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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.oktolabs.ai/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Refinement

You can use refinement when an ideation is promising but still needs investigation before it becomes a spec. Refinement is the deeper research stage between early idea and committed contract.

What is a refinement and when to use it

A refinement is a structured investigation artifact. Use it when the team needs to inspect code paths, validate feasibility, collect constraints, compare options, or resolve dependencies before spec drafting. Use refinement instead of going straight from ideation to spec when the work crosses module boundaries, affects data storage, changes permissions, or depends on a behavior that must be proven in source.

States

StateMeaning
draftInvestigation exists but has not started.
in_progressThe agent is collecting evidence and answering open questions.
reviewFindings are ready for review.
approvedThe investigation is accepted and can feed a spec.
doneRefinement is complete.
cancelledThe investigation should stop.

Deep investigation protocol

Refinement should produce evidence, not just a better-written idea. A useful refinement answers:
  • Which source files, APIs, routes, data models, or deployment constraints matter?
  • Which assumptions were checked and which remain open?
  • Which choices were rejected and why?
  • What risk changes the spec or implementation plan?
okto_pulse_create_refinement
okto_pulse_get_refinement_context
okto_pulse_move_refinement
okto_pulse_get_refinement_history

Knowledge, mockups, and architecture

Refinement can carry the same supporting artifacts as ideation: knowledge, mockups, architecture diagrams, and Q&A. The difference is intent. Ideation artifacts clarify the problem; refinement artifacts prove implementation constraints.

Deriving a spec from a refinement

Use okto_pulse_derive_spec_from_refinement after the refinement is approved. The resulting spec should be grounded in the refinement’s evidence, not just its summary.
okto_pulse_derive_spec_from_refinement(board_id="...", refinement_id="...")
Last modified on May 8, 2026