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Step 5 — Code — Git Repository

Once your BRD, SRD, and FSD are approved (see Specification — FSD & SRD), the project moves through three phases that take it from approved spec to an actual codebase: Plan & Task, Build, and Code – Git.


Phase 3 — Plan & Task

Purpose: Convert your approved specifications into an actionable development plan and task breakdown — the execution roadmap for the Build phase.

This phase has two components:

  • Development Plan — Sprint timelines, milestones, and phased deliverables
  • Development Tasks — Granular, actionable items for individual developers

Generating the Development Plan

  1. After your specs are approved, proceed to Phase 3 – Plan & Task.
  2. Open the Development Plan tab.
  3. Click "Generate Plan" to create the sprint plan and phased execution timeline.
  4. Once generated: Preview, Edit, Download, or Regenerate as needed.

Generating Development Tasks

  1. After finalizing the plan, navigate to the Development Tasks tab.
  2. Click "Generate Tasks" — DeX automatically creates actionable tasks based on the approved plan.
  3. Once generated: Preview, Edit, Download, or Regenerate if the plan changes.

🗓️ Ensure the Development Plan is reviewed and approved before generating tasks — tasks are derived directly from the plan structure, so changes to the plan after task generation will require regeneration.

Worked Example — Contractor Sync Sprint Plan (excerpt)

SprintFocusKey Deliverables
Sprint 1Core mobile app shell + authFlutter app skeleton, JWT login, site assignment data model
Sprint 2GeofencingPostGIS site radius validation, GPS capture, clock-in/out API
Sprint 3Facial verificationCamera capture flow, verification service integration, retry/flag logic
Sprint 4Supervisor dashboardReal-time on-site status view, flagged-attempt review screen
Sprint 5Payroll export + hardeningAttendance export format, security review, QA pass

Phase 4 — Build

Purpose: Compile and prepare the application for development execution based on the approved plan and tasks.

🔒 Access Control Notice: Phases 4 through 7 (Build, Code, QA, Deploy) are locked by default for standard users. This ensures governance, security, and proper authorization before compilation and deployment activities begin.

Requesting Build Access

  1. Click "Request Build Access" within Phase 4.
  2. This sends a notification to the Platform Administrator.
  3. The administrator reviews and grants permissions for Build, Code, QA, and Deployment stages — this may include provisioning VM access for your project workspace, depending on your organization's setup.
  4. Once approved, Phase 4 becomes fully accessible.

⚠️ Build Access is an organization-level governance gate, not a per-user toggle you control yourself. If you're blocked here, contact your Platform Administrator rather than your project team.

Build Execution

After access is granted, select your build strategy:

Build TypeDescriptionWhen to Use
Clean Build (From Scratch)Compiles the entire project using the FSD, SRD, and development planNew projects or full rebuilds
Addon Build (Incremental)Applies custom instructions; builds new features or patches existing files on top of an existing buildFeature additions or iterative updates

Steps:

  1. Select your preferred build type.
  2. Click "Start Colakin CLI Build" to initiate the build process.
  3. Monitor build progress in the terminal output panel.
  4. On successful completion, Phase 5 – Code becomes unlocked.

Worked Example — Contractor Sync Addon Build

After the initial Clean Build shipped Sprints 1–4, a new requirement came in mid-project: supervisors wanted a shift-handover note field attached to each clock-out. Rather than rebuilding from scratch:

  1. The team selected Addon Build (Incremental).
  2. They provided a custom instruction: "Add an optional text field to the clock-out flow for a shift-handover note, visible on the supervisor dashboard."
  3. DeX patched the relevant FSD-derived files (clock-out endpoint, mobile clock-out screen, dashboard view) without touching the rest of the codebase.
  4. The build completed and Phase 5 reflected only the changed files.

This is the core advantage of the Addon Build path — it lets you keep iterating on a live project without re-running a full rebuild for every small feature.


Phase 5 — Code – Git Repository

Purpose: Integrate the compiled application into a Git repository and provide a local workspace code editor for developers to review, refine, and manage the generated codebase.

Steps

  1. Access the Local Files tab to browse backend and frontend directory structures.
  2. Use the GitHub Repo tab to synchronize code with your connected repository.
  3. Use the built-in file search to locate specific files quickly.
  4. Open any file in the inline editor to view its contents.
  5. Perform file operations as needed:
    • Modify existing files
    • Create new files
    • Delete files that are no longer needed

🔗 Ensure your GitHub repository is connected before attempting to sync. Repository settings can be configured in your account preferences.

Worked Example — Contractor Sync Git Sync

For Contractor Sync, the team connected a GitHub repository under their organization (org/contractor-sync) during Phase 5. Backend (FastAPI) and frontend (Flutter) directories were synced as separate top-level folders, and the team used the inline editor to manually tune the PostGIS geofence radius default before pushing the change upstream via the GitHub Repo tab.


What's Next

➡️ QA — Outcome — Run automated tests against the compiled application before deployment.