section titled “Base prompt for desktop assistants”
Work in local mode on this folder.
Do not create files outside this standard.
Follow this order:
1) idea/IDEA_GENERAL.md
2) specs/INDEX.md
3) latest handoff in bitacora/handoffs/


Then:
- select one active specification,
- propose a short plan,
- execute only in-scope changes,
- update logbook at session close.


Output format:
1) Goal
2) Modified files
3) Validation
4) Risks
5) Next step

Suggested setup by tool type

Section titled “Suggested setup by tool type”

1) Codex desktop

Section titled “1) Codex desktop”

Recommendation:

  • Open project folder as workspace.
  • Start with context reading (idea/specs/logbook).
  • Request small, controlled execution blocks.

Suggested prompt:

Act as a local implementation assistant.
First summarize project context from idea/specs/logbook.
Then execute one task from the active spec and report exact changed file paths.

2) Claude desktop

Section titled “2) Claude desktop”

Recommendation:

  • Use short iterations.
  • Ask for plan summary before execution.
  • Require logbook update at the end.

Suggested prompt:

Before writing files, explain your plan in 3 steps.
Then apply minimal changes.
At the end, prepare one global log entry and one daily log entry.

3) Other desktop tools

Section titled “3) Other desktop tools”

Universal rule:

  • If the tool can edit locally, it must follow this template structure strictly.
  • If it cannot edit, it must return copy-ready content with exact file paths.

Suggested prompt:

Use this repository as source of truth.
Do not change base structure.
If context is missing, ask before editing.
If scope changes, update history.md and logbook.

4) MCP-compatible desktop tools

Section titled “4) MCP-compatible desktop tools”

If your desktop assistant supports MCP servers, connect the local sdd-mcp server instead of relying only on free-form prompts.

Reference:

Why this is better:

  • tools are explicit
  • policy and templates are exposed as resources
  • prompts are reusable and consistent
  • the SDD workflow becomes less dependent on model improvisation

Safety and control best practices

Section titled “Safety and control best practices”
  • Review file paths before confirming changes.
  • Avoid destructive commands in unrelated folders.
  • Commit often with clear messages.
  • Never push secrets or credentials.

Minimum validation per session

Section titled “Minimum validation per session”
Validation Expected result
Structure intact idea/, specs/, bitacora/ remain consistent
Active spec updated history.md reflects changes
Logbook updated Global + daily + handoff (if needed)

🚨 Warning signals

Section titled “🚨 Warning signals”

Stop implementation and align first if:

  • Idea and specification conflict.
  • Undocumented scope change appears.
  • Acceptance criteria are unclear.

Session close (mandatory)

Section titled “Session close (mandatory)”
  • Update bitacora/global/PROJECT_LOG.md
  • Update bitacora/diaria/YYYY-MM-DD.md
  • Create handoff if pending work remains
  • Confirm exact next step