Pavel Stupka created the Tandem Commander file manager using AI agents and documented specifications
Pavel Stupka created the Tandem Commander file manager from the Open Salamander 5.0 project. An early version is available for Windows, and the source code is licensed under GNU GPL v2. According to the author, development involves documented specifications, plans, test designs and human approval.
Pavel Stupka created the Tandem Commander file manager in his spare time, based on the Open Salamander 5.0 project. An early version is available for Windows, and the source code is published on GitHub under the GNU GPL v2 license. Features include two panes, tabs, support for Unicode and long paths, and a code viewer.
According to Stupka, development primarily uses Claude Code and GitHub Spec Kit. Each feature goes through a specification of user behavior, clarification of ambiguities, architecture and test design, task breakdown and implementation. A human makes decisions between stages. Alongside the code, the author says, documents are produced that record architectural decisions, the effects of changes, risks and a verification plan.
Stupka says each feature has its own folder within specs/ in the repository, containing a specification, a plan, tasks and other supporting materials. Other models also review the implementation; the author describes the benefits of this cross-review. He sets priorities, approves plans, tests results and decides on releases himself. According to him, the same process is being used to develop the installer and automation for publishing to Microsoft WinGet, where the submission is still awaiting approval.
Why it matters
The public repository makes it possible to explore a concrete process for modifying a legacy C++ application, from requirements through architecture to testing. According to the author, the documentation gives other agents supporting material for subsequent work. The case study also shows which decision-making and review tasks remain in human hands during this kind of development.
Two audiences, two different impacts
What this means
For individuals
An independent developer can study the public repository to see how the author breaks down extensive changes to legacy code into specifications, plans and verifiable tasks.
For a business
For development teams, this is an example of managing changes made by AI agents: human approval at each stage and documentation of the reasons behind architectural decisions are part of the process described.
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Event sources
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