* feat: add Oh My Pi (OMP) tool support
Add ToolCommandAdapter for Oh My Pi terminal AI coding agent.
- New adapter: src/core/command-generation/adapters/oh-my-pi.ts
- Commands: .omp/commands/opsx-<id>.md with description frontmatter
- Hyphen transform: /opsx: -> /opsx- (filename = command name)
- Argument injection: **Provided arguments**: $@ after **Input**: heading
- escapeYamlValue applied to description field
- Register in CommandAdapterRegistry and adapters/index.ts
- Add oh-my-pi to AI_TOOLS with skillsDir: '.omp'
- Add to hyphen command transformer whitelist in init.ts and update.ts
- Full test coverage (10 cases) in adapters.test.ts
- Update docs/supported-tools.md with directory reference and tool ID
Closes#713
* fix: address CodeRabbit nitpicks
- Move ohMyPiAdapter import before opencodeAdapter (alphabetical order)
- Break long SHALL sentence and remove redundant 'follows after' in spec
* docs: polish Oh My Pi support
* docs: address Oh My Pi review nits
---------
Co-authored-by: TabishB <tabishbidiwale@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
* feat(skills): auto-approve the openspec CLI in generated skills
Emit `allowed-tools: Bash(openspec:*)` in every generated SKILL.md so
agents that honor the Agent Skills standard run `openspec` commands
without prompting on each call. Scope is limited to the CLI; per the
standard `allowed-tools` pre-approves rather than restricts, so every
other tool a skill uses stays available under the user's normal
permission settings.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* feat(commands): auto-approve the openspec CLI in Claude slash commands
Extend the allowed-tools pre-approval to the second surface: Claude Code
/opsx:* slash commands share the skill frontmatter contract, so the
Claude command adapter now emits `allowed-tools: Bash(openspec:*)` too.
The value is single-sourced in `src/core/shared/allowed-tools.ts` (a
leaf module both surfaces import). Other command adapters are unchanged
— no other tool's slash-command format defines a per-command
pre-approval field; on the skills side every tool already gets the
standard field via generateSkillContent and non-implementing tools
ignore the unknown key.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(openspec): propose spec parser reading fidelity (fixes#361, #498, #312)
The requirement-parsing layer silently misreads valid Markdown:
- #361: requirement-body extraction returns only the first non-blank line,
so a SHALL/MUST that wraps onto line 2 fails `validate --strict`.
- #498: `validate` (delta-block parser) and `archive` (full-spec parser)
recognize requirements by different rules, so a stray `###` header passes
validate but becomes a phantom requirement that blocks archive.
- #312 (residual): the requirement-body loop breaks on any `#` line without
consulting the code-fence mask, truncating bodies that contain fenced
code with `#` comments.
Proposal: one shared, multi-line, fence-aware requirement-body extractor used
by both the validator and the markdown parser; recognize only
`### Requirement:`-prefixed level-3 headers; guarantee validate/archive parity.
Adds regression + parity tests. #559 investigated and deferred (ambiguous root
cause — see design.md).
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(openspec): bulletproof parser-fidelity proposal with empirical evidence
Hardened the proposal after reproducing every claim against main with the
bundled CLI and correcting two inaccuracies:
- #498 reframed: archive does NOT hard-fail. validate passes; archive emits
NON-BLOCKING phantom "Proposal warnings in proposal.md" because
validateChange/parseRequirements counts every level-3 header as a
requirement, while the delta-block parser (validate) and specs-apply
(rebuild) only recognize canonical `### Requirement:`. It is a consistency
bug, not data loss. Verified the rebuilt spec is clean.
- #312 reframed: the original repro is already fixed by codeFenceLineMask
(requirement count verified correct). The residual is a regression hazard:
the body loop is fence-unaware, harmless only while first-line-only, so the
multi-line fix must be fence-aware from the start.
Also: unify recognition on the canonical REQUIREMENT_HEADER_REGEX
(/^###\s*Requirement:\s*(.+)$/i, case-insensitive); surfaced a third latent
inconsistency (Zod substring includes('SHALL') vs delta word-boundary
\b(SHALL|MUST)\b) and added a single-predicate requirement; verified zero
non-Requirement level-3 headers in repo specs (CI-safe); added edge-case
scenarios (multi-line spec+delta paths, fenced scenario-looking lines,
REMOVED/RENAMED unaffected, display vs detection); replaced broken relative
links with plain paths. Proposal passes `openspec validate --strict`.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(openspec): deepen parser-fidelity proposal — add #418, upgrade #312, tier the risk
Second adversarial bulletproofing pass (reproduced everything against main):
- Add #418 (metadata-before-description): live on the spec path
(req.text = "**ID**: ...") but ALREADY fixed on the delta path. The
asymmetry is direct evidence for unifying the two extractors.
- Upgrade #312 from "regression hazard" to LIVE bug: a fenced code block
before the prose line makes req.text = "```bash" on both paths today
(distinct from the already-fixed section-count manifestation).
- Tier the fixes by risk after auditing the existing test contract
(markdown-parser.test.ts, 15 tests green on main):
Tier 1 (false-negative fixes #361/#418/#312): only widens what is read;
updates one test (:331, which asserts the first-line bug). Fence tests
(:106/:139) preserved because skip-and-join keeps SHALL-first bodies.
Tier 2 (recognition tightening #498): canonical ### Requirement: only;
a deliberate behavior change that updates bare-header tests (:258/:310)
and needs a migration note. Flagged for maintainer decision, with a
conservative opt-in-lint alternative documented.
- Surface the four-column extractor divergence table (capture / metadata /
recognition / predicate) and an explicit "Behavior changes and test impact"
section with exact test line refs.
Proposal passes `openspec validate --strict`. Does not claim #1156 (PR #1280).
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(openspec): third pass — reject recognition tightening, add fenced-scenario bug, #498→safe INFO
Third deep pass found the prior Tier 2 (recognition tightening to
`### Requirement:`) was the WRONG fix and over-scoped:
- Bare `### <statement>` headers are a SUPPORTED, tested requirement format:
test/core/validation.test.ts asserts a bare-header spec is valid, and bare
headers appear across json-converter/archive/spec tests and tmp-init
fixtures. Tightening would break a large test surface and silently drop
requirements from real specs. REJECTED, with evidence documented.
- Replace the #498 fix with a SAFE INFO note in validate <change> that surfaces
non-`### Requirement:` headers in delta sections. INFO never fails validation
(strict: valid = no errors && no warnings), so nothing newly fails.
- New bug found and folded in: countScenarios is fence-unaware, so a `####
Scenario:` inside a fenced block is counted as real — a malformed delta passes
validate <change> while validate <spec> correctly fails. Same fence family.
- Proved the archive WRITE path is independent of the reader: specs-apply
rebuilds from raw `### Requirement:` blocks (extractRequirementsSection +
RequirementBlock.raw), never parseSpec/req.text → Part A cannot change
archived content.
Net effect: recognition is unchanged, so the proposal now updates exactly ONE
existing test (:331, the first-line assertion) instead of breaking bare-header
tests. Consolidated to a single cli-validate delta (dropped cli-archive and
openspec-conventions deltas). Dropped the no-space-header hypothesis (no
divergence). Passes `openspec validate --strict`.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix(parser): unify the requirement reader, fence/metadata/multi-line aware (#361, #418, #312); surface #498
The requirement reader was implemented twice — MarkdownParser.parseRequirements
(validate <spec>/archive) and Validator.extractRequirementText/countScenarios
(validate <change>) — and the two had drifted. Both now delegate to one shared,
fence-/metadata-/multi-line-aware extraction in parsers/requirement-text.ts so
they cannot diverge again.
Part A — unify the reader:
- Capture the full requirement body up to the first non-fenced `#### Scenario:`,
skipping blank, `**metadata**:`, and fenced-code lines; run SHALL/MUST
detection over the whole body. Fixes a wrapped keyword being dropped (#361),
metadata before the description failing validate <spec> (#418), and a fenced
block before the prose line becoming the requirement text (#312).
- Count only non-fenced `#### ` headers, so a `#### Scenario:` inside a fenced
example no longer counts as a real scenario in validate <change> (parity with
validate <spec>).
- One whole-word `\b(SHALL|MUST)\b` predicate (containsShallOrMust) shared by the
validator and base.schema, replacing the substring/word-boundary split.
- Extract buildCodeFenceMask into the shared module; MarkdownParser and
ChangeParser import it (single fence implementation).
Part B — surface #498 safely:
- validate <change> emits an INFO note when an ADDED/MODIFIED Requirements
section contains a non-`### Requirement:` level-3 header (one the delta reader
silently skips). INFO never changes the valid result, including under --strict,
so nothing newly fails. Recognition is unchanged: bare `### <statement>`
headers remain a supported requirement format.
Write path is unaffected: specs-apply rebuilds from raw `### Requirement:`
blocks, never req.text, so archived content cannot change. Displayed text in JSON
output and delta descriptions now reflects the full body.
Tests: markdown-parser.test.ts:331 updated to expect the full body; regression
tests added for #361/#418/#312, the fenced scenario, the #498 INFO note, a
single-line guard, and CRLF. Changeset added (patch). tasks.md completed.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* test(parser): add cross-reader predicate + metadata-only guards (design edge cases)
Exhaustive verification of the unified reader surfaced two design "edge cases
for tests" not yet covered by committed unit tests:
- Cross-reader predicate agreement: a SHALL substring inside a word ("MARSHALL")
is rejected identically by validate <change> and validate <spec> — proving the
one shared whole-word predicate, and guarding against a regression to the old
substring check.
- Metadata-only body still fails validation (no requirement text) on the delta
path.
Behavior unchanged; tests only. Full end-to-end parity across all four spec
requirements confirmed against the real Validator; no spurious INFO note fires on
any existing repo change.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix(parser): address review — metadata-only bodies, header-bounded extraction, reader-derived INFO
- Skip **metadata**: lines only when other body text remains; a body written
entirely as metadata (e.g. `**Constraint**: The system MUST ...`) is kept as
the requirement text instead of being emptied (was a regression vs main).
- Move the empty-body rule into the shared reader: both paths fall back to the
header title, so the same block cannot pass one path and fail the other.
- End body extraction at any non-fenced markdown header, restoring old-reader
parity: a stray `### Background` divider's notes no longer satisfy the
SHALL/MUST check.
- Replace the standalone fence-aware INFO scanner with skipped-header
collection inside parseDeltaSpec, so the note reflects exactly what the
reader skipped (same section boundaries, no whole-file fence mask).
- Special-case the nameless `### Requirement:` INFO message; document that the
any-#### scenario match is deliberate spec-path parity; un-export
REQUIREMENT_HEADER_REGEX; move the import up top.
- Soften the changeset claim and list the known remaining divergences in
design.md.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(openspec): record the no-space ###Requirement: divergence as a known leftover
Jun's edge (reproduced): the delta/write reader's REQUIREMENT_HEADER_REGEX
accepts `###Requirement:` with no space, but MarkdownParser.parseSections
requires whitespace (per GFM) — so a no-space requirement validates as a
change with zero INFO, syncs as-is, then fails validate <spec>. Pre-existing
on main and out of scope here (tightening the shared regex would change
write-path recognition); documented under known remaining divergences with
the follow-up options, folded together with the bullet from the merge
resolution. Corrects c63913b's 'no divergence' note.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: TabishB <tabishbidiwale@gmail.com>
* docs(openspec): propose add-update-workflow — graph-driven /opsx:update + cohesive audit
Dogfooded OpenSpec proposal for the missing first-class "update" action:
a /opsx:update workflow that propagates an edit to one artifact across its
downstream dependents (targeted mode) or audits a whole change for stale/
incoherent artifacts (audit mode) — driven by the schema's artifact graph,
never hardcoded filenames, editing planning artifacts only (never code).
- artifact-graph: expose reverse-dependency queries (getDependents/getDownstream)
+ a requires-edge mtime staleness signal (the engine already builds the
dependents map at graph.ts:98 and discards it).
- cli-artifact-workflow: surface requires/dependents/stale on `openspec status
--json` and add a `--impact <artifact>` downstream-revisit-order selector.
- opsx-update-skill: the user-facing /opsx:update command (targeted + audit).
Supersedes the proposal-only stub add-artifact-regeneration-support. Addresses
the cluster #1188/#705/#673/#247 (closes), #694/#684/#618 (answers), and is
graph-driven to avoid the #777/#666 hardcoded-artifact-pattern bug class.
Validates clean under `openspec validate --strict`.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(openspec): make add-update-workflow deterministic & grounded (Tabish review)
Reframe per the steer "more deterministic and grounded in reality":
- Deterministic spine: the CLI computes the impact set (which downstream
artifacts to revisit, in build order, with paths) as a pure function of
schema edges + filesystem. The agent only rewrites prose. Grounded in real
APIs already present: getUnlockedArtifacts (direct dependents), getBuildOrder
(order), resolveArtifactOutputs (paths); reverse map built at graph.ts:82-87.
- Replace fragile mtime staleness with a newline-normalized SHA-256 content
digest (reproducible cross-platform). Drift = upstream digest vs recorded
baseline; no baseline => "unknown", never a false positive. mtime and pure-git
rejected with rationale; digest ledger is a separable, optional layer.
- Explicit determinism boundary decision (CLI decides files/order/drift; agent
rewrites). Skill MUST source the file list/order from `openspec status
--impact`, never compute it.
- Corrected all code citations to verified lines (graph.ts:82-87,
instruction-loader.ts:366/429, status.ts); noted #1277's coverage helpers are
not in this branch's base (coordinate, don't reuse).
- Specs updated: artifact-graph Content Digest requirement; cli status digest +
deterministic impact ordering; skill determinism + baseline-aware audit.
tasks add digest/determinism/cross-platform tests + optional ledger section.
Still validates clean under `openspec validate add-update-workflow --strict`.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(openspec): harden add-update-workflow determinism; drop direct name refs
- Digest ledger tracks DIRECT upstream digests; document that transitive drift
emerges hop-by-hop as downstream is reconciled (no transitive bookkeeping).
- Ground audit's no-baseline structural facts on signals available in this
branch (missing/empty output, blocked/incomplete); capability-coverage is an
add-on only when #1277's validateChangeCapabilityCoverage is present.
- Add the "update revises only existing downstream; defer not-yet-created ones
to /opsx:continue" rule across proposal/design/specs/tasks; impact entries now
carry existence/status.
- Note artifact-level (not file-level) granularity and that getDownstream
terminates by the schema's acyclic guarantee.
- Remove direct personal references from the docs.
Validates clean under `openspec validate add-update-workflow --strict`; 10 deltas.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(openspec): full issue/PR/discussion coverage + command-family design
After a comprehensive sweep of open issues, PRs, and discussions, grounded the
proposal in the complete adjacent landscape and answered the open design
questions the cluster raises:
- #783 (Cross-artifact quality review before apply) is now a primary Closes:
it IS audit mode. Answer its open "new skill vs. extend validate" question via
the determinism split — deterministic checks (drift/completeness/coverage) are
CLI/validate-shaped; the semantic cross-artifact review is the skill. Added a
skill spec scenario for the #783 patterns (scope contradiction, spec gap,
duplication).
- Discussion #1206 ("refine proposal now?") + prior-art PR #372: official answer
is /opsx:update.
- New design Decision 8 (command family): delineate /opsx:update from
/opsx:clarify (#702, within-artifact), /opsx:review (#1251, plan-vs-code), and
verify; /opsx:update consolidates update+regen+refine into one action,
addressing skill-sprawl (#1263, #783).
- Reuse, don't reinvent: audit's empty/incomplete check reuses #1098's
artifactOutputComplete (same outputs.ts the digest helper lives in); capability
coverage reuses #1277's validateChangeCapabilityCoverage.
