> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.fabriqa.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# AI-DLC workflow

> Understand AI-DLC from the user's perspective and see how the built-in AI-DLC workflow is structured.

# AI-DLC workflow

AI-DLC is Fabriqa's built-in workflow for planning and executing complex software delivery with explicit artifacts, review points, and execution outputs.

From your perspective, AI-DLC does three things well:

* it turns a high-level request into a structured plan
* it groups related work into buildable execution batches called bolts
* it leaves behind design docs, execution docs, and operational handoff artifacts that read like documents instead of raw data blobs

<Info>
  AI-DLC is prompt-driven but schema-informed. The agents still decide when to plan, create follow-up artifacts, or replan. The workflow definition makes the artifact contracts explicit so both the product and the agents understand the same model.
</Info>

## Read this guide in order

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="User flow" icon="git-branch" href="/workflows/ai-dlc-flow">
    Follow AI-DLC from the first request through planning, bolt execution, review, and operations handoff.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Artifact model" icon="scroll-text" href="/workflows/ai-dlc-artifacts">
    Learn what each AI-DLC artifact means, how targeting works, and what Construction produces while working.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Definition reference" icon="layout-dashboard" href="/workflows/ai-dlc-definition">
    See the target built-in AI-DLC definition shape in the Fabriqa Workflow DSL.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Workflow DSL" icon="compass" href="/workflows/workflow-dsl">
    Learn the underlying DSL that AI-DLC is built on.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Workflow glossary" icon="book-open" href="/workflows/workflow-glossary">
    Look up Fabriqa workflow terms while reading the AI-DLC docs.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## AI-DLC at a glance

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Inception" icon="lightbulb">
    Captures the intent, decomposes it into units and stories, groups stories into bolts, and records target scope.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Construction" icon="wrench">
    Executes one bolt at a time and creates design, execution, and verification artifacts while implementing the code.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Operations" icon="rocket">
    Tracks deployment-ready output, rollout progress, verification, and operational incidents through deployment artifacts.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## When to use AI-DLC

AI-DLC is a good fit when:

* the request is large enough to benefit from formal planning
* the work spans more than one meaningful implementation slice
* you want explicit design docs and execution outputs
* you are working across several workspace projects
* you want Construction to work against a planned bolt instead of an ad hoc prompt

## Related pages

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="AI-DLC user flow" icon="git-branch" href="/workflows/ai-dlc-flow">
    Start with the user journey across Inception, Construction, and Operations.
  </Card>

  <Card title="AI-DLC artifacts" icon="scroll-text" href="/workflows/ai-dlc-artifacts">
    Learn what each artifact means and how targeting works.
  </Card>

  <Card title="AI-DLC definition" icon="layout-dashboard" href="/workflows/ai-dlc-definition">
    See the target built-in AI-DLC definition in Workflow DSL form.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Workflow glossary" icon="book-open" href="/workflows/workflow-glossary">
    Keep the shared workflow vocabulary close while reviewing AI-DLC.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>