feat(scripts): add SPECIFY_INIT_DIR to target a member project from the repo root

Resolve an explicit SPECIFY_INIT_DIR project override once in the core
get_repo_root / Get-RepoRoot, so a non-interactive / CI caller can target a
member project (the directory containing .specify/) from a monorepo root
without cd. Strict by design: the path must exist and contain .specify/,
otherwise it hard-errors with no silent fallback.

- Single resolver in core; the git feature-branch script inherits it by
  sourcing core, with no per-extension copies.
- PS resolver verifies the resolved path is a directory (Resolve-Path also
  succeeds for files) so a file value errors as "not an existing directory".
- get_feature_paths splits decl/assignment so a SPECIFY_INIT_DIR failure
  propagates instead of being masked by `local`.
- create-new-feature-branch: when core is absent (only git-common loaded) and
  SPECIFY_INIT_DIR is set, hard-error rather than silently using the git root.
- Document SPECIFY_INIT_DIR and SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY in the core reference.
- Tests for valid/relative/trailing-slash/file/missing/no-.specify targets,
  feature-axis composition, the no-core guard, and a PowerShell mirror.

Author: PascalThuet

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 <!-- insert new changelog below this comment -->
 
+- feat(scripts): add SPECIFY_INIT_DIR to target a member project from the repo root (#2892)
+
 ## [0.10.1] - 2026-06-09
 
 ### Changed

docs/reference/core.md

@@ -50,8 +50,12 @@ specify init my-project --integration copilot --preset compliance
 
 | Variable          | Description                                                              |
 | ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
+| `SPECIFY_INIT_DIR` | Target a member project from outside its directory (e.g. a monorepo root) without `cd`, for non-interactive / CI use. Set it to the **project root** — the directory *containing* `.specify/` (relative paths resolve against the current directory). The path must exist and contain `.specify/`, otherwise the command errors and does **not** fall back to the current directory. Resolved once in the core `get_repo_root` helper, so it is honored by the core feature scripts (`/speckit.plan`, `/speckit.tasks`, …) and the Git extension's feature-branch creation, which inherit it. When unset, the project is detected by searching upward from the current directory as before. |
+| `SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY` | Override the active feature directory *within* the resolved project (above `.specify/feature.json`). Relative paths resolve under the project root. Combine with `SPECIFY_INIT_DIR` to pick both the project and the feature non-interactively. |
 | `SPECIFY_FEATURE` | Override feature detection for non-Git repositories. Set to the feature directory name (e.g., `001-photo-albums`) to work on a specific feature when not using Git branches. Must be set in the context of the agent prior to using `/speckit.plan` or follow-up commands. |
 