- New open questions: surface deterministic coherence in `validate` for a CI gate
(#783-B, #829); naming reconciliation with #783's /opsx:refine.
- Confirmed add-update-command* branches are the `openspec update` tool-file
refresh (not artifact update) — no collision.
Validates clean under --strict; 10 deltas; all relative links resolve.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(openspec): resolve open questions to committed decisions; drift in scope
Per review steer, every open question is now a committed happy-path decision so
build-out has no dangling forks, and the deterministic drift baseline is pulled
into scope (it is what makes audit-mode drift deterministic vs. agent-guessed):
- Digest ledger IN SCOPE (design Decision 3): per-artifact DIRECT upstream
digests in ChangeMetadataSchema, written by a deterministic `openspec status
--record`; pre-existing changes (no baseline) degrade to drift `unknown` +
structural checks. Generating-flow auto-recording stays optional (graceful).
- cli-artifact-workflow spec: folded drift into the digest requirement (record
baseline / drift vs baseline / unknown-without-baseline) — stays at 10 deltas.
- opsx-update-skill spec: skill records baseline via `--record` after each
confirmed edit, so audits clear once reconciled.
- Replaced "## Open Questions" with "## Decisions resolved": ledger in scope;
targeted entry baseline-aware; apply stays standalone (points to update on
drift); cross-change (#247), continue/ff de-hardcoding (#777), and validate
CI-gate (#783-B/#829) are named follow-ups, not deferrals of the core feature;
/opsx:update kept as the umbrella name.
- Migration Plan + Capabilities + Impact + tasks updated; status JSON gains
`drift`, CLI gains `--record`. Re-synced with upstream main (0 behind).
Validates clean under --strict; 10 deltas; all links resolve.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(openspec): harden add-update-workflow — close cross-OS, read-only, edge gaps
Stress-tested every claim against live source and fixed the soft spots:
- Cross-OS digest determinism (real bug): resolveArtifactOutputs (outputs.ts:34)
sorts ABSOLUTE paths via .sort(), which differs by OS — so a multi-file glob
artifact (specs/**/*.md) would hash differently on Windows vs POSIX. Digest now
specified to order files by change-relative forward-slash path and hash
relpath+content. Added spec scenarios (cross-platform glob stability; rename
changes digest) and a cross-OS test task.
- Read-only status invariant: moved baseline recording OFF `openspec status`
(a read command silently mutating the drift reference is a footgun) to a
dedicated `openspec reconcile` write verb. Updated spec, skill, design, impact,
capabilities, tasks; reconciled the "no new verb" claims.
- Edge case: missing upstream at record time is stored as an explicit `absent`
marker so later creating it registers as drift (spec scenario added).
- Edge case: coherent change yields no edits (clean-path scenario).
- Grounding fixes: continue-change hardcoded block is duplicated (skill 103-112 +
command 225-234) — both must be fixed in the #777 follow-up; verified no
content-hash util exists.
- Fixed two stale claims the layered edits left: the Impact digest bullet
(concatenation→relative-path) and the naming-boundary line.
Validates clean under --strict; 10 deltas (4+3+3), 44 scenarios; all links
resolve; re-synced with upstream main (0 behind); issue/PR/discussion sweep
re-run, no new items.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(openspec): pin data contracts + digest forward-compat; delineate #880
Grounded the surface so an implementer builds it without guessing, and added
proportionate forward-compatibility:
- New design "Data contracts" section with exact shapes: extended ArtifactStatus
(requires/dependents/digest/drift/driftFrom — additive to the real interface at
instruction-loader.ts:120), the --impact response, and the `.openspec.yaml`
baselines ledger. All additive; nothing existing changes type.
- Digest scheme tag (`sha256-relpath-v1:`) + forward-compat: drift compares only
same-scheme digests; an unrecognized/older scheme reports `unknown` rather than
silently mis-comparing — re-reconcile restores it. Added a cli spec scenario
and tasks for it.
- Grounded the ledger write: there is no central change-metadata writer today
(change-metadata/index.ts only re-exports schema), so reconcile does a safe
read-modify-write of .openspec.yaml mirroring the store's
parse/serialize/writeStoreMetadataState pattern (foundation.ts).
- Coverage: re-swept; folded #880 (/opsx:validate code-vs-living-specs) into the
plan-vs-code delineation alongside #1251/#1073. Main unchanged (546224e); all
citations still valid.
Validates clean under --strict; 10 deltas; links resolve.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(openspec): simplify add-update-workflow to a thin /opsx:update skill
Rework per @TabishB review (PR #1278): the proposal over-built. Drop the
deterministic-spine machinery and lean on the existing status command.
- Cut the reverse-dependency graph API (getDependents/getDownstream),
SHA-256 content digests, the .openspec.yaml baseline ledger, the
`openspec reconcile` write op, the drift report, and `status --impact`.
Removes the artifact-graph and cli-artifact-workflow spec deltas.
- Reframe propagation as bidirectional coherence (editing design can
require revising proposal), not downstream-only.
- Center the feature on one thin skill over the existing
`openspec status` / `openspec list`; design now sketches the actual
minimal skill instruction body ("written by hand").
- v1 adds no new CLI/graph/schema code: just update-change.ts + wiring.
Validates clean: `openspec validate add-update-workflow --strict`.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(update-workflow): pin the status path contract to existingOutputPaths
Address @alfred-openspec's review: the skill's write target was described
loosely as "resolved paths." Make it precise across proposal/design/spec/tasks:
- `openspec status --json` already returns everything the skill needs, in the
top-level `artifactPaths` map — `resolvedOutputPath` and `existingOutputPaths`
per artifact. No new CLI field is required.
- The skill edits `existingOutputPaths` (the concrete, glob-expanded files) and
never writes to `resolvedOutputPath`, which for a glob artifact like
`specs/**/*.md` remains the glob pattern rather than a real file.
- Add spec scenarios for editing a glob artifact's concrete files and for
deferring a brand-new file under a glob artifact to `/opsx:continue`.
- Tighten the cross-platform scenario and add a template test (3.4) asserting
the write target is `existingOutputPaths`, not a glob `resolvedOutputPath`.
Validates clean under `openspec validate add-update-workflow --strict`.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(update-workflow): address review — default profile, next-step guidance, change-scoped naming
- Register /opsx:update in the default core profile, not expanded-only
(maintainer call on the PR)
- Add next-step guidance: after updating, recommend /opsx:continue,
/opsx:apply (esp. when the change was already implemented), or
/opsx:archive — guidance only, never acted on
- Pin naming scope: skill openspec-update-change, change proposals only;
generalizing update to other graph types is an explicit non-goal
Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* feat(skills): implement the /opsx:update skill (openspec-update-change)
Implements the approved add-update-workflow change: one thin skill over
the existing status/list commands, in the default core profile.
- new update-change.ts template (skill + command), registered across
init, profiles, skill-generation, tool-detection, profile-sync-drift
- update joins CORE_WORKFLOWS and ALL_WORKFLOWS
- docs: opsx.md command row + usage note, commands.md reference section,
supported-tools.md skill list
- retire the superseded add-artifact-regeneration-support stub
- template tests pin the guardrails (schema-driven ids, planning-only,
existingOutputPaths write contract, next-step guidance); parity hashes
regenerated; profile/init/update/config tests cover the new core set
- tasks.md checked off; validate --strict passes
Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* Fix archive exit code on validation failure
In human (non-JSON) mode, openspec archive returned exit code 0 when
validation failed and nothing was archived. The three blocking paths
in ArchiveCommand.run() printed an error message but returned null
silently, leaving process.exitCode at 0. Scripts and CI could not
distinguish a blocked archive from a successful one.
The --json path was already correct (it throws ArchiveBlockedError,
caught by printJsonFailure which sets exitCode = 1). This was an
asymmetry between the two modes for the same failure.
Set process.exitCode = 1 at the three human-mode abort points before
returning null:
- delta-spec validation failure
- spec rebuild failure
- rebuilt-spec validation failure
Legitimate user cancellations (selecting no change, declining a
confirmation prompt) remain exit 0 by design.
Aligns archive with the same exit-code guarantee already approved for
apply instructions in #1250. References #498.
* Add regression test for rebuilt-spec validation exit code
Cover the third archive blocking path (spot 3): buildUpdatedSpec
succeeds but Validator.validateSpecContent rejects the rebuilt
content. Spy on validateSpecContent (same pattern as the existing
--no-validate test) to force the rebuilt spec invalid while the rest
of the flow runs for real, since this branch is otherwise defensive
and nearly unreachable — spot 1 already enforces the same
SHALL/MUST/scenario rules on the delta.
Asserts process.exitCode === 1, the failure is logged, the main spec
is left unchanged, and no archive is created.
* docs(website): add Fumadocs documentation site for Cloudflare Pages
Add a self-contained marketing + documentation site under website/, built
with Fumadocs (Next.js) and configured as a static export so it deploys
directly to Cloudflare Pages with no server runtime.
What's included:
- A marketing landing page (hero, the two-folder model, the four core
ideas, the explore→propose→apply→archive loop, and the "why").
- 13 documentation pages rewritten for clarity and delight: introduction,
installation, getting started, how commands work, core concepts, the
workflow, explore first, existing projects, editing a change,
customization, FAQ, and a reference section (slash commands, CLI,
supported tools).
- Static client-side search (Orama), per-page Open Graph images, and
llms.txt / llms-full.txt routes — fitting for an AI-native tool.
- website/README.md with one-table Cloudflare Pages deploy settings
(root: website, build: npm run build, output: out).
Content is faithful to the docs/ overhaul from #1237, restated in a
simpler, friendlier voice. Verified with a clean `next build` (48 static
pages, no warnings).
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(website): sharpen the sell, add a Stores guide
Completes the documentation work begun in #1237 by tightening the
Fumadocs site toward the quality bar of the stores user-guide:
- Intro now opens problem-first ("the requirements lived only in chat"),
adds an honest "How it compares" table (Spec Kit / Kiro / nothing), and
frames the tradeoff in a "When the ceremony isn't worth it" callout.
- New Stores guide (beta) distilled from docs/stores-beta/user-guide.md:
the problem, the annotated shape, a five-minute walkthrough with real
command output, a role-based story, the root-resolution order, and an
honest-limitations section. Linked from Existing Projects.
Verified with a clean `next build` (51 static pages, no warnings).
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(website): make the value tangible — landing sections + Examples page
Continue the #1237 docs completion with a stronger product story:
- Landing page now reads like a real product site:
- "Works with the tools you already use" strip (15 named assistants + more)
- "What a change actually looks like" — three real artifacts
(proposal.md, a spec delta, tasks.md) so the workflow is concrete
- "The honest middle" comparison block (Spec Kit / Kiro / no specs)
- Robust hero gradient via color-mix instead of v3 theme() syntax
- New Examples & Recipes page: seven copy-pasteable, narrated walkthroughs
(small feature, bug fix, explore-first, parallel changes, no-behavior
refactor with --skip-specs, step-by-step, onboard). Linked from the intro
and getting-started.
Verified: clean `next build` (54 static pages, no warnings); Tailwind
opacity/color-mix utilities confirmed in the generated CSS; all internal
links resolve.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(website): add favicon, sitemap, and robots for a complete public site
- Branded SVG favicon (app/icon.svg) in the OpenSpec indigo.
- Static sitemap.xml covering the home page and every doc, built from the
content source and NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_URL.
- robots.txt allowing all and pointing at the sitemap.
All three are emitted by the static export. Clean `next build`, 57 pages.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs: lead with stores as "why teams adopt OpenSpec"; complete docs coverage
Final pass completing the #1237 documentation work.
Reposition stores (beta) as the team adoption story, consistently:
- README.md gains a prominent "Why teams adopt OpenSpec" section right
after the demo (cross-repo features, shared requirements, plan before
code), leading with stores.
- Landing page gains a matching "Why teams adopt OpenSpec" section.
- Docs intro gains a teams card + callout pointing at stores.
- Stores page expanded with full References and Worksets technical
examples (the cross-team requirements story, workset create/open).
Incorporate the remaining source-doc knowledge so the site is complete:
- New pages: Glossary, Troubleshooting, Multi-Language, and an
Agents & Automation reference (the machine-readable --json surfaces and
workflow primitives that make OpenSpec AI-native).
- The Workflow page now covers ff-vs-continue, a three-dimension verify
example, and the update-vs-start-fresh decision guide.
- Nav restructured with a Help section; reference section gains Agents.
Build hardening: `build` now runs `fumadocs-mdx && next build` so the
content source is always regenerated. Clean build: 69 static pages, no
warnings; all internal links verified.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(website): fix docs GitHub source links + address review nits
- page.tsx: prefix ViewOptionsPopover githubUrl with website/ so the
"view/edit source" links resolve to website/content/docs/... instead
of 404-ing on every deployed docs page (Alfred blocker).
- installation.mdx: note that `yarn global add` is Classic Yarn only and
point Yarn Berry users at `yarn dlx` / npm / pnpm.
- index.mdx: label the comparison table's first column ("Option").
- (home)/page.tsx: use the shared docsRoute constant for all /docs links
instead of hardcoded paths.
Verified with `npm run build` in website/ — 69 static pages, and the
built getting-started page links to blob/main/website/content/docs/...
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(website): mirror docs/*.md into the site + auto-deploy on a cadence
Make the repository's docs/*.md the single source of truth for the docs
site instead of maintaining a parallel set of hand-written MDX pages that
silently drift.
- scripts/sync-docs.mjs mirrors ../docs into content/docs/ on every build:
derives title/description, injects Fumadocs frontmatter (+ githubSource),
rewrites internal *.md links to /docs routes, and emits meta.json. Pages
are written as .md so <placeholders>/{braces} in the docs stay literal
and never break the MDX build.
- docs.sync.config.mjs is the one manifest deciding which docs publish and
their slug/section/icon. content/docs/ is now generated + git-ignored;
the curated .mdx pages are removed. The marketing landing page stays
hand-authored.
- build/dev/types:check run sync:docs first, so the site is always current.
- .github/workflows/deploy-docs.yml rebuilds and deploys to Cloudflare
Pages via Wrangler on push to docs/**|website/**, daily on a schedule,
on demand, and as a build-only check on PRs. Needs CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN
+ CLOUDFLARE_ACCOUNT_ID secrets and the DOCS_SITE_URL variable.
- source.config.ts carries githubSource so "edit this page" opens the real
docs/*.md; website/README.md documents the pipeline.
Verified: clean build, 23 pages generated, 78 static pages, no warnings;
all internal doc links resolve; MDX-hazard docs (cli, customization) build.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix(website): fall back to default site URL when NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_URL is empty
The deploy workflow passes NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_URL from the DOCS_SITE_URL repo
variable, which resolves to an empty string when unset. `?? fallback` does
not catch '' (only null/undefined), so `metadataBase: new URL('')` crashed
`next build` with ERR_INVALID_URL while collecting page data. Use `||` so an
empty value also falls back. Verified: `NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_URL='' npm run build`
now generates all 78 static pages.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs: add reviewing, writing-specs, and team-workflow guides
Fill the biggest gaps a new user hits, in the plain-language voice of the
stores user guide:
- reviewing-changes.md: the two-minute human review of an AI-drafted plan
before /opsx:apply — what to open, in what order, and the red flags per
artifact — plus the /opsx:verify pass after code.
- writing-specs.md: what a strong requirement and scenario are made of,
choosing ADDED/MODIFIED/REMOVED, and right-sizing a change.
- team-workflow.md: how a change maps onto a branch and a pull request,
reviewing spec deltas in a PR, when to archive, and parallel changes —
framed as convention, since OpenSpec never touches git.
