Tool Reference

Hoofy exposes MCP tools and on-demand prompts across five systems. The AI uses them proactively based on built-in server instructions — you don't need to call them manually.

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Memory

Persistent context across sessions. SQLite + FTS5 full-text search with a knowledge graph for connecting observations.

Tool	Description
mem_save	Unified save interface. Supports save_type: observation | prompt | passive (default: observation), plus observation options (upsert, relate_to, topic_key) and namespace
mem_session	Unified session lifecycle: action: start | end
mem_search	Full-text search across all sessions. Supports namespace to filter by sub-agent. Supports max_tokens to cap response size
mem_context	Recent observations for session startup. Supports namespace to filter by sub-agent. Supports max_tokens to cap response size
mem_timeline	Chronological context around a specific event. Supports max_tokens to cap response size
mem_get	Full content of a specific observation (includes direct relations) and optional graph traversal via depth
mem_relate	Create a typed directional relation between two observations (relates_to, depends_on, caused_by, implements, supersedes, part_of)
mem_relate	Create or remove typed relations (action: add | remove)
mem_stats	Memory system statistics
mem_delete	Remove an observation
mem_update	Update an existing observation
mem_suggest_topic_key	Suggest stable key for upserts (evolving knowledge)
mem_progress	Read/write structured JSON progress doc for long-running sessions (one per project, auto-upserted). Supports namespace — scoped progress becomes progress/<namespace>/<project>
mem_compact	Identify and compact stale observations. Dual behavior: without compact_ids lists candidates, with compact_ids batch soft-deletes and optionally creates a summary observation. Supports namespace to scope compaction

Change Pipeline (5 tools)

Adaptive workflow for ongoing development. Includes mandatory sdd_context_check for conflict scanning.

Tool	Description
sdd_change	Create a new change (feature, fix, refactor, enhancement) with size (small, medium, large). One active change at a time. Artifacts stored in docs/changes/<slug>/
sdd_context_check	Mandatory conflict scanner — scans existing specs, completed changes, memory observations, and convention files (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, CONTRIBUTING.md, etc.) for ambiguities and conflicts. Runs as a stage in every change flow. Zero issues = advance. Issues found = must resolve. Supports max_tokens to cap response size
sdd_change_advance	Save stage content and advance to next stage
sdd_change_status	View current change status, stage progress, and artifacts
sdd_adr	Capture Architecture Decision Records (context, decision, rationale, rejected alternatives). Stored in docs/adrs/ with sequential NNN-slug.md naming

Bootstrap (2 tools)

Reverse-engineer existing codebases into SDD artifacts. Scan first, then bootstrap — no pipeline guards required.

Tool	Description
sdd_reverse_engineer	Scan an existing codebase and produce a structured evidence report (project overview, tech stack, architecture, conventions, data model, API, prior decisions, tests, business logic). Read-only — generates no files. Supports detail_level, max_tokens, scan_path, max_depth
sdd_bootstrap	Write SDD artifacts (requirements.md, business-rules.md, design.md) from AI-generated content — no pipeline guards. Only generates missing artifacts. Auto-marks output with Auto-generated header for review

Standalone (4 tools)

Tools that work without an active pipeline or hoofy.json. Useful for ad-hoc sessions, quick context gathering, spec-aware code reviews, and spec-vs-code auditing.

Tool	Description
sdd_explore	Pre-pipeline context capture — saves goals, constraints, tech preferences, unknowns, and decisions to memory. Upserts via topic key (call multiple times as thinking evolves). Suggests change type/size based on keywords. Use before sdd_change or sdd_init_project
sdd_suggest_context	Recommend relevant specs, memory observations, and completed changes for a task description. Scans artifacts, completed changes, memory, and conventions. Returns a prioritized, actionable list of context to read. Supports detail_level, max_tokens, project_name
sdd_review	Generate a spec-aware code review checklist for a change. Parses requirements (FR-XXX), business rules (BRC-XXX constraints), design decisions, and ADRs from memory. Returns verification items that reference specific spec IDs. Supports detail_level, max_tokens, project_name
sdd_audit	Compare specifications against actual source code and report discrepancies: missing implementations, stale specs, and inconsistencies. Read-only scanner — produces a structured report for the AI to analyze. Works standalone without an active pipeline

Project Pipeline (10 tools)

Full greenfield specification — from vague idea to validated architecture. 9 sequential stages with principles declaration, business rules extraction, and the Clarity Gate. Artifacts stored in docs/.

Tool	Stage	Description
sdd_init_project	Init	Initialize project structure (docs/ directory, hoofy.json). Auto-generates an SDD section in CLAUDE.md/AGENTS.md (idempotent)
sdd_create_principles	Principles	Capture golden invariants — project principles, coding standards, and domain truths that anchor all subsequent stages
sdd_create_charter	Charter	Save project charter — enterprise-grade project definition with domain context, stakeholders, vision, boundaries, success criteria, existing systems, and constraints. Four required + six optional fields
sdd_generate_requirements	Specify	Save formal requirements with MoSCoW prioritization (Must/Should/Could/Won't Have + Non-Functional)
sdd_create_business_rules	Business Rules	Extract declarative business rules from requirements using BRG taxonomy (Definitions, Facts, Constraints, Derivations) and DDD Ubiquitous Language
sdd_clarify	Clarify	Run the Clarity Gate — 8-dimension ambiguity analysis. Blocks until score meets threshold (guided: 70, expert: 50)
sdd_create_design	Design	Save technical architecture (components, data model, APIs, security, infrastructure, structural quality analysis)
sdd_create_tasks	Tasks	Save implementation task breakdown with dependency graph and optional wave assignments for parallel execution
sdd_validate	Validate	Cross-artifact consistency check (requirements <-> design <-> tasks). Includes structural quality verification
sdd_get_context	—	View project state, pipeline status, and stage artifacts. Supports detail_level, max_tokens

Pipeline Order

init → principles → charter → specify → business-rules → clarify → design → tasks → validate

Prompts (6 on-demand guides)

Detailed guidance loaded on-demand to reduce base instruction size. The AI requests the right prompt when it needs workflow-specific instructions.

Prompt	Description
/sdd-start	Start a new SDD project (guided conversation)
/sdd-status	Check current pipeline status
/sdd-stage-guide	Detailed instructions for the current pipeline stage (how to generate content, what to check)
/sdd-memory-guide	Best practices for memory operations (when to save, search patterns, topic keys, relations)
/sdd-change-guide	Complete guide for the change pipeline (all 12 flow variants, stage descriptions, artifact guards)
/sdd-bootstrap-guide	Instructions for bootstrapping existing projects (reverse-engineer -> analyze -> bootstrap workflow)