+> **Two resolution axes.** `SPECIFY_INIT_DIR` selects the **project** (which directory contains `.specify/`); `SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY` / `.specify/feature.json` select the **feature** within that project. They are independent — project first, then feature.
+
 ## Check Installed Tools
 
 ```bash

extensions/git/scripts/bash/create-new-feature-branch.sh

@@ -235,9 +235,20 @@ if [ "$_common_loaded" != "true" ]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
-# Resolve repository root
+# SPECIFY_INIT_DIR is resolved (and validated) by the core get_repo_root. If only
+# the minimal git-common.sh was loaded (core common.sh absent), refuse rather
+# than silently falling back to the git toplevel — honoring the no-silent-fallback
+# contract instead of creating the feature in the wrong project.
+if [ -n "${SPECIFY_INIT_DIR:-}" ] && ! type get_repo_root >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "Error: SPECIFY_INIT_DIR requires the Spec Kit core scripts (common.sh), which were not found." >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Resolve repository root. When the core scripts are present, get_repo_root
+# honors SPECIFY_INIT_DIR (the explicit project override for non-interactive /
+# CI use) and hard-fails on an invalid value with no silent fallback.
 if type get_repo_root >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    REPO_ROOT=$(get_repo_root)
+    REPO_ROOT=$(get_repo_root) || exit 1
 elif git rev-parse --show-toplevel >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     REPO_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
 elif [ -n "$_PROJECT_ROOT" ]; then

extensions/git/scripts/powershell/create-new-feature-branch.ps1

@@ -197,7 +197,17 @@ if (-not $commonLoaded) {
     throw "Unable to locate common script file. Please ensure the Specify core scripts are installed."
 }
 
-# Resolve repository root
+# SPECIFY_INIT_DIR is resolved (and validated) by core Get-RepoRoot. If only the
+# minimal git-common.ps1 was loaded (core common.ps1 absent), refuse rather than
+# silently falling back to the script-dir walk-up project -- honoring the
+# no-silent-fallback contract instead of targeting the wrong project.
+if ($env:SPECIFY_INIT_DIR -and -not (Get-Command Get-RepoRoot -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
+    throw "SPECIFY_INIT_DIR requires the Spec Kit core scripts (common.ps1), which were not found."
+}
+
+# Resolve repository root. When the core scripts are present, Get-RepoRoot
+# honors SPECIFY_INIT_DIR (the explicit project override for non-interactive /
+# CI use) and hard-fails on an invalid value with no silent fallback.
 if (Get-Command Get-RepoRoot -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {
     $repoRoot = Get-RepoRoot
 } elseif ($projectRoot) {

scripts/bash/common.sh

@@ -24,9 +24,42 @@ find_specify_root() {
     return 1
 }
 
+# Resolve an explicit SPECIFY_INIT_DIR project override (the directory that
+# *contains* .specify/), for non-interactive / CI use — e.g. running a Spec Kit
+# command against a member project from a monorepo root without cd.
+#
+# Precondition: SPECIFY_INIT_DIR is non-empty. Echoes the validated absolute
+# project root, or prints an error and returns 1. Strict by design: the path
+# must exist and contain .specify/, with no silent fallback to cwd or the
+# script-location default (which would silently write to the wrong project).
+#
+# This is the single resolver: bundled extensions inherit it by sourcing core
+# (e.g. the git extension's create-new-feature-branch) rather than duplicating it.
+resolve_specify_init_dir() {
+    local init_root
+    # Normalize: relative paths resolve against $(pwd); a trailing slash collapses.
+    # CDPATH="" so a relative value cannot be resolved against the caller's CDPATH
+    # (which would also echo to stdout and corrupt the captured path).
+    if ! init_root="$(CDPATH="" cd -- "$SPECIFY_INIT_DIR" 2>/dev/null && pwd)"; then
+        echo "ERROR: SPECIFY_INIT_DIR does not point to an existing directory: $SPECIFY_INIT_DIR" >&2
+        return 1
+    fi
+    if [[ ! -d "$init_root/.specify" ]]; then
+        echo "ERROR: SPECIFY_INIT_DIR is not a Spec Kit project (no .specify/ directory): $init_root" >&2
+        return 1
+    fi
+    printf '%s\n' "$init_root"
+}
+
 # Get repository root, prioritizing .specify directory
 # This prevents using a parent repository when spec-kit is initialized in a subdirectory
 get_repo_root() {
+    # Explicit project override wins (see resolve_specify_init_dir).
+    if [[ -n "${SPECIFY_INIT_DIR:-}" ]]; then
+        resolve_specify_init_dir
+        return
+    fi
+
     # First, look for .specify directory (spec-kit's own marker)
     local specify_root
     if specify_root=$(find_specify_root); then
@@ -119,8 +152,12 @@ _persist_feature_json() {
 }
 
 get_feature_paths() {
-    local repo_root=$(get_repo_root)
-    local current_branch=$(get_current_branch)
+    # Split decl/assignment so a SPECIFY_INIT_DIR validation failure in
+    # get_repo_root propagates as a hard error instead of being masked by `local`.
+    local repo_root
+    repo_root=$(get_repo_root) || return 1
+    local current_branch