Wire them into the docs map (README), the site nav (docs.sync.config.mjs),
and light "next steps" cross-links from getting-started, editing-changes,
and workflows. Verified: site builds clean, 26 pages, all internal links
resolve.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(website): add one-time deploy setup checklist + landing-page note
Spell out the three maintainer steps that activate auto-deploy (create the
openspec-docs Pages project, add CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN/ACCOUNT_ID secrets,
merge to main), and note that the pipeline mirrors docs on build regardless.
Also flag that openspec.dev is a separate Astro landing page and whether to
keep/port this Fumadocs landing page is a maintainer decision.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix(website): address review feedback on docs-site PR
Maintainer review (TabishB) + Alfred blocker:
- deploy-docs.yml: guard the Cloudflare deploy on `github.ref ==
refs/heads/main`. A `workflow_dispatch` on a feature branch previously
passed the guard and, since wrangler hardcodes `--branch=main` (a
production deploy), would overwrite the live docs site. Non-main
dispatches are now build-only. Also resolves Alfred's deploy-path blocker.
- package.json: drop the direct `cnfast` dependency and delete the dead
`lib/cn.ts` (nothing imports it; a class-merge helper isn't used).
- package.json: declare `zod` (^4.4.3) — it was a phantom dep only
resolving via fumadocs-mdx's hoisted copy. Refresh the lockfile.
- docs page: omit the on-page <DocsDescription>. The frontmatter
description is derived from the first body paragraph, so it rendered
the intro twice on every page. Kept in generateMetadata for SEO/OG.
- team-workflow.md: `openspec store create` does an initial commit, so
scope "never commits" to the user's project and reframe the store
clause as "never clones or syncs on its own."
- README.md: bump stale "20+ AI assistants" to "30+" to match the site.
Verified: npm run types:check + npm run build pass, 26 docs synced,
intro paragraph now renders once per page.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* chore(website): use pnpm to match the rest of the repo
Per maintainer review (TabishB): the root repo is pnpm (ci.yml runs
`pnpm install --frozen-lockfile` against a v9 `pnpm-lock.yaml`), but
`website/` had introduced npm + a `package-lock.json`. Standardize on
one package manager:
- Replace website/package-lock.json with website/pnpm-lock.yaml
(lockfileVersion 9.0, generated with pnpm v9 to match root).
- deploy-docs.yml: add pnpm/action-setup@v4 (version 9, before
setup-node, as in ci.yml), switch setup-node to `cache: pnpm` /
`cache-dependency-path: website/pnpm-lock.yaml`, and
`npm ci` → `pnpm install --frozen-lockfile`, `npm run build` →
`pnpm run build`.
- package.json scripts + README: `npm run ...` → `pnpm run ...`.
website/ stays a standalone package (no pnpm-workspace.yaml), as before.
Verified: `pnpm install --frozen-lockfile`, `pnpm run build`, and
`pnpm run types:check` all pass — 26 docs synced, 87/87 static pages.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* chore: temporarily disable docs deploy
---------
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: TabishB <tabishbidiwale@gmail.com>
* docs(openspec): propose resolution/validation parity bug bundle (#1182, #1202, #1156)
Planning artifacts only (proposal/design/spec deltas/tasks) for a focused
bug-fix bundle. Three read/validate paths silently diverge from the canonical
logic a sibling command already gets right:
- #1182 validate ignores workspace planning homes that status/instructions resolve
- #1202 view counts only changes/<name>/tasks.md, ignoring the schema tasks glob
- #1156 the SHALL/MUST body-keyword hint fires for deltas but not main specs
Fix converges each divergent path onto the canonical one; parity is asserted by
test. No new surface, no behavior change to the already-correct paths. Validates
--strict.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(openspec): bulletproof the parity bundle after adversarial source review
Hardened all three bugs after tracing each path to source with parallel
verification agents. Material corrections:
- #1182: reframed from "workspace planning home resolution" (planning homes are
repo-only; the feature is now 'stores', and validate already accepts --store)
to the real, reproducible-at-HEAD mechanism: validate's proposal.md membership
gate (getActiveChangeIds) vs status/instructions' directory-existence rule
(validateChangeExists). Pulled nested specs/<area>/<cap> delta discovery and
bulk --all into scope; noted show.ts sibling.
- #1202: widened from view-only to the shared helper's real blast radius — also
the archive incomplete-task gate (silently archives unfinished glob-tasks
changes: data safety) and a 2nd hardcoded copy in change.ts. Pinned apply.tracks
as the source, change-dir scope containment, and the no-schema fallback. Added
cli-archive delta for the gate.
- #1156: the main-spec parser discards the requirement header before Zod runs, so
the hint can't be "lifted" — fix needs header recovery (reuse requirement-blocks)
+ Zod de-dup, and the main-spec message can't be byte-identical to the delta's
(no ADDED prefix). Pinned the actionable sentence + single-emission + regression
scenarios across all main-spec surfaces.
4 deltas (cli-validate x2, cli-view, cli-archive). Validates --strict.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs(openspec): deep-harden the parity bundle with empirical reproduction
Round 2 of bulletproofing: 3 parallel agents reproduced every bug against the
built (pre-fix) CLI and traced fix sites. This pass corrected two substantive
errors in my own prior spec and closed several gaps.
#1202 (two corrections to the prior draft):
- apply.tracks is a FILENAME that selects the tracked artifact, NOT a glob; the
glob is that artifact's `generates`. status resolves via
resolveArtifactOutputs(changeDir, artifact.generates). Fixed all wording.
- "view/archive counts equal status" is FALSE: status checks file EXISTENCE, not
checkboxes (proven: status calls a 3/5 change isComplete:true). Deleted the two
count-parity scenarios; reframed as resolution-mechanism parity (same files).
- Added schema-resolution-failure fallback (resolveSchema throws; helper must
catch or view/list/archive crash). Added projectRoot param + 6-site wiring.
- Empirically PROVEN data-safety bug: archive moved a 3/5 unfinished change into
changes/archive/.
#1182:
- Found a THIRD getActiveChangeIds site (interactive selector, validate.ts:97).
- Proven: --all with a lone proposal-less change exits 0 silently. Added
exit-code scenarios. Trimmed over-scope: getSpecIds spec-side is NOT a bug;
no store-specific scenario needed; noun-form scoped out.
#1156:
- Refine-relaxation regression resolved: deltas don't use the Zod refine
(validate imperatively), so REMOVE it (not relax) once applySpecRules owns both
header-only and no-keyword cases. Added RENAMED (out-of-scope), lowercase, and
the new no-body-line-valid-today scenarios; pinned exact message + prefix.
Still 4 deltas; validates --strict; empirical evidence section added to design.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix: converge validate/view/archive onto canonical resolution (#1182, #1202, #1156)
Implements the resolution/validation parity bug bundle planned in
openspec/changes/fix-validate-view-resolution-parity. Each fix points a
divergent read/validate path at the canonical implementation a sibling
command already gets right, with parity tests guarding against re-forking.
#1182 — validate resolves changes like status. validate now resolves a
change by directory existence (shared getAvailableChanges) instead of
requiring proposal.md, at all three sites (targeted, bulk, interactive
selector). A scaffolded/still-authoring change is validated rather than
reported Unknown item; a resolved-but-invalid change exits non-zero.
show.ts and the deprecated noun-form change validate are scoped out.
#1182b — validateChangeDeltaSpecs recurses the nested multi-area layout
(specs/<area>/<capability>/spec.md) via a new findDeltaSpecFiles walker,
so a resolved multi-area change validates its deltas instead of reporting
"No delta sections found".
#1202 — getTaskProgressForChange resolves task progress through the
tracked-tasks artifact's generates glob (the same resolveArtifactOutputs
status uses), aggregating checkboxes across every matched tasks.md scoped
to the change dir, with a never-throw fallback to a single top-level
tasks.md. Updates all four callers (view/list/archive x2) for the new
projectRoot arg and folds the second copy in change.ts onto the helper.
Fixes view's Draft misclassification and the archive incomplete-task
gate that let an unfinished glob-tasks change archive (data safety).
#1156 — the SHALL/MUST body-keyword hint applies to main specs.
applySpecRules recovers the requirement header via extractRequirementsSection
and emits the targeted hint (header-only) or generic message (no keyword),
exactly once; the Zod refine is removed (deltas never used it). The
actionable sentence is byte-identical to the change-delta path.
Adds parity/regression tests (Decision 7): validate<->status resolution
incl. exit code, view/archive resolve the same files as status, and the
main-spec<->delta actionable-sentence parity. Full suite green (1791
passed; only the pre-existing, environment-specific zsh-installer
failures remain). Change validates --strict; all 36 repo specs pass
--specs --strict with no new false positives.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
escapeYamlValue detected \r as a character requiring quoting but never
escaped it, leaving a literal carriage return inside the double-quoted
scalar. A literal CR there is subject to YAML line folding/normalization
and could silently corrupt the round-tripped value (realistic with
CRLF-authored command descriptions).
- Escape \r as \r alongside the existing \, " and \n handling.
- Extract the helper, previously duplicated verbatim across five adapters
(bob, claude, cursor, pi, windsurf), into a shared
command-generation/yaml.ts module.
- Add unit tests covering the escaping rules and a round-trip through a
real YAML parser.
Refs #1205, #1204
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
* docs: comprehensive documentation overhaul (home, mental model, command location, FAQ, glossary, troubleshooting, recipes)
Addresses #1228 (docs are fragmented and hard to discover). Additive,
docs-only. The single sharpest gap from the issue thread was that nobody
explains where slash commands run, hence the new "How Commands Work" page.
New docs:
- docs/README.md documentation home / index that maps every doc
- docs/how-commands-work.md where /opsx:* (chat) vs openspec (terminal) run; "interactive mode" answered
- docs/overview.md core concepts at a glance, one page
- docs/faq.md consolidated common questions
- docs/glossary.md every term in one place
- docs/troubleshooting.md concrete fixes for concrete failures
- docs/examples.md real changes start to finish (recipes)
Small additive edits:
- docs/getting-started.md "where do I type this?" callout + first-five-minutes + richer Next Steps
- README.md Docs list points at the new home and key new pages
Voice: warm, plain, bottom-line-up-front; no em-dashes in prose.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs: make /opsx:explore front and center, plus general polish
Per maintainer feedback (Tabish): "the docs in general need some work,
alongside making the explore option a lot more front and center."
explore ships in the default core profile but every doc led with propose
and treated explore as a footnote for "unclear requirements." This reframes
the canonical loop as explore -> propose -> apply -> archive and gives
explore real prominence.
- docs/explore.md (new): dedicated "Explore First" guide. When to use it,
what it does/doesn't, a full transcript, handoff to propose, tradeoffs.
- getting-started.md: explore added to the flow and first-five-minutes,
with a featured callout and Next Steps entry.
- overview.md: explore featured in the loop and next-links.
- docs/README.md: explore in the opening, pick-your-path, 30-second
version, and the doc map.
- how-commands-work.md: explore leads the command list with a "good rhythm"
note and an optional step in the clean-first-run example.
- workflows.md: new first-class "Start by exploring" pattern in the default
section (was buried under expanded mode); quick-reference row strengthened.
- commands.md / faq.md / glossary.md: explore featured as the place to start.
- examples.md: top callout pointing at the explore recipe.
- README.md: explore opens the "See it in action" demo and Quick Start,
and is added to the Docs list.
Docs-only and additive. No em-dashes in prose; links verified.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs: close recurring gaps (existing projects, editing changes, uninstall, context limits) + sync tool list
Sweep of open issues and discussions surfaced several questions good docs
should answer but didn't. This adds the missing guides and fixes a stale list.
New guides:
- docs/existing-projects.md: adopting OpenSpec on a large brownfield codebase
without documenting everything up front (addresses #510, #1100, #176).
Delta-first framing, first-change walkthrough, onboard, importing existing
requirements docs, domain organization, monorepo/workspace pointers.
- docs/editing-changes.md: how to edit any artifact, update a proposal/spec
after starting, go back after implementing, and reconcile manual code edits
(addresses #684, #976, #355, #1188, #169, #1206).
Enhancements:
- installation.md: Updating + Uninstalling sections (addresses #308).
- faq.md: new entries for existing codebases, editing artifacts, going back,
reconciling manual edits, context limits / long sessions, and uninstalling
(addresses #257 among others).
- cli.md: --tools list now includes `vibe` and matches AI_TOOLS in
src/core/config.ts, with a note pointing at the source (fixes#1213).
- Wired the new guides into the docs home, getting-started, and the README.
Docs-only and additive. No em-dashes in prose; links and section anchors verified.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs: reconcile coordinate-across-repos docs with the stores model
The merge with main pulled in the stores rename (#1190), which retired the
workspaces/initiatives/context-store vocabulary and deleted docs/workspaces-beta/.
This updates the three docs still describing the old model so they match the
new stores model, fixing the vocabulary-sweep test and dead links:
- glossary.md: Workspace/Link/Context store/Initiative -> Store/Reference/
Working context/Workset; link to stores-beta/user-guide.md
- README.md: replace deleted workspaces-beta/* links with the Stores User
Guide and Agent Contract
- existing-projects.md: reframe the multi-repo section as stores; drop the
dead concepts.md#coordination-workspaces anchor
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: TabishB <tabishbidiwale@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
* Implement context store root parity
* Clarify simplified model roadmap
* Add roadmap progress checklists
* Number roadmap work items
* Add --store root selection for normal commands
Implements the store-root-selection slice (1.2, with 2.1 pulled forward):
- Add a shared OpenSpec-root resolver (src/core/root-selection.ts) behind
new change, status, instructions, list, show, validate, and archive.
--store <id> resolves a registered context store to an ordinary OpenSpec
root; identity and root-health failures point to context-store doctor.
- Leftover workspace view state never wins root resolution for these
commands, and a no-root directory with registered stores errors with a
store-selection hint instead of scaffolding an implicit root.
- Selected-store runs print "Using OpenSpec root: <id> (<abs path>)" to
stderr and JSON successes carry an additive shared root block.
- --store-path is rejected deliberately with context-store register
guidance, including on show despite allowUnknownOption.
- new change is root selection only: initiative-link creation is removed,
--initiative and --areas reject before any writes, --goal stays ordinary
metadata. openspec set change is removed along with initiative-link.ts.
- archive gains --json: non-interactive, machine-readable diagnostics for
blocked paths, and no prose or blank lines on stdout.
- list gains minimal --specs --json support so specs listing participates
in the root reporting contract.
- context-store setup/register next steps show --store usage.
* Fix stream-purity and message bugs found in review
- archive --json: silence the REMOVED-deltas-on-new-spec warning from
buildUpdatedSpec so the JSON payload stays pure.
- Resolver: wrap registry reads so a corrupt registry surfaces as a
RootSelectionError; JSON mode now emits a machine-readable diagnostic
instead of a blank stdout line.
- archive --store (human): per-spec update lines use the absolute store
path, matching the cross-root absolute-paths contract.
- Noun-form spec show keeps its forward-slash relative not-found message
on all platforms; root-aware show reports the absolute path.
- Tests: archive --json purity for REMOVED-delta and spec-update-failure
paths, corrupt-registry JSON diagnostics, and running inside the
standalone store repo without --store.
* Validate all rebuilt specs before writing any
The archive spec-update phase validated and wrote each rebuilt spec in a
single loop, so a later validation failure could leave earlier specs
already modified while reporting "No files were changed". Split it into
two passes: validate every rebuilt spec first, then write only after all
pass. Regression test covers a two-spec change where one rebuilt spec
fails validation and asserts no target spec was created or modified.
