[Bug]: create-new-feature.sh reserves feature numbers non-atomically — concurrent invocations can share/overwrite a spec directory
- Dominant language
- Python
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- Avg merge
- 2d 13h
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Description
## Version
spec-kit v1.0.1 (`.specify/scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh`; the flow is also described in `.claude/skills/speckit-specify/SKILL.md`, "Create the directory and spec file")
## Description
Sequential numbering scans existing `specs/` directories, picks max+1, checks for existence, then uses `mkdir -p` and writes `spec.md`. Nothing in that sequence is atomic: two concurrent invocations (parallel agents on worktrees sharing a specs dir, or two terminals) can both scan, both select the same number, both pass the existence check (`mkdir -p` succeeds either way), and both write `spec.md` into the same directory — the second silently overwrites the first's starting specification.
This matters more now that multi-agent setups routinely run more than one spec-kit session against the same repository.
## Expected behavior
Reserve the directory with plain `mkdir` (no `-p`) so creation is exclusive; on `EEXIST`, discard the selected number, rescan, and retry before writing `spec.md`. A lock file would also work.
## Related
Prior sequential-numbering issues (#935, #975, #1332) covered scan-logic bugs in single-invocation scenarios; this one is specifically about the missing atomicity under concurrency.
Contributor guide
Research direction
Start with .specify/scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh and trace how it scans specs/, selects a number, creates the directory, and writes spec.md. Compare the flow with the “Create the directory and spec file” section in .claude/skills/speckit-specify/SKILL.md. Done means concurrent invocations reserve different directories and neither overwrites another invocation’s spec.md.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- bash
- Domain
- tooling
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Active
- Clarity
- Clearly specified
- Newbie friendliness
- 72/100