spec-watcher is a full-screen terminal dashboard that continuously watches a repository's docs/specs folder and shows every spec's name, status, and task progress in one live, navigable table. It adds a per-spec detail view, drift/attention flags, local git branch awareness, and a headless JSON/Markdown mode for CI. Specs can be edited in place: tick tasks off and change a spec's status from the detail view. It tracks drift, flagging a spec marked Complete with tasks outstanding, or one whose tasks are all done but whose status has not caught up.
Publisher’s description
What is spec-watcher?
spec-watcher is an open-source terminals & cli tool program for Windows from Usual Expat Limited. It is written in C#.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit and ARM64 as Portable. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.1.0, released on August 24, 2026. 2 versions are listed since July 30, 2026, each with links to its own installer files.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (mgpeter/spec-watcher) has 1 stars. Similar programs include PowerShell, QPDF and Oh My Posh.
Project description on GitHub: “A full-screen terminal dashboard that watches a repository's specs folder and shows every spec's name, status, and task progress in one live, navigable table. Arrow-key/mouse navigation with a per-spec detail view that shows the whole spec.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Portable: runs without installation
In short: spec-watcher is an open-source terminals & cli tool tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs.
Is spec-watcher safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
9C704CDC3011F8F18750AF3CDF2B0CD6C275382C23440B679CDD39ECF28BD19D· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 2 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1.0Latest | August 24, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 1.0.0 | July 30, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id UsualExpat.SpecWatcher -eRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Usual Expat Limited
- Category
- Terminals & CLI tools
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/mgpeter/spec-watcher
- Written in
- C#
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 1.1.0
- Released
- August 24, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- July 30, 2026
- Versions listed
- 2
- GitHub stars
- 1
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- UsualExpat.SpecWatcher
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is spec-watcher free?
Yes. spec-watcher is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is spec-watcher safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install spec-watcher with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does spec-watcher run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of spec-watcher?
The versions page lists all 2 versions with links to their official installer files, back to July 30, 2026.
Can I use spec-watcher without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to spec-watcher?
PowerShell, QPDF, Oh My Posh, fzf and Alacritty. The alternatives page compares them.