* Mark beta context-store and workspace docs as transition history
Rewrites the opening sections of the old initiative and workspace
reimplementation artifacts as transition evidence and beta history, and
adds the direction-git-native-work transition note. Readers are pointed
to openspec/work/simplify-context-and-workspace-model/ for the active
direction.
* Record store-root-selection slice artifacts and roadmap progress
Adds the slice 1.2 spec, plan, and decision-review evidence, and updates
the roadmap: 1.2 is implemented and tested on this branch, with review
follow-up and merge remaining.
* Record store-lifecycle-proof slice artifacts and roadmap progress
Spec and plan for slice 1.3 (prove the standalone repo lifecycle end to
end), with two review rounds folded in. Adds slice 1.4 to the roadmap,
parks archive browsability as L11, and records the single-branch
workflow for the whole roadmap.
* Prove the standalone store lifecycle end to end
Implements slice 1.3 (store-lifecycle-proof):
- Setup defaults to Git with a pathspec-limited initial commit of exactly
the files it created, writes store.yaml before committing, anchors
empty directories with .gitkeep, preflights commit identity via git var
before creating anything, and requires an explicit --path (interactive
setup prompts with a visible user path).
- Doctor reports read-only Git facts (commits, uncommitted changes,
remote) and warns on commitless repos and clone-fragile directories.
- Register errors are terminal: one-checkout-per-id with the unregister
escape, registration-aware id-mismatch fix text, and an empty-clone
explanation on unhealthy roots.
- Selected-store hints carry --store, the root banner prints at
resolution time so post-resolution failures keep it, new change names
its next command, and status drops the workspace-era Planning home
line.
- Adds the two-checkout journey e2e test (machine A lifecycle, machine B
clone/register/continue) with fully isolated Git config and XDG state.
* Fix review findings in the store lifecycle slice
Two adversarial subagent reviews of the slice 1.3 implementation found
one spec violation and several correctness risks; all are fixed:
- Hints carry --store everywhere: validate/show non-interactive hints,
archive blocked-path fix texts, and status JSON nextSteps now thread
the selected store. Status JSON also drops the workspace-era
planningHome field.
- Reruns of an already-registered store no longer git-init it (the CLI
default is resolved against the registry via resolveSetupGitEnabled),
keeping reruns strict no-ops.
- Failed initial commits unstage setup's files so a user repo is not
left with a dirty index; once the commit lands, cleanup no longer
deletes the committed files; fresh-dir cleanup is non-recursive again
so it can never delete content setup did not create.
- Corrupt or fake .git dirs report Git facts as unknown instead of
commitless, avoiding misleading empty-clone advice.
- The sharing next-step line only prints for actual repositories.
- Journey test: Windows-safe path assertions, telemetry opt-out, machine
B now runs the full enumerated command set (instructions, validate),
asserts register creates no commits, covers the banner-on-failure and
store-carrying-hint contract, and doctor human output. Unit tests gain
isolated git config, register error-text coverage for both mismatch
branches, and a default-flags rerun no-op regression test.
Full suite: 93 files, 1729 tests, green.
* Keep validate and show hints inside the selected store
Follow-up review findings: the invalid-report next step pointed at the
deprecated cwd-based 'openspec change show <id>' and dropped --store; it
now names the supported top-level 'openspec show <id> --json
--deltas-only' with the actual change id and the store flag. The
nothing-to-show fallback hints and the ambiguous-item advice in validate
and show no longer suggest noun-form commands when a store is selected,
since those commands cannot reach a store root; store mode gets
--type-scoped top-level equivalents instead. No-store output is
unchanged.
* Derive setup's commit from the store shape and extract Git mechanics
Code-quality review follow-up:
- The initial commit was built from the rollback ledger, which is the
wrong concept: for a converted (existing, non-Git) root it committed
only the new anchors and identity file, leaving config and specs
uncommitted and clones unhealthy. When setup initializes the repo
itself, it now commits the full store shape (openspec/ plus
.openspec-store/), while pre-existing repos keep the
only-what-setup-created commit that protects user history and staged
files. Old beta files outside the store shape are never swept in.
- Identity-file creation is now owned solely by setup; registration runs
with writeMetadataIfMissing: false and verifies instead of writing,
removing the split ownership that made the commit plan leaky.
- Git probing, init, identity preflight, and commit mechanics moved from
operations.ts (1204 lines) into src/core/context-store/git.ts;
operations.ts is back to 1077 lines and owns only the lifecycles.
- Git lifecycle tests split into test/commands/context-store-git.test.ts
with shared fixtures in test/helpers/context-store-git.ts, including a
new conversion test that proves a clone of a converted root is
immediately healthy.
Spec and plan updated to lock the two commit modes. Full suite: 94
files, 1730 tests, green.
* Point the roadmap's next-item marker at slice 1.4
* Restructure the roadmap around root relationships
Fresh-eyes review outcome, settled in discussion: the layered
PM/architect-to-dev use case (high-level requirements in a standalone
store, implementation work in the app repo's own OpenSpec root) replaced
the rejected project-to-store binding idea with declared relationships
between roots and a fixed resolution precedence — explicit --store, then
nearest local root, then a declared default only when no local root
exists, then error with hint. References never change where commands
act.
- Slice 1.4 becomes one guidance pass (absorbs old 2.2; ~13 surfaces
from research) gated on the context-store terminology decision
promoted from L7.
- Phase 2 is fully absorbed: 2.1 shipped in 1.2, 2.2 into 1.4, 2.3 into
4.1 (initiative selection is hardcoded into ~5,500 lines of opening
machinery that 4.1 rebuilds; refactoring first is wasted motion).
- Phase 3 rewritten around relationships in both directions, references
first: repo-references-stores, declared-store fallback, canonical
remote in store identity, then store-level target declarations, local
repo map, and relationship health reporting.
- Phase 4 reframed as context assembly; editor opening is one consumer,
an agent session brief is another.
- New guardrails: references are repo-level config, never per-change
lifecycle links; one change lives in one root.
- goal.md gains the layered reference experience.
* Lock the naming, Phase 3, and Phase 5 decisions
Decisions settled after parallel product-level and staff-engineer
analyses:
- Naming: the noun is 'store', defined as 'a standalone OpenSpec repo
you've registered'. The context-store → store group rename plus the
full machine-token rename (diagnostic codes, JSON keys, data dir) land
first in slice 1.4; --store stays; committed store-repo formats are
already aligned and stay. openspec repo/--repo rejected: the --repo
prior means the code repo being operated on, colliding with target
project repos.
- Phase 3: index-not-inline reference injection; references: and the
fallback store: pointer both live in openspec/config.yaml (top-level
marker rejected — .openspec.yaml is taken by change metadata); one
typed id namespace with the kebab grammar locked for all id kinds;
relationships are location, declaration, or citation — never managed
per-artifact links, which is what initiative links were.
- Phase 5 criteria agreed: delete rather than hide, sequenced across
1.4, a small command-group deletion slice, and 4.1; never auto-delete
user data.
* Add the roadmap loop runbook
* Make the roadmap loop fully autonomous with layered reviews
No pause gates: unlocked decisions are made autonomously and recorded
as 'Decided autonomously (review me)' changelog lines; Phase 5
deletions proceed without confirmation. Review phases run as parallel
multi-agent Workflows plus the /code-review skill (high effort) and
codex CLI; /simplify runs serially after correctness fixes.
* Add the loop's parallelism policy
Serial across slices (single branch, shared junction files, mass
rename/deletion commits make cross-track rebases the riskiest
unattended operation); Workflow fan-outs within slices for mechanical
sweeps; read-only lookahead research for the next slice's code map.
* Switch the roadmap run driver from /loop to /goal
The docs position /loop as interval-based and /goal as the
condition-based counterpart: turns fire back-to-back until a verifiable
completion condition is met, with full main-loop tool and skill access
per turn and persistence across resume. That matches the queue's
semantics (next unit when the previous finishes, stop when done), so
loop.md becomes runbook.md, reframed around goal-driven turns with an
explicit per-turn status block for the goal evaluator and a declared
completion signal.
* Add the final acceptance capstone and standing quality bars
The goal condition previously checked activity (boxes ticked, suite
green); it now checks the product claim. Phase 6 / capstone 6.1: four
persona journeys including a cold-start agent dogfood, usability audits
(error catalog, vocabulary sweep, time-to-first-success), technical
audits (single-resolver invariant, dependency direction, dead code,
module sizes, agent-contract inventory, net LOC delta vs origin/main),
a whole-delta review gauntlet, and a committed release-readiness
report. Runbook gains standing per-slice quality bars: locked
vocabulary only, pasteable store-carrying errors, consistent agent
contracts, ~600-line module budget, no speculative abstractions, one
resolver.
* Bake the /goal invocation into the runbook header
* Write and review the store-rename-and-guidance slice spec
Two parallel adversarial reviews (subagent, codex CLI) converged on the
same flaw in the first draft: exempting the legacy groups from the token
rename contradicted the locked machine-token decision. The spec now
states one rule - total mechanical token rename, surgical prose rewrite,
behavior changes limited to the two riders - and folds the corrected
45-code token inventory, the missed guidance surfaces, and a
sweep-as-test acceptance criterion.
* Write and review the store-rename-and-guidance plan
Four green checkpoints: mechanical rename, the two riders, guidance
regeneration (three disjoint streams), and sweep/guards/dogfood. Both
parallel reviews (subagent, codex CLI) approved with fixes, all folded:
exact rider-1 deletion list with persisted path-bound views preserved,
Commander command:* error ownership, docs/concepts.md and beta-doc
runtime fixes, sweep roots excluding openspec/ history, old-data-dir
negative fixtures, pinned non-interactive dogfood init flags.
* Rename the context-store surface to store
Mechanical, total token rename per the slice spec: command group
(context-store -> store, subcommands unchanged), 45 diagnostic codes,
dotted context_store.* targets, JSON keys (context_store/context_stores
-> store/stores everywhere, legacy groups included), the machine-local
data dir (context-stores/ -> stores/), internal modules and symbols
(src/core/context-store -> src/core/store, ContextStore* -> Store*),
and every help/error/hint string. Committed store-repo formats are
untouched (.openspec-store/store.yaml, registry.yaml). The dead
getDefaultContextStoreRoot export is deleted; its negative path
assertion is kept inline. The --store flag description now carries the
locked definition, identical in Commander and completions metadata.
Full suite green (94 files, 1730 tests).
* Land the two store-rename riders
Rider 1: workspace open loses its legacy --store/--store-path initiative
selectors (the second live meaning of --store). The unreachable guard
branch and its workspace_open_store_without_initiative diagnostic are
deleted; --initiative keeps resolving through the cross-store scan, the
qualified <store>/<id> form, and the interactive picker; persisted
path-bound views still reopen and doctor (tests now write the view-state
fixture directly). Selector-advertising fix texts in initiative
resolution name only surviving forms.
Rider 2: the store group owns its unknown-subcommand path - the error
names the real subcommands (including ls) and points lifecycle-shaped
mistakes at the normal command with --store, same stderr text for human
and --json runs, exit 1. New tests cover the hint, the no-alias
negative, and the --help listing.
Full suite green (94 files, 1735 tests).
* Regenerate guidance around stores
Templates: every generated workflow skill (and its opsx command twin)
now carries a shared store-selection block - discover ids with
'openspec store list --json', carry --store <id> on every command,
hints keep the flag. The three out-of-guard workspace-planning prose
mentions reword to schema language; the five live workspace guards are
untouched. Parity hash tables updated deliberately and the test now
asserts the store teaching in all generated skills.
Docs accuracy pass: docs/cli.md store section renamed with the locked
vocabulary, removed workspace-open selector rows and example, stale
XDG-default setup text corrected; docs/concepts.md token renames;
workspaces-beta docs renamed plus correctness fixes (--path in setup
examples, current prompt-flow prose). Every documented invocation
smoke-ran against the built binary. The workspace and initiative group
one-liners are labeled legacy beta in Commander and completions.
Note: the .codex/skills/use-openspec guidance was also rewritten around
store discovery (beta reference deleted), but that directory is
git-ignored (the L8 ignored-local-skill), so those edits live on disk
only and cannot appear in this commit.
Full suite green (94 files, 1736 tests).
* Record the git-ignored .codex discovery in the slice artifacts
* Guard the rename with sweeps, format pins, and the dogfood proof
New tests: a vocabulary sweep over src/, test/, docs/, scripts/ (and
.codex/ when present) that fails on any reintroduction of the retired
tokens; committed-format pins (.openspec-store/store.yaml literals, the
stores/ data dir, pre-rename store registration); old-data-dir negative
fixtures (valid and corrupt old registries are ignored, never read or
migrated); a --store description exact-equality walk across every
lifecycle command; and a store:setup telemetry-path assertion.
Dogfood proof committed as dogfood-transcript.md: a fresh headless agent
session, one plain prompt naming the team store in words, discovered the
registered store via --help and store list and created the change with
--store - six tool calls, zero initiative/workspace invocations, local
root untouched.
Full suite green (95 files, 1742 tests).
* Fix the post-implementation review findings
Three parallel review mechanisms (spec-compliance agent: compliant with
findings; /code-review high: 10 verified findings; codex CLI: approve
with fixes) converged on two P2s and a set of cheap P3s, all fixed:
- The store group's unknown-subcommand hint no longer emits invalid
suggestions: 'store new <id>' without 'change' falls back to the full
form, flag-interleaved operands (which Commander cannot attribute)
use the generic example, the lifecycle-redirect set derives from
COMMAND_REGISTRY, and the subcommand list derives from the live
Commander group instead of a hardcoded string.
- Store-selection guidance names the seven commands that accept --store
instead of claiming every command does, and is removed from the
feedback workflow (whose only command rejects the flag); presence
coverage extended to all 11 opsx command templates; hash tables
re-pinned.
- Pasteable hints: 'Run store unregister' fix texts now name
'openspec store unregister <id>'; the empty-list setup hint carries
the mandatory --path.
- STORE_OPTION_DESCRIPTION now imports the completions description
instead of duplicating it; the path-bound view fixture persists
through the production writeWorkspaceViewState; the pre-rename
register test writes old-format bytes inline; the vocabulary sweep
file carries no retired tokens and no longer self-exempts.
Full suite green (95 files, 1745 tests).
* Apply the simplify-pass cleanups
Test guards now iterate the production registries: store-selection
presence checks run over getSkillTemplates()/getCommandContents() (new
workflows are covered automatically) and assert full-constant
containment; the --store description walk pins the exact seven command
names and ties each to the guidance prose, so a stale taught surface
fails tests. The store group one-liner derives from the completions
registry entry; the command:* flag predicate is derived, not restated;
retired-token constants are hoisted once per file; a redundant
assertion and a dynamic import are gone.
Skipped deliberately: the sweep's hand-rolled walker (measured ~48ms,
works), a cross-file retired-token helper (two files only), and
pre-existing duplications on surfaces the next slices delete.
Full suite green (95 files, 1745 tests).
* Tick slice 1.4 in the roadmap and point at the deletion slice
* Write and review the delete-legacy-command-groups slice spec
Both parallel adversarial reviews rejected the first draft on verified
grounds and every finding is folded: the config command's
workspace-profile integration (which executes a dead command) is in
scope; binding.ts stays because the planning-home carve-out depends on
it through workspace/foundation.ts; a dead-export carve-out ledger owned
by 4.1 is specified; concepts.md loses its whole Coordination Workspaces
section; the surviving 'Use initiatives' constraint rewords to read-only
compatibility language. The locked 5.1 'opening machinery' wording is
narrowed (recorded as a reviewable autonomous decision): the state model
and workspace-planning mode die in 4.1; zero-consumer opening helpers
die with the command groups.
