lohnsonok

Posted on Jan 5

Model Workflow Context (MWC): The Open Standard AI Coding Tools Have Been Waiting For

#ai #developertools #opensource #cursor

The Problem: A Fragmented AI Development Ecosystem

If you've been using AI-powered coding tools lately, you've probably experienced this frustration: you create an amazing workflow in Cursor, only to realize you can't use it in Windsurf. Or you've meticulously crafted prompts and context instructions in Claude Code that become useless when you switch to Antigravity.

We're living through an explosion of AI-assisted development tools, but there's a critical missing piece: interoperability.

Every tool speaks its own language. Every platform has its own way of defining context, managing workflows, and executing agent tasks. It's 2026, and we're repeating the same mistakes we made with chat apps in the 2010s—walled gardens everywhere.

But what if there was a better way?

Introducing Model Workflow Context (MWC)

MWC is an open standard for defining, sharing, and executing agentic workflows across AI-powered development tools.

Think of it as the "Markdown for AI workflows"—a simple, human-readable format that any tool can understand and execute. Whether you're using Cursor, Windsurf, Antigravity, or Claude Code, your workflows remain portable, reusable, and shareable.

Why MWC Matters

For Individual Developers:

Write a workflow once, use it everywhere
Share your best practices with the community
Stop reinventing the wheel for common tasks

For Teams:

Standardize development workflows across tools
Onboard new developers faster with documented workflows
Build institutional knowledge that doesn't lock you into a single vendor

For Tool Builders:

Focus on your unique features, not reinventing workflow definitions
Tap into a growing library of community workflows
Enable seamless user migration and multi-tool usage

How MWC Works

At its core, MWC is a JSON-based format that describes:

What the workflow should accomplish
How it should interact with AI models
Which tools and commands to use
When to execute specific steps

Here's a simple example:

{
  "name": "api-endpoint-creator",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "Creates a REST API endpoint with tests",
  "steps": [
    {
      "id": "analyze-requirements",
      "type": "model_call",
      "model": "claude-sonnet-4",
      "prompt": "Analyze the API requirements: {{user_input}}",
      "output": "requirements"
    },
    {
      "id": "generate-endpoint",
      "type": "code_generation",
      "template": "express-endpoint",
      "input": "{{requirements}}",
      "output_file": "src/routes/{{endpoint_name}}.js"
    },
    {
      "id": "create-tests",
      "type": "model_call",
      "model": "claude-sonnet-4",
      "prompt": "Generate comprehensive tests for: {{output_file}}",
      "output_file": "tests/{{endpoint_name}}.test.js"
    },
    {
      "id": "run-tests",
      "type": "shell_command",
      "command": "npm test {{endpoint_name}}.test.js"
    }
  ]
}

This workflow can be executed by any MWC-compatible tool. The tool handles the specifics of model calls, file operations, and command execution, but the workflow definition remains the same.

Real-World Use Cases

1. Feature Development Workflow

Define once how your team creates new features: requirements analysis, code generation, test creation, documentation, and PR preparation.

2. Code Review Automation

Create a workflow that analyzes PRs, checks for common issues, suggests improvements, and validates against team standards.

3. Database Migration

Standardize how migrations are created, reviewed, and tested across your entire team—regardless of which AI tool they prefer.

4. Documentation Generation

Automatically generate and update documentation that matches your team's style guide and standards.

The Vision: A Workflow Marketplace

Imagine a future where:

You browse a library of battle-tested workflows created by the community
You import a "Next.js component generator" workflow with one command
Your team shares internal workflows as easily as sharing a Git repository
Tool vendors compete on execution quality, not workflow lock-in

This is what MWC enables.

Current Status & Roadmap

MWC is currently in v1.0 with:

✅ Core specification defined
✅ JSON schema for validation
✅ Example workflows
🚧 Integration documentation (in progress)
🚧 Validation tools (in progress)

Coming Soon:

Q1 2026: Claude Code integration guide
Q2 2026: Cursor extension
Q2 2026: Windsurf plugin
Q3 2026: Antigravity support documentation
Q4 2026: Web-based workflow builder

Built on Open Standards

MWC isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. It builds on proven standards:

JSON Schema for validation
CommonMark for documentation
Semantic Versioning for compatibility
OpenAPI-inspired structure for familiarity

The specification is MIT-licensed and developed in the open on GitHub.

How You Can Get Involved

Whether you're a developer, tool builder, or AI enthusiast, there are many ways to contribute:

For Developers:

Try MWC: Create your first workflow and test it across tools
Share workflows: Submit your best workflows to the community repository
Provide feedback: Help refine the specification

For Tool Builders:

Implement MWC support: Make your tool MWC-compatible
Contribute to the spec: Share your expertise on agent architectures
Join the technical committee: Help guide MWC's evolution

For Everyone:

Star the repository: Show your support on GitHub
Spread the word: Share this article with your network
Join the discussion: Participate in GitHub Issues and Discussions

The Bigger Picture

MWC is more than a technical specification—it's a bet on openness, interoperability, and community collaboration in the age of AI-assisted development.

As AI tools become more powerful and prevalent, the cost of fragmentation only grows. Every proprietary workflow format is a barrier to innovation, a tax on learning, and a risk to our collective progress.

By adopting an open standard, we can:

Accelerate innovation by building on each other's work
Reduce vendor lock-in and preserve user freedom
Create network effects that benefit everyone
Focus energy on solving real problems, not integration headaches

Get Started Today

Ready to try MWC? Here's how to start:

Visit the repository: github.com/lohnsonok/model-workflow-context
Read the specification: Check out SPECIFICATION.md
Browse examples: Explore the workflows/ directory
Create your first workflow: Use the getting started guide
Share your experience: Open an issue or discussion

Join the Movement

The future of AI-assisted development is open, collaborative, and interoperable. MWC is taking the first step.

Will you join us?

Resources:

GitHub Repository: github.com/lohnsonok/model-workflow-context
Specification: View on GitHub
Getting Started: Quick Start Guide
Contributing: How to Contribute

Model Workflow Context is an open-source project licensed under MIT. All contributions are welcome and appreciated.

Tags: #AI #DeveloperTools #OpenSource #Cursor #Windsurf #ClaudeCode #Antigravity #Productivity #Automation

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