Getting Started

Canon is a spec-driven development platform. You write structured specs in markdown, and Canon generates tickets, reviews PRs, and verifies what shipped against your acceptance criteria.

Install the CLI

The fastest way to start is with the CLI. No server, no sign-up required.

# With pip
pip install canonhq

# With uv (recommended)
uv tool install canonhq

# Or run without installing
uvx --from canonhq canon --help

Then initialize any repo:

cd your-repo
canon setup

That's it. You now have CANON.yaml, a spec template, and a working local setup. Jump to the Quickstart to write your first spec and see the feedback loop.

What Can Canon Do?

Capability	How	Requirements
Parse & track specs	canon status, canon tasks	CLI only
Lint specs	canon lint	CLI only
Verify code against ACs	canon verify	CLI only
Audit with AI	canon audit	CLI + ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
Sync to Jira/Linear/GitHub	canon sync	CLI + ticket system credentials
PR analysis & auto-updates	GitHub App	GitHub App install
Spec search in your editor	MCP server	MCP setup
Slash commands in Claude Code	Plugin	Plugin install
CI checks (lint, coverage, sync)	GitHub Actions	Actions setup

Start with the CLI. Add integrations as you need them. See the CLI Reference for the full command list.

Next Steps

1. Installation — All install methods (CLI, GitHub App, MCP, Plugin, Actions, self-hosted)
2. Quickstart — Write a spec, run the tools, see the loop — in 5 minutes
3. Configuration — Customize CANON.yaml for your workflow
4. Writing Specs — Spec authoring guide with examples
5. Concepts — Living specs, delta tracking, coverage model