* Write and review the delete-legacy-command-groups plan
Five deletion waves with grep-before-delete discipline. Both parallel
plan reviews folded: the planning-home mode pin (nothing asserts
actionContext.mode today) and the docs pointer grep gate are new
explicit steps; docs/cli.md dead-command references outside the cited
ranges are mapped (agent-table rows, Stores summary cell, config
section); the config.ts map gained the interface and core-preset call
sites with full test ranges; the parity test's initiative carve-out
removal is a named fourth partial edit; the spec's byte-stable clause
now permits the new removal-coverage tests.
* Delete the workspace and initiative command groups
The legacy beta command groups stop existing, and everything only they
consumed goes with them: the command layer (workspace.ts, initiative.ts,
the 11-file workspace/ command dir), the orphaned core (workspace
registry/openers/open-surface/skills/link-input and the whole
collections tree), the completions entries, the config command's
workspace-profile integration (which executed a dead command), the
update command's workspace detection, the docs that documented nothing
else (cli.md sections, concepts.md Coordination Workspaces,
docs/workspaces-beta/), and the tests of all of it.
Kept deliberately: planning-home and its state model (foundation,
state-io, legacy-state, store binding types - 4.1 owns their end),
legacy initiative metadata display, the --initiative rejection, and
every byte of user data. The 'Use initiatives' constraint rewords to
read-only compatibility language.
Ground truth recorded: workspace-planning mode has been CLI-unreachable
since slice 1.2's resolver demotion (toPlanningHome hardcodes repo
kind); the spec scenario was corrected to pin the byte-stable repo-local
behavior plus the library contract.
New removal-coverage tests (7) pin unknown-command rejection, help
cleanliness, update fall-through, user-data byte-identity, legacy
display, and the library contract. deletion-ledger.md records the 41
removed diagnostic codes and the dead-export carve-outs owned by 4.1.
Full suite green (85 files, 1614 tests). Pointer grep gate clean.
* Fix the deletion-slice review findings
Three parallel review mechanisms (spec-compliance: compliant with
findings, no P1; /code-review high: surgery residue and test-robustness
items; codex CLI: three P3s) converged on a small list, all applied:
the dead hasRepoLocalOpenSpecProject helper and its orphaned import are
deleted; the maybeWarnConfigDrift pass-through wrapper is collapsed and
its stale awaits dropped; the byte-identity test asserts the update
spawn's exit code and snapshots directories (not just files) so empty
subdirectory deletions cannot pass; the frozen-legacy-bytes fixture is
documented as deliberate; the project-apply accept path regained
coverage (lost with the deleted workspace tests); a sweep test pins the
ledger's surviving-token claim so workspace/initiative token regrowth
fails fast; the ledger records the state-io dead-export carve-outs, the
EACCES error-fidelity collateral, and the L2 pointer for the accepted
spec library that still describes deleted behavior.
Full suite green (85 files, 1616 tests).
* Apply the deletion-slice simplify pass and tick the roadmap
Simplify: the redundant hand-written store.yaml fixtures are gone
(registerStore writes identical metadata), the update action lost its
vestigial path.resolve scaffolding, and the sweep's four token spellings
collapsed to one concatenation-built regex. Skipped deliberately:
cross-suite snapshot helper extraction, state-io trimming, and barrel
removal - none pay for themselves before 4.1 deletes that code.
Roadmap: Phase 5 first tranche recorded (-12,903 net lines, ledger,
~25 fewer modules per CLI invocation), the workspace-planning
CLI-unreachability ground truth logged as a reviewable decision, and
the pointer moved to 3.1.
Full suite green (85 files, 1616 tests).
* Write and review the store-references slice spec (3.1)
Two adversarial rounds folded. The subagent's P1s were both grounding
failures: parseSpec() throws on imperfect upstream specs, so the index
extracts summaries tolerantly; and apply instructions have a real human
surface, so the index lives in both surfaces and both modes. Codex
added the async command-boundary assembly (the sync generators receive
the index as input), the 50KB shared budget with order-preserving
truncation, and registry-corruption degradation. Five warning codes
degrade instructions instead of failing them; references parse raw and
validate in the assembler; the index is one level deep by rule.
* Write and review the store-references plan (3.1)
Two checkpoints (config + assembler core; instruction surfaces + docs).
Both plan reviews approved with fixes, all folded: pure renderers live
in core beside the assembler so the 50KB budget measures real output
(truncation stops before the cap, warning line exempt); the
inspectRegisteredStore extraction is pinned narrow - metadata/health
stages only, registry lookup stays in resolveStoreRoot and its seven
error codes stay byte-identical; config is read once at the command
boundary and suppresses the generator's internal read; the Purpose-line
scanner is self-contained; the test matrix gained symmetric --store,
boundary byte-identity, no-recursion, nothing-frozen, and not-inlined
assertions.
* Add the references config field and the index assembler core
openspec/config.yaml gains references: (raw strings kept, deduplicated,
order-preserving; grammar validation is the assembler's job so bad ids
surface as diagnostics). New src/core/references.ts assembles the
referenced-store index: one registry read per call, the narrow
inspectRegisteredStore extraction shared with resolveStoreRoot (whose
seven error codes stay byte-identical, pinned by the existing
root-selection tests), tolerant first-Purpose-line summaries, five
warning diagnostic codes, self-reference omission by id and path, and
the 50KB budget with order-preserving truncation measured by the pure
renderers that the command layer will print.
Full suite green (86 files, 1630 tests).
* Wire the referenced-store index into both instruction surfaces
The command layer reads the resolved root's config once (suppressing
the generator's internal read), assembles the index, and threads it
into generateInstructions and generateApplyInstructions. Artifact human
mode prints the <referenced_stores> XML block after project context;
apply human mode prints a '### Referenced Stores' markdown section.
JSON gains an additive references field, omitted when none are
declared. docs/cli.md gains the 'Referencing stores from a project'
subsection.
Seven new surface tests pin: both surfaces both modes, live (unfrozen)
summaries, field omission, symmetric --store declarations, the
one-level rule, non-instruction byte-identity with the store untouched,
and the full PM-to-dev layered flow including the verbatim fetch.
Full suite green (87 files, 1637 tests).
* Fix the 3.1 review findings
Three review mechanisms converged on six real issues, all fixed with
regression tests: extractFirstPurposeLine is fence-aware and accepts
CommonMark closing hashes; an index emptied by self-reference omission
now omits the JSON field (omitted-not-empty contract); truncation
renders its message as a Note line instead of an orphan fix; the budget
measures the real rendering in UTF-8 bytes (problem entries and
diagnostics included; only the truncation warning exempt) with a
binary-search prefix; registry-independent checks (invalid id,
self-reference) run before the corrupt-registry branch; the assembler
catches inspection throws and degrades them; the resolveStoreRoot
switch is explicit (return fromStoreError) with an exhaustiveness
guard; generateApplyInstructions takes an options bag instead of a
fifth positional; the dead config-read catch is gone; spec files read
concurrently.
Full suite green (87 files, 1641 tests).
* Apply the 3.1 simplify pass and tick the roadmap
Simplify: the two new test suites share test/helpers/openspec-fixtures
(createOpenSpecRoot/writeSpec); the dead canonicalize wrapper is gone
(canonicalizeExistingPath never throws); the 50KB cap is single-sourced
from project-config's exported MAX_CONTEXT_SIZE; the registry-unreadable
state collapsed into one nullable variable; spread and JSDoc nits.
Skipped with reasoning: renderer branch merge, binary-search
replacement (measured: cap self-bounds the cost), cross-suite snapshot
consolidation, and the remaining ~1ms duplicate config read (the
project's own perf note rejects that trade).
Roadmap: 3.1 boxes ticked, changelog round recorded, pointer moved to
3.2. Full suite green (88 files, 1641 tests).
* Write and review the declared-store-fallback slice spec (3.2)
Both adversarial reviews converged on the same P1: the spec claimed
declared roots behave exactly like --store roots while its own UX
example printed a relative path, and the scope named only two of the
seven source-keyed consumers. The fix is one store-selected predicate
(storeId set) adopted everywhere. Also folded: init refuses to bury a
pointer under a scaffold; malformed pointers error
(invalid_store_pointer) instead of silently flipping the write target;
one-hop pointer resolution; warning-silent resolver config reads;
directory-typed shape stats; the true-prefix declaredOrigin mechanism;
and the recorded amendment relocating the both-shapes warning from the
nonexistent project doctor to resolution stderr.
* Write and review the declared-store-fallback plan (3.2)
Both plan reviews approved with fixes, folded: the eighth
source==='store' check (show.ts printNonInteractiveHint) joins the
predicate inventory with a recorded spec amendment; the init guard
anchors immediately after validate() so legacy cleanup and the
global-config migration write cannot precede the refusal; the
declaration-origin prefix is a call-site rewrap (codes preserved, fix
unprefixed) covering the fromStoreError pass-throughs; the targeted
config read is a shared exported helper; the test matrix covers all
five prefixed taxonomy codes, the malformed-pointer no-write
assertion, deterministic byte-identity, and positive config-only
assertions.
* Add the declared-store fallback to root resolution
A config-only openspec/ directory with a store: pointer now resolves
the declared store: the nearest-root arm classifies the found dir with
two directory stats, reads the pointer via the new warning-silent
readStorePointer helper (malformed pointers error with
invalid_store_pointer - never a silent local write), and resolves
through the shared resolveStoreRoot pipeline with source 'declared'
and a declaration-origin rewrap (codes and fixes untouched). A real
root with a pointer warns once on stderr and stays nearest - fallback
never override. The new isStoreSelectedRoot predicate (storeId set)
replaces all eight source==='store' checks so declared roots get
identical cross-root behavior: banner, --store hints, absolute paths,
suppressed noun-form suggestions.
Nine new resolver tests cover the pointer, precedence, the both-shapes
warning, malformed pointers, all five prefixed taxonomy codes, one-hop
resolution, and .yml origins.
Full suite green (88 files, 1650 tests).
* Add the init pointer guard, externalized-planning e2e, and docs
openspec init now refuses to scaffold a config-only pointer directory,
anchored immediately after validate() so the refusal precedes legacy
cleanup, migration writes, and prompts - the test pins that nothing
changes on disk and that removing the store: line converts cleanly.
The e2e journey runs the full lifecycle (new change through archive)
in a pointer repo without --store anywhere: work lands in the store,
the pointer repo stays byte-identical, the banner and JSON root block
report declared, nextSteps hints carry --store, and the 3.1 references
composition surfaces the store's own upstream index. docs/cli.md gains
the 'Declaring a default store' subsection.
Full suite green (89 files, 1654 tests).
* Fix the 3.2 review findings
Three review mechanisms converged; all real findings fixed with
regression tests: empty or comments-only configs in config-only dirs
are plain roots again (the documented comment-out conversion path no
longer strands every command behind invalid_store_pointer; non-mapping
scalars carry no pointer); the malformed reason splits into
unparseable vs non-string with accurate messages and fixes; the init
guard now refuses malformed pointers too and walks ancestors so a
pointer-repo subdirectory cannot grow a nested root that silently
diverts work; resolver and init share one classifyOpenSpecDir (the
classification can never diverge); readProjectConfig and
readStorePointer share one .yaml/.yml probe; the fourth copy of the
snapshot test helper is consolidated into test/helpers/fs-snapshot.ts;
the resolver header documents invalid_store_pointer; the
absolute-path warning wording is recorded as a spec amendment.
Full suite green (89 files, 1656 tests).
* Apply the 3.2 simplify pass and tick the roadmap
Simplify: isStoreSelectedRoot is a type guard (three redundant
conjuncts gone); the malformed-pointer reason strings single-source
through storePointerProblem in project-config (init's copies were
unpinned and could drift); the init guard drops its ternary for the
walk that finds projectPath in extend mode anyway. Skipped with
reasoning: directoryExistsSync consolidation (four pre-existing private
copies, out of slice), the warnings-array altitude (3.6 owns the
structured surface), the classification's module home (revisit when
3.6 consumes it).
Roadmap: 3.2 boxes ticked, changelog round recorded (including the
detached-HEAD process note), pointer moved to 3.3.
Full suite green (89 files, 1656 tests).
* Write and review the store-canonical-remote slice spec (3.3)
Two adversarial reviews converged on the contract holes, all folded:
the setup-rerun origin-erasure P1 (probe in both flows so
storeBackendsMatch stays consistent and the 1.3 rerun no-op survives);
register's write contract stated precisely (never commits, never
modifies an existing store.yaml; conversion identity stays
remote-free); the one-way strict-schema compatibility recorded as a
standing constraint for 3.4; mixed references dedup semantics
(normalize, dedup by id, first remote wins); verbatim-pasteable clone
fixes via ~/openspec/<id>; setup --remote refuses to be silently
ignored; the doctor example redrawn from the real layout; the
no-network clause pinned testably.
* Write and review the store-canonical-remote plan (3.3)
Both plan reviews approved with fixes, folded: clone fixes render
absolute home paths (tilde never expands outside a shell; agent JSON
consumers execute argv directly) with the spec amended to match;
setup's origin probe reaches both backend-resolution sites so reruns
cannot re-introduce the erasure P1, and stays out of
resolveGitStoreBackendConfig's hot read paths; the sharing-guidance
plumbing is concrete (StoreMutationResult carries canonical/observed,
JSON drops them, printMutationHuman renders the preference chain); the
setup-JSON contradiction resolved for the unchanged StoreOutput shape;
getOriginUrl trims; the --remote-vs-existing refusal fires in
prepareStoreSetup before any prompt or write; fill-if-absent dedup
pinned; registry anchors and test filenames corrected; TEST-NET
fixtures via git remote add.
* Record canonical and observed store remotes (3.3 checkpoint 1)
store.yaml gains an optional remote (strict schema retained; pre-3.3
files parse; unknown keys and empty remotes still fail). setup --remote
writes it before the initial commit, fails on empty values before
creating anything, and refuses with the hand-edit fix when store.yaml
already exists - silent flag acceptance is the forbidden outcome. Both
setup backend-resolution sites and register probe the local git origin
(gitOriginUrl, config read only) into the machine-local registry entry,
so reruns stay no-ops that preserve the record and re-register
refreshes it; conversion-created identity stays {version, id}. Doctor
surfaces metadata.remote and git.origin_url, with one human Remote line
preferring canonical. Sharing guidance names the canonical remote, then
the observed origin, then keeps today's wording - threaded through
StoreMutationResult.remotes and dropped from JSON.
15 new tests; three additive pins updated (doctor git shape x2, the
completions flag registry friction pin).
Full suite green (90 files, 1671 tests).
* Carry clone sources in reference declarations (3.3 checkpoint 2)
references: entries now accept {id, remote} maps alongside plain ids,
normalized to ReferenceDeclaration[] (dedup by id keeps the first
position; the first remote seen fills a missing one, never overrides).
The unresolved-reference fix becomes a verbatim-pasteable
git clone <remote> <home>/openspec/<id> && openspec store register ...
- absolute home path because tilde never expands outside a shell and
agent JSON consumers execute argv directly. An invalid id still wins
over any declared remote. The e2e onboarding journey executes the
printed fix verbatim (scratch HOME, local-path remote, split on the
shell &&) and continues to a resolved index - including the clone-trap
lesson that the origin must track anchor files. docs/cli.md documents
--remote, the store.yaml field, and the reference-with-remote form.
Full suite green (90 files, 1674 tests).