+    current_branch=$(get_current_branch)
 
     # Resolve feature directory.  Priority:
     #   1. SPECIFY_FEATURE_DIRECTORY env var (explicit override)

scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh

@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ clean_branch_name() {
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(CDPATH="" cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
 source "$SCRIPT_DIR/common.sh"
 
-REPO_ROOT=$(get_repo_root)
+REPO_ROOT=$(get_repo_root) || exit 1
 
 cd "$REPO_ROOT"
 

scripts/powershell/common.ps1

@@ -24,9 +24,47 @@ function Find-SpecifyRoot {
     }
 }
 
+# Resolve an explicit SPECIFY_INIT_DIR project override (the directory that
+# *contains* .specify/), for non-interactive / CI use -- e.g. running a Spec Kit
+# command against a member project from a monorepo root without cd.
+#
+# Precondition: $env:SPECIFY_INIT_DIR is set. Returns the validated project root,
+# or writes an error and exits 1. Strict by design: the path must exist and
+# contain .specify/, with no silent fallback. (An empty string is falsy, so the
+# caller's `if ($env:SPECIFY_INIT_DIR)` guard treats empty as unset.)
+#
+# This is the single resolver: bundled extensions inherit it by sourcing core
+# (e.g. the git extension's create-new-feature-branch) rather than duplicating it.
+function Resolve-SpecifyInitDir {
+    $initDir = $env:SPECIFY_INIT_DIR
+    # Normalize: relative paths resolve against the current directory.
+    if (-not [System.IO.Path]::IsPathRooted($initDir)) {
+        $initDir = Join-Path (Get-Location).Path $initDir
+    }
+    $resolved = Resolve-Path -LiteralPath $initDir -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+    # Resolve-Path also succeeds for files, so check the resolved path is a
+    # directory; otherwise a file value would slip through to the less accurate
+    # "not a Spec Kit project" error below.
+    if (-not $resolved -or -not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $resolved.Path -PathType Container)) {
+        [Console]::Error.WriteLine("ERROR: SPECIFY_INIT_DIR does not point to an existing directory: $($env:SPECIFY_INIT_DIR)")
+        exit 1
+    }
+    $initRoot = $resolved.Path
+    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath (Join-Path $initRoot '.specify') -PathType Container)) {
+        [Console]::Error.WriteLine("ERROR: SPECIFY_INIT_DIR is not a Spec Kit project (no .specify/ directory): $initRoot")
+        exit 1
+    }
+    return $initRoot
+}
+
 # Get repository root, prioritizing .specify directory
 # This prevents using a parent repository when spec-kit is initialized in a subdirectory
 function Get-RepoRoot {
+    # Explicit project override wins (see Resolve-SpecifyInitDir).
+    if ($env:SPECIFY_INIT_DIR) {
+        return (Resolve-SpecifyInitDir)
+    }
+
     # First, look for .specify directory (spec-kit's own marker)
     $specifyRoot = Find-SpecifyRoot
     if ($specifyRoot) {

tests/extensions/git/test_git_extension.py

@@ -337,6 +337,20 @@ def test_dry_run(self, tmp_path: Path):
         assert data.get("DRY_RUN") is True
         assert not (project / "specs" / data["BRANCH_NAME"]).exists()
 
+    def test_specify_init_dir_without_core_errors(self, tmp_path: Path):
+        """With no core scripts (only git-common.sh loaded), a set SPECIFY_INIT_DIR
+        hard-errors instead of silently falling back to the walk-up project root."""
+        project = _setup_project(tmp_path, git=False)
+        # Simulate a no-core install: drop core common.sh so only git-common.sh loads.
+        (project / "scripts" / "bash" / "common.sh").unlink()
+        result = _run_bash(
+            "create-new-feature-branch.sh", project,
+            "--json", "--short-name", "x", "X feature",
+            env_extra={"SPECIFY_INIT_DIR": str(project)},
+        )
+        assert result.returncode != 0
+        assert "requires the Spec Kit core scripts" in result.stderr
+
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(not HAS_PWSH, reason="pwsh not available")
 class TestCreateFeaturePowerShell:
@@ -377,6 +391,23 @@ def test_no_git_graceful_degradation(self, tmp_path: Path):
         assert "BRANCH_NAME" in data
         assert "FEATURE_NUM" in data
 
+    def test_specify_init_dir_without_core_errors(self, tmp_path: Path):
+        """With no core scripts (only git-common.ps1 loaded), a set SPECIFY_INIT_DIR
+        hard-errors instead of silently falling back to the walk-up project root."""
+        project = _setup_project(tmp_path, git=False)
+        (project / "scripts" / "powershell" / "common.ps1").unlink()
+        script = project / ".specify" / "extensions" / "git" / "scripts" / "powershell" / "create-new-feature-branch.ps1"
+        env = {**os.environ, **_GIT_ENV, "SPECIFY_INIT_DIR": str(project)}
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            ["pwsh", "-NoProfile", "-File", str(script), "-Json", "-ShortName", "x", "X feature"],
+            cwd=project,
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            env=env,
+        )
+        assert result.returncode != 0
+        assert "requires the Spec Kit core scripts" in result.stderr
+
 
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