Great question! In 2026, several cutting-edge specification formats are gaining traction:
## 🚀 **Modern Specification Formats for 2026**
### **1. 🟨 YAML-Based Spec Languages**
- **OpenAPI 3.1** - Industry standard for APIs
- **AsyncAPI** - For event-driven architectures
- **Cue** - Google's data validation language
### **2. 🟦 Type-Specification Languages**
- **TypeSpec** (Microsoft) - Language for API specifications
- **Prisma Schema** - Database and service specifications
- **Zod** - TypeScript-first schema validation
### **3. 🟩 Graph-Based Specifications**
- **GraphQL SDL** - Schema Definition Language
- **Mermaid** - Diagram-as-code specifications
- **PlantUML** - UML as text
### **4. 🟪 Domain-Specific Languages**
- **Gherkin** - Behavior-Driven Development
- **Cucumber Expressions** - Structured specifications
- **Feature Files** - Living documentation
---
## 🎯 **My Recommendation: TypeSpec + YAML**
For your IntelliJ plugin spec, I recommend **TypeSpec** - it's Microsoft's cutting-edge specification language that:
✅ **Type-safe** with rich validation
✅ **Code-generation** capabilities
✅ **Multi-format output** (OpenAPI, JSON Schema, etc.)
✅ **IDE support** with IntelliSense
✅ **Modular** and composable specifications
---
## 🛠️ **Alternative: Structured YAML**
If you prefer something more established, I'd suggest a **structured YAML approach** with:
```yaml
# spec/intellij-plugin.yaml
spec:
version: "1.0.0"
type: "intellij-plugin"
components:
- name: "mcp-integration"
type: "service"
- name: "ui-dashboard"
type: "component"
```
---
## 🤔 **What's Your Preference?**
1. **TypeSpec** - Cutting-edge, code-generation focused
2. **Structured YAML** - Familiar, IDE-friendly
3. **Custom DSL** - Tailored to your exact needs
4. **Graph-based (Mermaid)** - Visual-first approach
Which direction interests you most? I can implement whichever format aligns with your vision!