* Fix the 3.3 review findings
Three review mechanisms converged; all real findings fixed with
regression tests: register (and both setup sites) no longer probe the
origin of a non-repo store folder nested inside another repository -
git -C walks up, so the enclosing repo's origin could be durably
recorded and printed as sharing guidance (the shared
resolveBackendWithObservedOrigin helper guards with an at-root check
and deduplicates the triplicated probe block); the clone fix quotes
the checkout path, separates the remote with --, and renders only
shell-inert remotes (a config-committed --upload-pack or
metacharacter-bearing remote falls back to the teammate wording -
agents execute these fixes verbatim); setupPreparedStore re-asserts
the hand-edit refusal so metadata materializing between prepare and
execute cannot silently swallow --remote; a same-checkout origin
backfill now reports already_registered: true while still refreshing
the entry (the 1.3 rerun-reporting contract); the references warnings
distinguish dropped entries from dropped remotes; the dead zod union
for references is gone (the manual parser is the documented single
source); foundation's duplicate empty-remote message names its layer.
New pins: setup-rerun remote preservation, origin-backfill reporting,
the nested-repo guard, and the shell-safety gate.
Full suite green (90 files, 1678 tests).
* Apply the 3.3 simplify pass and tick the roadmap
Simplify: the duplicated store_remote_requires_hand_edit throw is one
factory (the TOCTOU re-assert can no longer drift from the prepare
guard); commitStoreRegistration restructures around a normalized
sameCheckout predicate - three near-identical returns become one, and
a symlinked-path remote refresh no longer misreports as a fresh
registration. Skipped with reasoning: the test fixture consolidation
(near the option ceiling), the checkout-location prose/computed split
and the ext:: transport hardening (both recorded as capstone notes),
doctor divergence display (spec-locked quiet form).
Roadmap: 3.3 boxes ticked, changelog round recorded, pointer moved to
3.4. Full suite green (90 files, 1678 tests).
* Write and review the store-targets slice spec (3.4)
Both adversarial reviews approved with fixes, folded: the apply
surface's indirect metadata flow (assembly runs inside
generateApplyInstructions with store targets passed through the
options bag); empty narrowing treated as undeclared; status always in
the JSON shape so agents see degradation; remote inheritance under
narrowing; the change-level grammar cliff owned explicitly;
KebabIdentifierSchema as the named validator with a neutral shared
kebab predicate replacing store-flavored naming; declared-root
sessions and the inert pointer-dir wrong turn covered.
* Write and review the store-targets plan (3.4)
Both plan reviews approved with fixes, folded: the artifact human
rendering anchored to printInstructionsText (instruction-loader
renders nothing); the unknown-store and root-resolution pins added;
validateStoreId delegates to the neutral isKebabId so one kebab regex
remains; the label-factory call corrected; the apply options bag
carries the resolved config path for fix text; inline expected strings
replace snapshot wording; the e2e gains a second non-narrowed change.
* Add the targets declaration layer (3.4 checkpoint 1)
One shared declaration-list parser now backs both references: and the
new targets: config field (identical normalization, dedup, and split
warnings - the 3.1/3.3 references pins stay green untouched).
ChangeMetadataSchema gains targets as kebab-validated ordinary
metadata, and the kebab grammar finally has one source of truth: the
exported isKebabId in change-metadata/schema, which validateStoreId
now delegates to. The pure src/core/targets.ts assembles the effective
set (change narrowing replaces the store list with remote inheritance
by id join; empty narrowing means undeclared; target_invalid_id and
target_not_declared degradation) and renders the XML block and
markdown section with pinned provenance wording.
Full suite green (91 files, 1690 tests).
* Surface effective targets in instructions (3.4 checkpoint 2)
Both instruction surfaces in both modes now carry the effective target
set: the artifact path assembles in instructionsCommand (change
context and config both in hand) and threads through
GenerateInstructionsOptions; the apply path passes storeTargets and
the resolved config path through the options bag and assembles inside
generateApplyInstructions where the change metadata loads. JSON gets
{source, repos, status} omitted-when-none; human output renders the
target_repos XML block and the Target Repos markdown section after the
referenced-stores blocks. Six surface tests cover provenance on both
surfaces, narrowing with remote inheritance beside a non-narrowed
sibling change, vocabulary warnings in JSON and human at exit 0,
omitted-when-none, pointer sessions reading the resolved root (the
pointer dir's own targets are inert), the unknown-store pin for target
ids, and non-instruction byte-identity. docs/cli.md documents the
declaration and the targets-vs-affected_areas split.
Full suite green (92 files, 1696 tests).
* Fix the 3.4 review findings
Three review mechanisms converged on polish-level findings (no P1/P2),
all folded: change-level target duplicates dedup to a set (first
occurrence wins); the non-array config warning names repo ids for
targets instead of borrowing the references noun; both instruction
surfaces now share ONE wiring shape - the artifact path passes raw
storeTargets/storeConfigPath like apply and assembly happens inside
the generator where change metadata lives (the silently-degrading
asymmetry a second caller would have tripped on); the shared
declaration type is renamed DeclarationEntry (it backs repos and
stores alike) with the stale references-only comment gone; the dead
KEBAB_ID_REGEX export is private again; METADATA_FILENAME is exported
and reused instead of two string literals; the spec's severity-cliff
wording amended to the real blast radius (instructions/status read
metadata; show/validate/archive never did). Recorded for later: the
workspace kebab-regex copy dies with 4.1; the all-invalid-store-ids
empty-repos render is distinguishable by status and stays.
Full suite green (92 files, 1696 tests).
* Apply the 3.4 simplify pass and tick the roadmap
Simplify: the conditional spreads at both command boundaries collapse
to plain optional fields (internal options, not JSON output); the
loader falls back to the self-read config's targets so library callers
omitting the option agree with the CLI wiring; cosmetic blank-line and
spec-wrap leftovers fixed. Skipped with reasoning: a shared id.ts home
for the kebab grammar (3.5's natural move), the references barrel
export note and parseJson consolidation (capstone), import-statement
merges (trivia).
Roadmap: 3.4 boxes ticked, changelog round recorded, pointer moved to
3.5. Full suite green (92 files, 1696 tests).
* Write and review the repo-map slice spec (3.5)
Both adversarial reviews approved with fixes, folded. The P1: the four
registry state-rebuild sites would silently erase the new repos:
section on the next store write - preservation is a pinned scenario
naming the sites. Also folded: repo-check precedence over both
unknown-store branches with a non-looping zero-stores fix; path AND id
cross-section uniqueness with four claimant codes; invalid_repo_id
wording with the --id hint for default folder names; the kebab
predicate's neutral id.ts home; pinned JSON contracts; the honest
one-additional-read wiring; TargetRepoEntry; the recorded Unicode
arrow and corrupt-registry silence decisions.
* Write and review the repo-map plan (3.5)
Both plan reviews approved with fixes, folded: the cross-section check
lives inside assertNoRegisteredStoreConflict (four call sites incl.
three operations preflights - hooking only the write helper would let
setup scaffold files before failing, so an early-reject pin is
planned); getRepoPath reconciled as a dumb id lookup whose 3.5 caller
is repo unregister while the enrichment uses listRepoEntries on its
own read; six missing test mappings added (store list/doctor with both
sections, empty-list verbatim, repo_not_found, mixed-registry positive
resolution, directory-untouched unregister, both-surface enrichment);
two code-map anchors corrected.
* Add typed registry sections and the repo map core (3.5 checkpoint 1)
The machine-local registry gains an optional strict repos: section
beside stores:, carried through parse, serialize, and both store write
helpers (the preservation matrix is pinned - a schema-only change
would have silently erased every repo mapping on the next store
write). Cross-section uniqueness for ids AND paths lives inside
assertNoRegisteredStoreConflict (covering the three operations
preflights) and the new assertNoRegisteredRepoConflict, with the four
claimant codes plus in-section repo_id_conflict/repo_path_conflict.
registerRepo/unregisterRepo/listRepoEntries/getRepoPath form the core
API (rerun no-op, repo_not_found, corrupt-registry null). The kebab
grammar moves to its neutral src/core/id.ts home; change-metadata
re-exports, store foundation and targets consume it, and registry key
validation produces label-accurate wording.
Full suite green (93 files, 1705 tests).
* Add the repo command group, typed rejection, and path enrichment (3.5 checkpoint 2)
openspec repo register/unregister/list manage the machine-local repo
map with the pinned JSON contracts (folder-name default ids with the
--id fix when grammar fails; repo_path_missing/not_directory;
repo_not_found; rerun no-op; unregister never touches the checkout).
--store with a registered repo id now rejects with store_id_is_repo
before BOTH unknown-store branches - including zero-stores, whose fix
suggests a different id instead of looping into the cross-section
conflict - and propagates through the 3.2 pointer with the Declared-in
prefix. Effective-target entries gain a local path when the repo map
resolves them (TargetRepoEntry; arrow and combined renders; one
additional registry read in loadRootConfigContext; corrupt registry
yields bare entries silently). Completions registry, friction pins,
and docs updated; store setup with a repo-claimed id is pinned to
create nothing.
Full suite green (94 files, 1714 tests).
* Fix the 3.5 review findings
Three review mechanisms converged; all fixed with regression tests:
the library API enforces its own invariants (registerRepo validates
path-then-id with typed repo_path_missing/not_directory and
invalid_repo_id errors; unregisterRepo validates ids - a 4.1 caller
gets input errors, not serialize-time registry-corruption noise; the
command rewraps default-folder-name grammar failures with the --id
fix); no-op reruns never take the write lock or rewrite the registry
file (mtime/format churn pinned away); the stale getRepoPath pre-read
in unregister is gone (the locked removal is authoritative); the repo
map is read unconditionally so change-only targets enrich too; a
hand-edited registry with one id in both sections now fails clearly at
parse time instead of resolving ambiguously; store_id_is_repo embeds
its action in the message (human wrappers print message only - the
recorded family precedent); the register/unregister JSON shapes split
into total types; the docs Repo map heading no longer re-parents the
default-store subsection.
getRepoPath stays exported as recorded 4.1 groundwork (unit-tested,
no production caller yet - the 3.3 persisted-remote precedent).
Full suite green (94 files, 1718 tests).
* Apply the 3.5 simplify pass and tick the roadmap
Simplify: the third copy of the JSON/failure plumbing collapses into
commands/shared-output (one definition of the failure contract, used
by store and repo); the same-mapping predicate is hoisted in
registerRepo; the kebab grammar wording single-sources through
KEBAB_ID_DESCRIPTION; an unused test import and two docs nits fixed.
Skipped with reasoning: the registry-state builder quadruplication
(settled mirror territory), validator placement, the unconditional
registry read (measure-by-reasoning verdict: the only correct gate
needs data that arrives after the read on the apply path).
Roadmap: 3.5 boxes ticked, changelog round recorded, pointer moved to
3.6. Full suite green (94 files, 1718 tests).
* Write and review the relationship-health slice spec (3.6)
Both adversarial reviews approved with fixes (two P1s each,
converging), all folded: the exit-code rule now mirrors store
doctor's REAL contract (health findings exit 0; the draft cited a
nonexistent errors-exit-1 behavior); the JSON shape gains the lock's
separate store-metadata section and the 3.4-recorded inert-pointer
deferral lands as pointer_declarations_inert; a real
includeSpecs:false assembler mode replaces the strip-after hedge; the
assembler accepts a pre-read registry so one read feeds everything;
target_unmapped suppressed under unreadable registries;
grammar-invalid targets synthesize bare entries; the both-shapes
detection mechanism and stderr duplication recorded; the
STORE_SELECTION_GUIDANCE consequence scoped; missing scenarios added.
* Write and review the relationship-health plan (3.6)
Both plan reviews converged on three P1-grade holes, all folded: the
registry-injection option inverted the established null semantics (a
fresh machine with no registry file would have been marked unreadable
- the option is now registryEntries with [] = empty and null =
unreadable, mirroring the assembler's post-read variable);
resolveRootForCommand needs an additive allowImplicitRoot
pass-through (it forwards only store/storePath today); and the
invalid-target synthesis would have required parsing ids out of
message strings (the inspector receives raw declarations and uses
isKebabId). Plus: the inert-pointer re-walk named (the declared root
is the store; findRepoPlanningRootSync(cwd) finds the pointer dir);
the human-rendering contradiction resolved in favor of the spec
transcript; truncation-never and pass-through pins mapped; the dead
status key dropped from the failure payload.
* Add the health-mode assembler options and the relationship inspector (3.6 checkpoint 1)
assembleReferenceIndex gains includeSpecs:false (skipping the
spec-file reads AND the byte budget - health entries carry no
specs/fetch keys and the content-only truncation diagnostic can never
appear) and registryEntries injection with the [] -vs- null semantics
that mirror the assembler's own post-read variable (a naive raw-read
injection would mark every fresh machine unreadable). The pure
src/core/relationship-health.ts composes the doctor command's gathered
inputs into the lock's four separated categories, synthesizing
target_unmapped (suppressed under unreadable registries), structural
target_invalid_id entries from the raw declarations (never parsed from
messages), relationship_registry_unreadable, root_pointer_ignored,
pointer_declarations_inert, and the store_remote_divergence info note.
Full suite green (95 files, 1727 tests).
* Add openspec doctor (3.6 checkpoint 2)
The root-scoped relationship-health command: resolves like every
normal command (with the new additive allowImplicitRoot pass-through
on resolveRootForCommand and the null-shape failure payload), gathers
with ONE registry read feeding references, targets, and the unreadable
signal coherently, detects the both-shapes and inert-pointer wrong
turns (the latter via the cwd re-walk, working from subdirectories),
reads store facts for explicit and declared store-backed roots, and
renders the three-heading transcript voice with (none declared)
sections and Fix lines. Health findings of any severity exit 0; only
command failures exit 1. STORE_SELECTION_GUIDANCE gains doctor and the
skill-template parity hashes update deliberately; completions and the
--store description pins extended. Eight e2e tests cover the full
matrix incl. empty-vs-unreadable registries, divergence info, and the
read-only snapshot.
Full suite green (96 files, 1735 tests).
* Fix the 3.6 review findings
Three review mechanisms converged; all fixed with regression tests:
human-mode command failures now print the taxonomy Error/Fix lines
instead of a raw stack trace (the action gained the sibling-standard
try/catch); stale repo mappings surface as target_path_missing (the
lock's 'target checkout health' now actually stats mapped paths);
self-reference-emptied reference lists render '(declared references
all resolve to this root)' instead of the false '(none declared)'; a
malformed store: pointer on a real root surfaces as
root_pointer_invalid (the resolver is silent there); the synthesized
target_invalid_id fix carries the real config path; the inspector
reuses toRootOutput; instructions' registry read now feeds the
reference assembler through the 3.6 injection point (no more torn
snapshots between repoPaths and the index); the human renderer's
duplicated section loops collapse into shared helpers; the spec's
exit-1 list gains the recorded corrupt-store.yaml amendment (store
resolution rejects before doctor runs - a doctor-only resolution path
would break the one-resolver invariant).
Full suite green (96 files, 1739 tests).
* Apply the 3.6 simplify pass and tick the roadmap - Phase 3 complete
Simplify: readRegistrySnapshot extracts the torn-snapshot invariant
into one place (doctor and instructions both consume it); doctor's
catch routes through emitFailure, fixing a --json inconsistency where
post-resolution failures printed human lines without a JSON payload;
shared asStatus duck-types the diagnostic envelope so
RootSelectionError fixes survive; the inspector reuses
storePointerProblem (the fifth phrase copy dies); the existsSync sweep
stats only declared targets; the dead toRootOutput import removed.
Skipped with reasoning: the warning-factory extraction (the fourth
copy does not fit the shape), the config-path-fallback micro-helper.
Roadmap: 3.6 boxes ticked, Phase 3 marked complete on the branch,
changelog round recorded, pointer moved to 4.1.
Full suite green (96 files, 1739 tests).
