Universal Development Standards
Version: 5.1.0-beta.4 | Released: 2026-04-01 | License: Dual License (CC BY 4.0 + MIT)
Language-agnostic, framework-agnostic development standards for software projects. Ensure consistency, quality, and maintainability across diverse technology stacks with AI-native workflows.
🚀 Quick Start
Install via npm (Recommended)
# Install globally (stable)
npm install -g universal-dev-standards
# Initialize your project
uds init
Looking for beta or RC versions? See Pre-release Versions.
Or use npx (No installation required)
npx universal-dev-standards init
Note: Copying standards alone won't enable AI assistance. Use
uds initto automatically configure your AI tool or manually reference standards in your tool's configuration file.
🗺️ What's Next?
| I want to... | Command |
|---|---|
| Understand an existing codebase | /discover |
| Build a new feature with specs | /sdd |
| Work with legacy code | /reverse |
| Choose a development methodology | /methodology |
| Make a clean commit | /commit |
Tip: Type
/dev-workflowfor a complete guide to all development phases and available commands.See also: Daily Workflow Guide
✨ Features
| Category | Count | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Core Standards | 71 | Universal development guidelines |
| AI Skills | 46 | Interactive skills |
| Slash Commands | 50 | Quick actions |
| CLI Commands | 9 | list, init, configure, check, update, skills, audit, agent, workflow |
What's New in 5.0? See Pre-release Notes for details on new features.
🏗️ Architecture
UDS uses a Dual-Layer Execution Model designed for both high-speed interactive development and deep technical compliance.
graph TD
A[AI Agent / Developer] --> B{Action Layer}
B -- "Daily Tasks" --> C[Skills Layer (.ai.yaml)]
B -- "Deep Review" --> D[Standards Layer (.md)]
C --> C1[Token-Efficient]
C --> C2[Interactive Wizards]
D --> D1[Comprehensive Theory]
D --> D2[Tool Configurations]
C1 -. "Fallback" .-> D1
| Aspect | Skills (Execution) | Core Standards (Knowledge) |
|---|---|---|
| Format | YAML-optimized | Full Markdown |
| Goal | High-speed interactive lookup | Deep understanding & Rationale |
| Token Usage | Minimal (AI-Friendly) | Detailed (Reference) |
🤖 AI Tool Support
| AI Tool | Status | Skills | Slash Commands | Configuration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | ✅ Complete | 29 | 33 | CLAUDE.md |
| OpenCode | ✅ Complete | 29 | 33 | AGENTS.md |
| Gemini CLI | 🧪 Preview | 18+ | 20+ | GEMINI.md |
| Cursor | ✅ Complete | Core | Simulated | .cursorrules |
| Cline / Roo Code | 🔶 Partial | Core | Workflow | .clinerules |
| Windsurf | 🔶 Partial | ✅ | Rulebook | .windsurfrules |
Status Legend: ✅ Complete | 🧪 Preview | 🔶 Partial | ⏳ Planned
📦 Installation Methods
CLI Tool (Primary)
npm (Recommended)
npm install -g universal-dev-standards
uds init # Interactive initialization
uds check # Check adoption status
uds update # Update to latest version
uds config # Manage preferences (language, mode)
uds uninstall # Remove standards from project
⚙️ Configuration
Use uds config to manage your preferences:
| Parameter | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Commit Language | uds config --lang zh-TW | Set preferred language for AI commits |
| Standards | uds init | Install all available standards |
| Tool Mode | uds config --mode skills | Choose between Skills, Standards, or Both |
👥 Contributing
- Suggest Improvements: Open an issue with problem and solution.
- Add Examples: Submit real-world usage examples.
- Extend Standards: Contribute language/framework extensions.
See CONTRIBUTING.md for detailed guidelines.
🌐 Ecosystem
UDS is the standards definition layer in the AsiaOstrich three-layer product architecture:
UDS (What to do) → DevAP (How agents do it) → VibeOps (Full lifecycle)