ReSpec

April 18, 2026 · View on GitHub

ReSpec is a tool for writing W3C specifications and other technical documents. Write your content in HTML, add a <script> tag, and ReSpec handles the boilerplate, formatting, cross-references, bibliography, and validation automatically.

You don't need to install anything. Write an HTML file, open it in a browser, done.

Getting started

Grab the starter spec, change the title, add your name as editor, and start writing. Full documentation is at respec.org/docs:

Editor's Guide — complete walkthrough for new spec editors
WebIDL guide — for JavaScript API specifications
How Do I… — quick answers to common tasks

Note

This repository is for ReSpec's development. You don't need to clone or fork it to write a spec — just use the starter template above.

New to spec writing?

These resources will help you write better specs:

API Design Principles — what makes a good web API
Writing Promise-Using Specifications — async patterns for specs
Security & Privacy Self-Review Questionnaire — audit your spec before publishing
Short i18n review checklist — internationalization basics
Adding another permission? — before adding a new permission type

Bibliography

Use specref.org to look up and cite other specifications in your bibliography. ReSpec resolves [[SPEC-ID]] references automatically. You can also search specref directly from the ReSpec pill menu in any spec.