* Trim the review profile for Phase 5 deletion slices
* Write and review the assemble-working-context slice spec (4.1)
Both adversarial reviews approved with fixes, converging on the
deletion-grounding P1s: binding.ts dies whole (5.1 kept it only for
workspace/foundation's import - with workspace/ gone it would be
exactly the hidden-not-deleted state the criteria reject) and the five
workflow-template workspace-planning guards 5.1 deeded here join the
deletion list with their parity churn named. Also folded: the
change-status-policy cascade enumerated; the shared doctor/context
data gather made mandatory with context recorded as silent on wrong
turns; the member-mapping table pinned; code-workspace write semantics
pinned; getRepoPath deleted rather than re-hidden; fetchRecipe
exported; the naming paragraph recorded.
* Write and review the assemble-working-context plan (4.1)
Both plan reviews approved with fixes, folded: the spec's
code_workspace_exists diagnostic collides with the vocabulary sweep's
workspace_* ban - amended to context_file_exists; the parity test's
workspace-planning guard assertion flips to absence; the policy
tranche names ChangeStatus.affectedAreas and the artifact-graph barrel
re-export; doctor-extraction weakened to behavior-identical; the
unresolved-members-stderr e2e mapped; the sweep guardrail reworded
honestly; stale hedges resolved. Both reviewers verified the deletion
order dependency-safe and every anchor accurate.
* Delete the workspace opening machinery (4.1 checkpoint 1)
The absorbed 2.3, executed leaves-first: the ten workspace-planning
template guards (parity test flipped to a no-residue assertion); the
change-status-policy cascade (summarizeAffectedAreas,
AffectedAreasSummary, affectedAreas plumbing, workspaceName, the
workspace-planning mode member, the workspace next-steps, the
artifact-graph barrel re-export); planning-home collapsed to repo-only
(PlanningHomeKind = 'repo'; the workspace state read and
workspace-planning default schema die); src/core/workspace/ whole
(897 lines) with its barrel line and tests; store/binding.ts whole
(~300 lines - 5.1 kept it only for workspace/foundation's import)
with its barrel line and binding tests; getRepoPath (its recorded
consumers evaporated). The library pins that froze the carve-outs die
with the behavior; the six legacy-groups CLI-surface pins stay green
untouched. The deletion ledger marks the carve-outs executed and the
workspace_skills vocabulary-allowlist entry is pruned. No
.openspec-workspace reads remain anywhere in src.
Net: 27 files, -2,196 lines / +40.
Full suite green (94 files, 1706 tests).
* Add openspec context, the assembled working set (4.1 checkpoint 2)
The working set a root's declarations describe, in one command: the
JSON agent brief (root + members with roles, absolute paths, fetch
recipes on available stores, and the existing fixes verbatim on
unavailable members), the human listing with the Not-available
section, and the --code-workspace editor view (available members only;
ref:/repo: folder prefixes; the pinned write matrix - typed
context_file_exists refusal, --force, no implicit mkdir, stderr
confirmation under --json; stale mapped paths excluded - reported, not
guessed). Assembly is presentation over the 3.6 composition through
the new shared command gather (doctor refactored onto it,
behavior-identical); fetchRecipe exported as the one recipe source.
STORE_SELECTION_GUIDANCE gains context with the parity hashes and
completions pins updated deliberately; docs add the section and the
project-context vs working-context disambiguation.
Full suite green (95 files, 1711 tests).
* Fix the 4.1 review findings
Three review mechanisms converged; all fixed with regression tests:
the --json + --code-workspace failure path now leaves exactly one JSON
document on stdout (the write runs before the brief is printed; both
failure modes pinned); context mirrors doctor's self-reference honesty
('Declared references all resolve to this root' instead of the false
'nothing declared'); the registry degradation is selected by
diagnostic code, never by array position (the fragile health.status[0]
coupling and the redundant boolean+diagnostic pair are gone); the
write summary names the skipped member ids instead of pointing JSON
users at a listing that is not there, with the count arithmetic in
plain form; the dead planningHome params on
buildNextSteps/buildActionContext inputs and their loader threading
are removed; the leftover binding imports in registry.test.ts and
three pieces of edit debris are swept; the ledger's Surviving-tokens
section is pruned; the doctor docs section cross-links context; and
the spec's working-set/builder unit-test bullet is fulfilled
(test/core/working-set.test.ts - the mapping table, ordering,
availability rule, by-code selection, and builder shape).
Skipped with reasoning: suppressing the resolver's both-shapes stderr
warning for context runs (codex P3) - that warning is 3.2 family
behavior for every command at resolution time; forking it per command
would fragment the one-resolver contract. Recorded for the capstone.
Full suite green (96 files, 1715 tests).
* Apply the 4.1 simplify pass and tick the roadmap - Phase 4 complete
Simplify: the stale-path stat sweep moves into shared-gather as
missingDeclaredRepoPaths (doctor and context both consume it; the
header comment now tells the truth); the dead Windows-path machinery
in planning-home dies with the stale workspace-kind test that was its
only exerciser (formatChangeLocation collapses to path.relative); the
garbled vocabulary-sweep comment is repaired; doctor's dead fs import
removed; the context_output_dir_missing code recorded as a plan
amendment instead of silent drift. Skipped with reasoning: the
printEntryDiagnostics extraction (net-zero lines, couples two
surfaces' voices); the three filter passes (readability beats a
one-pass accumulator at single-digit N); PlanningHomeSummary identity
(recorded for the capstone).
Roadmap: 4.1 boxes ticked, Phase 4 complete on the branch, pointer
moved to the Phase 5 remainder.
Full suite green (96 files, 1714 tests).
* Execute the Phase 5 remainder - 5.1 fully closed
Per the locked delete-don't-hide criteria, after 4.1 as queued
(decision record: slices/delete-legacy-command-groups/remainder.md):
schemas/workspace-planning/ deleted (openspec schemas still advertised
the dead workflow); the four workspace-* beta change folders deleted
(unimplemented relics - archiving would assert completion; git
preserves); L2 decided - the four wholly-workspace accepted specs
deleted (capability gone = spec gone) and the workspace requirements
excised from cli-config and cli-artifact-workflow (two requirements,
eight scenarios - bounded short of the docs rewrite the roadmap
forbids). Incidental mentions in five other specs recorded for the
capstone vocabulary audit. All 36 remaining accepted specs validate;
full suite green untouched (96 files, 1714 tests).
* Capstone: all four persona journeys pass (6.1)
Journeys 2 and 3 land as standing e2e in
test/cli-e2e/capstone-journeys.test.ts - the layered PM-to-dev flow
(an app-repo agent discovers the reference from config via openspec
context, cites the upstream spec by following the fetch recipe
verbatim, and writes its design change in the app repo's own root
while the store stays read-only) and externalized planning (a code
repo with only a store: pointer runs new-change through archive with
zero --store flags and never grows planning state). Journey 1 is the
standing store-lifecycle e2e. Journey 4 ran as a live cold-start
headless dogfood: a fresh codex session given only a vague prompt and
--help output assembled the full intended topology - store setup,
targets declaration, pointer config, repo mapping, and
doctor/context/validate self-verification. Results recorded in
capstone/journeys.md.
Full suite green (97 files, 1716 tests).
* Capstone: usability audits done (6.1)
Error-catalog walk: 55 wrong turns exercised live across 13 families
(human + JSON) against the actionable/store-carrying/correct-exit/
honest bar - 46 pass. The resolution-layer taxonomy held
(differentiated no-root hints, single-document JSON failures,
shell-parseable clone fixes, bidirectional namespace collisions). Nine
failures recorded and queued for the capstone fix round: 1 P1 (raw
YAML stack trace on unparseable real-root configs), 4 P2 (pathless
corrupt-registry fix that dead-ends through store doctor, instructions
dropping its Fix line, validate summaries without drill-down,
implicit scaffolding creating doctor-unhealthy roots), 4 P3.
Vocabulary sweep incl. docs/cli.md: clean except the legacy
ChangeStatus.initiative JSON passthrough (queued; the schema keeps
parsing user data). Time-to-first-success measured live: 2 commands,
2 concepts, each step printing the next command.
* Fix the capstone usability-audit findings
All nine error-catalog failures plus the vocabulary finding, with the
test pins updated deliberately:
P1 - unparseable real-root configs no longer dump a YAMLParseError
stack trace: readProjectConfig warns with one line naming the file and
the first error line only (pinned: single line, no node_modules).
P2 - the corrupt-registry fix names the actual registry file path; the
CLI's shared error wrapper (17 catch sites) now prints the diagnostic
fix line it used to drop, so instructions and every sibling carry the
pasteable next step; validate failure summaries print a drill-down
command carrying --store (derived from the resolved root); implicit
scaffolding (new change in a bare dir, non-interactive init) now
creates the complete healthy shape - specs/, changes/archive/, and a
minimal config.yaml - so doctor calls the result ok instead of
unhealthy.
P3 - the malformed-pointer warning on real roots names the file; the
declared-pointer unknown-store fix is reshaped for the actual mistake
(register the store or edit the named config - the user never passed
--store); the store-register-at-code-repo fix offers repo register;
archive not-found lists available changes like its status sibling.
Vocabulary - the legacy ChangeStatus.initiative passthrough is gone
from every surface (status JSON/human, instructions XML, apply text);
the metadata schema still PARSES stored links (user-data tolerance,
pinned by the flipped legacy tests: tolerated, not re-emitted).
Full suite green (97 files, 1716 tests).
* Capstone: technical audits done (6.1)
Single-resolver invariant HOLDS: one precedence implementation, nine
command entry points through it, doctor/init extra walks verified as
post-resolution diagnostics and scaffold guards; one latent
unreachable fallback queued for deletion. Dependency direction HOLDS:
zero core->commands/cli imports. Dead-code sweep over the 213-file
delta: no P2s, five P3s queued, four notes recorded (incl. the ext::
transport status: zero occurrences, the shell-safe gate and
team-committed trust boundary hold). Module sizes bounded (largest
1,160 lines). docs/agent-contract.md committed - every JSON shape,
the diagnostic envelope, failure payloads, the exit-code contract, and
the full diagnostic-code catalog verified against emitting code, with
14 consistency findings; the gauntlet-grade one (several --json
failure paths emit no JSON document) is queued for the gauntlet fix
round. Net LOC vs origin/main: src -4,478, test -325 - net-negative
as the roadmap expected.
* Capstone: whole-delta gauntlet run - findings ledger (6.1)
Four mechanisms over origin/main...HEAD: /code-review at max effort
(all 12 verified candidates CONFIRMED, most live-reproduced), a
32-agent adversarial Workflow (six lenses, refute-style verification:
25 confirmed + 7 completeness gaps), a codex whole-delta review
(FIX-FIRST), and the audits' queued items. Consolidated: 2 P1 (the
~/openspec layout turning $HOME into a phantom nearest root that
captures every lifecycle command under the home tree; status/
instructions --json errors emitting no JSON document), 13 P2 (the
JSON-failure-contract family, the --store-path seam, doctor's
up-walking origin probe, the stale registry lock, config-only
half-scaffolds, prompt-injection via verbatim hostile strings, five
more accepted specs requiring deleted behavior, stale planningHome
guidance in generated skills, a syntactically-broken zsh completion
script, store-remove delete-before-commit, the setup TOCTOU pair, the
orphaned-.git empty-clone path, the metadata rollback race), and a
triaged P3 set split into queued-cheap vs recorded-for-report. The
gauntlet box ticks only when every P1/P2 is fixed and re-verified.
* Fix every gauntlet P1/P2 plus the cheap P3 set (6.1)
P1: the nearest-root walk now skips openspec/ directories that are
neither planning-shaped nor configured - the recommended ~/openspec
store layout no longer turns $HOME into a phantom root that captures
every command under the home tree (regression test: the
registered-store hint fires instead). status/instructions/list/show/
validate --json failures all emit exactly one JSON status document
(JSON-aware shared failure helper; the stray blank stdout lines are
gone; store <unknown subcommand> --json emits a typed document; list
carries its null-shape).
P2: doctor/context gain the --store-path rejection seam; doctor's
origin probe is guarded by isGitRepositoryAtRoot (no more enclosing-
repo origins or spurious divergence notes); the registry lock steals
orphans older than 30s, names the lock path in the busy fix, and
reports permission problems as what they are; change scaffolding
completes the root shape for config-only roots and records the project
default schema, never a one-change --schema override; hostile-content
renders are sanitized at the index/render boundary (spec ids,
summaries at index time, remotes in targets and divergence messages -
control characters can no longer forge instruction lines); the five
remaining workspace-requiring accepted specs got the bounded excision
(all 36 validate); status JSON carries planningHome again (the
generated skills' published archive contract - restored rather than
rewriting eleven template references); the zsh completion generator
uses the correct quote idiom (generated script now passes zsh -n);
store remove commits the registry removal BEFORE deleting files (a
failed deletion degrades to a store_files_left_on_disk warning, never
a phantom registration); setup re-asserts directory facts at execute
(store_setup_path_changed) killing the stale-kind recursive-rm TOCTOU;
the half-made .git cleanup no longer hides behind the created-paths
ledger (no more commitless-store reruns); the metadata rollback
re-reads the registry and never deletes metadata a committed
registration depends on.
P3 (cheap set): CommonMark-correct fence tracking in purpose
extraction; the stale-target sweep requires a DIRECTORY; pretty JSON
for empty list; the declared-pointer repo-id fix names the config
file; absolute change location when the root is not the cwd; docs
fixes (affected_areas legacy wording, --remote in the setup table,
vibe in --tools, the real list output example); agent-contract.md
updated to match (planningHome restored, the failure-contract claim
now true).
Test pins updated deliberately: the store --json hint, the remove
ordering contract, the zsh escaper, the truncation corpus (summaries
now cap at index time, so the budget trips on count).
Full suite green (97 files, 1717 tests).
* Capstone complete: gauntlet passed, release-readiness report committed (6.1)
All 15 gauntlet P1/P2 fixes re-verified live (the JSON-contract codes
on show/validate/status/instructions/store, the --store-path seam on
doctor, the stale-lock steal, the config-only scaffold completion, the
phantom-root regression). The gauntlet ledger marks every finding
fixed. The release-readiness report lands with the five-minute
new-user story (2 commands, 2 concepts, proven cold by a headless
agent), the full audit results, the 18-entry autonomous-decision
ledger, and known gaps mapped to Later Ideas - no open P1/P2 findings
anywhere. Every queue item's roadmap boxes are ticked except Merged to
main, which this run deliberately does not perform.
Full suite green (97 files, 1717 tests); 36 accepted specs validate.
* Fix the phantom-root regression test's environment dependence
The G1 test omitted globalDataDir and never registered a store, so it
passed locally only by accident (it saw this machine's REAL registry)
and failed on the clean CI runner, where the empty registry correctly
fell through to the implicit root. The test now registers a store in
its isolated registry and passes globalDataDir, making the
no_root_with_registered_stores expectation deterministic everywhere.
Full suite green (97 files, 1717 tests).
* Record the user-directed workset correction (post-capstone review)
* Record 4.2 personal worksets with FR1; supersede the change-anchored direction
* Record 4.2 FR2: tool opening with the two-style extensible opener pattern
* Flesh out 4.2 personal worksets as a full roadmap item with its goal run
* Renumber personal worksets to Phase 7 item 7.1
* Add the 7.1 capstone dogfood and branch-push steps to the goal run
* Add the 7.1 personal-worksets research checkpoint
Evidence base for the spec: the f858c19^ opener archaeology (two-style
launch split, PATH/PATHEXT scan, cross-spawn handoff mechanics, the
not-to-inherit ledger), current-tree idioms (registry lock/atomic-write,
the pure .code-workspace builder, the @inquirer house rules, JSON
contracts), and live CLI verification of code/cursor/claude/codex flag
spellings and hazards.
* Windows-compatibility pass per test/AGENTS.md
A two-sided audit of the whole delta (production code and tests)
against the cross-platform rules, with every finding fixed:
Production: extractFirstPurposeLine splits on \r?\n (CRLF checkouts -
the Git-for-Windows default - previously got empty summaries for every
referenced spec); the clone-recipe fix quotes for the rendering
platform (single quotes are literal characters in cmd/PowerShell -
win32 now gets double quotes); the registry path-comparison fallback
resolves nonexistent paths instead of raw string-comparing them; the
manual-deletion fix drops its POSIX-only rm -rf; repo register expands
~ via the same expandUserPath every store command uses.
Tests: the onboarding e2e no longer depends on HOME (USERPROFILE set
alongside), declares its local remote in shell-safe forward-slash
form, pins the platform-correct quote style, and executes the fix via
argv arrays instead of split(' ') re-tokenization (paths with spaces);
the store-references normalizer matches the JSON-escaped needle
(serialized Windows paths double their backslashes); the
metadata-path assertion uses path.join; snapshot keys are
POSIX-normalized in the shared helper and both local copies.
Audited clean: registry/conflict path identity (canonicalized both
sides via realpathSync.native), cross-drive path.relative guards,
getGlobalDataDir's win32 branches, git invocations (argv arrays),
the lock and atomic-write semantics, XDG isolation, fetch-recipe
splits (no paths), and the deliberate-POSIX display literals.
CI: the OS test matrix (linux/macos/windows) previously ran ONLY on
push to main - it now also runs on workflow_dispatch so branches can
get a real Windows verification before merge.
Full suite green locally (97 files, 1717 tests).
* Make the clone-fix unit pin platform-aware
The references.test.ts pin asserted the POSIX single-quote form; the
implementation now deliberately renders double quotes on win32 - the
one remaining windows-pwsh matrix failure. The doctor/context pins are
quote-agnostic (stringContaining on the unquoted prefix) and the
onboarding e2e was already platform-aware.
* Write the 7.1 personal-worksets spec; fold the dual spec review
Subagent: approve-with-fixes; codex: reject (converging). The P1 -
attach-dirs argv now carries one attach pair per member, primary
included, per the locked FR2 wording. Folded: no-tool open path,
stale-saved-tool rule, signal exit contract, the hand-edit parse
contract, pinned JSON envelopes (incl. the open --json typed
rejection), derived-file locking with ENOENT-tolerant remove, the
teammate scenario, the win32 availability matrix, and opener-config
touchpoints. Research+spec roadmap box ticked; changelog entries added.
* Write the 7.1 personal-worksets plan; fold the dual plan review
Subagent: approve-with-fixes; codex: reject (converging). The shared P1:
open now regenerates the .code-workspace under the lock BEFORE tool
resolution, so every fallback names an existing current file. Also
folded: real busy-error factory sites with new byte-shape pins (the
suite never covered the lock mechanics), withWorksetsLock, cross-spawn
import shape, the --member collector, injectable-spawn units for
SIGINT/launch-failed, in-process cancellation coverage with enumerated
capstone carve-outs, the win32 stat-seam fixture strategy, the recorded
TOCTOU, anchor drift fixes, and the spec d12 amendment dropping the
dead workset_create_cancelled code.
* 7.1 CP1: worksets core, opener table, shared file-state mechanics
src/core/file-state.ts extracts writeFileAtomically and the lock-acquire
loop from store foundation (errors stay caller-owned via the injected
factory; store shapes pinned byte-identical by new tests - the suite
never covered the lock mechanics before). src/core/worksets.ts: the
saved-views file under <dataDir>/worksets/ on the registry idiom (strict
zod + version 1, hand-edit parse contract, withWorksetsLock
read-without-write, pure rebuilds, the .code-workspace builder).
src/core/openers.ts: the locked built-in table, per-field config merge
over built-ins, the PATH/PATHEXT availability scan with an injectable
stat seam, and the pure two-style launch-command builder (one attach
pair per member, never a positional). GlobalConfig gains the openers
key. 42 new unit tests; full suite green (99 files, 1759 tests).
* 7.1 CP2: the workset command group, registration, docs, and tests
src/commands/workset.ts: create (guided 3-step wizard / non-interactive
--member collector with name=path labels), list, open (regenerate the
.code-workspace under the lock before any tool resolution so every
fallback names a current file; cross-spawn handoff with honest
exit-code and 128+signal propagation; the Open manually: block on every
cannot-drive failure; hidden --json rejected as one typed JSON
document), remove (plan-then-confirm, --yes, ENOENT-tolerant derived
cleanup under the lock), and the command:* unknown-subcommand handler.
isPromptCancellationError extracted to shared-output (third copy).
CLI + completions registration, the docs/cli.md section and table rows,
the resurrected path-env helper, the fake-tool recorder, 34 command
tests (incl. in-process launch mechanics and interactive-cancellation
coverage via mocked prompts), and the two e2e journeys (no-footprint +
teammate isolation). Full suite green (101 files, 1795 tests).
* Tick 7.1 implementation and tests boxes; record the implementation round
* 7.1 review round: fix all converged P2s from the three review mechanisms
Spec-compliance (compliant-with-fixes), /code-review seven-angle
fan-out, and codex (approve-with-fixes) converged with no P1s.
Behavioral: structural open-fallback rule (surviving members, every
post-regeneration failure except cancellation), the primary-
reassignment note, honest zero-tools message, pasteable launch-failed
alternative, post-save Ctrl-C declines instead of cancelling, parent
signal guard during launch (the 128+n contract was unreachable for tty
SIGINT), sync spawn throws wrapped, tool.cmd PATHEXT double-append
removed, bare workset --json keeps the one-document contract,
deadline-bounded lock stat failures, remove cleanup after the durable
write, early flag-member validation, lazy cross-spawn (~6ms per CLI
invocation). Structure: command layer split (workset / prompts /
input); shared homes for formatZodIssues, folderStyleNameProblem,
KEBAB_ID_FIX, pathIs*; cancellation lifted into emitFailure with
store collapsed onto it. Tests: +6 cases, controlled PATH for the
in-process interactive suite, win32 path-env key fix. Spec amended to
the shipped contracts. Full suite green (101 files, 1799 tests).
* 7.1 simplify pass: collapse the parallel mechanisms the reviews queued
makeLockErrorFactory in file-state (both lock-error factories were
data-twins; store shapes stay byte-pinned), optsWithGlobals over the
hand-rolled group-option merge, the prompt preview ladder flattened
with one assertKnownTool spelling, asErrorMessage hoisted to
shared-output, formatMemberRows deduping three renderers, per-branch
opener resolution in open (dead branch + redundant re-scan gone),
serialize emits validated entries directly, toWorkset dedup, remove
--yes skips the duplicate pre-read, KEBAB_ID_FIX adopted, dead exports
trimmed. Skips recorded (store-group fallback convergence queued for
the next store touch). Full suite green (101 files, 1799 tests).
* 7.1 capstone dogfood passes; transcript committed, box ticked
Scripted walk (both launch styles, exact argv incl. the no-prompt
rule, strand-test fallback, missing-member skip, safe remove,
byte-untouched members), the interactive wizard from a real pty, live
cancellation, and the cold-start headless agent reaching an opened
workset from --help alone. No product findings. Full suite green
(101 files, 1799 tests).
* Close 7.1: pushed-branch box ticked, glance and pointer finalized
* Fix the Linux-only CI failure in the workset launch-failure test
The fixture was a shebang-less text file: macOS posix_spawn rejects it
with ENOEXEC (the spawn error the test wants), but glibc execvp
retries ENOEXEC via /bin/sh, so on Linux the child runs and exits 127
instead of erroring. A shebang pointing at a missing interpreter fails
ENOENT on every POSIX libc with no shell fallback; a garbage
claude.exe covers the win32 matrix leg the same way. Verified in a
node:20 Linux container (old fixture reproduces exit 127; full workset
file passes with the fix) and on macOS (full suite, 1799 tests).
* Add the stores beta user guide
A problem-first guide for the new surface (stores, references,
targets, repo map, doctor, context, worksets) under docs/stores-beta/,
mirroring the old workspaces-beta layout. Built around two team
stories — one team sharing a planning repo, and requirements crossing
team lines — with every command output captured from a live walk of
the current build in isolated scratch state. Carries the beta notice
(shapes may change), the verified resolution-precedence table, known
limitations including the one-checkout-per-store-id rule and the
commands that stay cwd-based, and the real on-disk state locations.
Linked from the README, getting-started, and the cli.md stores
section, which gains the same beta note.
* Carry the beta note on the worksets section of the CLI reference
The note at the top of the Stores section names worksets but is
invisible to a reader deep-linking straight to Personal worksets.
* Fix store --json missing-subcommand output
* Disable CLI-agent workset openers by default
* Remove targets and repo map commands
* Update simplify-context docs after removing targets
* Harden store-root test isolation
* Remove generated review HTML artifacts
* Refresh PR cleanup evidence
When a change delta has a requirement whose body is missing SHALL/MUST but
whose header (the text after `### Requirement:`) already contains the
keyword, the validator emitted the generic error "must contain SHALL or
MUST". Authors then re-read the spec, see SHALL right there in the header,
and have no idea what the validator wants.
Per the OpenSpec conventions the keyword has to live on the requirement
body line (the line immediately after the header). When the keyword is
present in the header only, append guidance explaining exactly where to
move it. The fix is scoped to the two `validateChangeDeltaSpecs` call
sites (ADDED + MODIFIED) so behaviour for requirements that lack the
keyword everywhere stays unchanged.
Adds three vitest cases under `test/core/validation.test.ts`:
- ADDED block with header-only SHALL → enriched hint
- MODIFIED block with header-only MUST → enriched hint
- Neither header nor body contain SHALL/MUST → generic message preserved
Verified by reproducing the spec from #356, running
`openspec validate <change>` against the rebuilt CLI, and confirming the
new diagnostic guides the author to the fix. Reverting `validator.ts`
makes the two enriched-hint cases fail, so the tests guard the
regression.
Fixes#356
Co-authored-by: Pluviobyte <Pluviobyte@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
* Propose workspace open agent context
* Implement workspace open surface
* Address workspace open review feedback
* Archive workspace open agent context
* Fix workspace open Windows launcher args
Adds a "Community Schemas" section to docs/customization.md cataloging
community-maintained schema bundles distributed via standalone
repositories. Modeled after github/spec-kit's community extension
catalog (https://github.com/github/spec-kit/tree/main/extensions).
The first entry is `superpowers-bridge` from JiangWay/openspec-schemas
— born from the proposal in PR #970 and now maintained externally.
Also adds a brief 4-line "Community schemas" introductory section in
README.md (between Docs and Why OpenSpec) pointing readers to the
catalog. Documentation only; no code or schema changes.
Refs: #970
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs: sync tool ID lists with AI_TOOLS source of truth
Fixes missing tool IDs in docs/cli.md and docs/supported-tools.md that
drifted from src/core/config.ts (AI_TOOLS).
- docs/cli.md: add bob, forgecode, junie, lingma (25 -> 29)
- docs/supported-tools.md: add lingma, align order with config.ts (28 -> 29)
Follow-up to #1003.
* docs: address AICR feedback on tool ID ordering and table entry
Address review comments from Copilot and CodeRabbit on PR #1027:
- docs/cli.md: reorder lingma to match AI_TOOLS position (between qoder and qwen)
- docs/supported-tools.md: same reordering in the --tools list
- docs/supported-tools.md: add missing Lingma row to Tool Directory Reference
table (inserted alphabetically between Kiro and OpenCode, matching existing
table convention)
Verified all three documentation surfaces against AI_TOOLS (29 tools):
- cli.md list: order matches src/core/config.ts
- supported-tools.md list: order matches src/core/config.ts
- supported-tools.md table: set equals AI_TOOLS (alphabetical-by-display-name
order preserved per existing convention).
* fix: escape glob-special chars in directory paths (#974)
Parentheses and square brackets in project directory paths broke
fast-glob matching, causing glob-based artifact outputs to silently
return empty results. Escape these characters in the directory portion
before passing to fast-glob, preserving glob semantics in the generates
pattern.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix: use cwd for artifact output globs
---------
Co-authored-by: furao <furao@didiglobal.com>
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: TabishB <tabishbidiwale@gmail.com>
When --json is passed, ora spinners wrote progress text to stderr, which
broke JSON parsing for AI agents that combine stdout+stderr. Conditionally
skip spinner creation in status, instructions, and templates commands.
Closes#957
* fix: silence telemetry network errors in firewalled environments
Wrap PostHog fetch with safeTelemetryFetch that catches all network
errors and non-2xx responses, returning a synthetic 204 so PostHog
never throws PostHogFetchNetworkError. Disable retries, remote config,
surveys, and feature flag preloading to eliminate extra network calls.
Add 1s request timeout. Surface telemetry opt-out docs earlier in
README, installation, and CLI reference.
Closes#895
* fix: clear CI env var in telemetry fetch tests
GitHub Actions sets CI=true which disables telemetry, causing PostHog
to never be instantiated and the fetch wrapper tests to fail.
* docs: add telemetry env vars to Environment Variables table
Addresses CodeRabbit review comment.
* docs: remove unnecessary firewall telemetry warnings
Telemetry now fails silently, so users don't need to proactively
disable it. The env vars are still documented in the reference table.
* docs: restore original config get/set examples in cli.md
These examples document how config works, not telemetry opt-out.
* test: add comprehensive tests for Bob Shell adapter
- Add 7 tests covering toolId, file paths, formatting, and edge cases
- Include Bob Shell adapter in cross-platform path handling tests
- All 89 adapter tests now passing
- Ensures Bob Shell adapter works correctly with all 11 workflows
* feat: add Bob Shell adapter support
- Implement Bob Shell command adapter with YAML frontmatter
- Register adapter in CommandAdapterRegistry
- Export adapter from adapters/index.ts
- Add Bob Shell to AI_TOOLS configuration
- Generates commands in .bob/commands/opsx-<id>.md format
- Supports all 11 workflows via custom profile system
* docs: add Bob Shell to supported tools documentation
- Add Bob Shell to README.md supported tools list
- Update docs/supported-tools.md with Bob Shell entry
- Document .bob/commands/opsx-<id>.md command path pattern
- Note that Bob Shell uses commands, not Agent Skills spec
* docs: add Bob Shell support proposal and design documentation
- Add comprehensive proposal for Bob Shell integration
- Document command structure and file format
- Include implementation plan and success criteria
- Preserve change documentation for future reference
* chore: update dependencies and gitignore
- Update package-lock.json with latest dependencies
- Add .bob/ to gitignore (test output directory)
* chore: update gitignore to exclude .bob directory
* openspec change not needed for project, should be kept local
* Update reference from Bob Shell to IBM Bob Shell
* fix: transform command references and add argument-hint for Bob adapter
Bob derives command names from filenames (opsx-apply.md → /opsx-apply),
so body text referencing /opsx:apply is incorrect. Apply the same
transformToHyphenCommands rewrite that opencode.ts uses. Also add
argument-hint frontmatter to match peer adapters (auggie, codebuddy, etc).
---------
Co-authored-by: TabishB <tabishbidiwale@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
* fix: pi.dev prompt naming and template args passing (#912)
Fix two pi.dev integration bugs:
- Use colon-based filenames (opsx:explore.md) so CLI commands render as
/opsx:explore instead of /opsx-explore
- Inject $@ into template body so user arguments are passed through
Adds getLegacyFilePaths to ToolCommandAdapter for migration-safe cleanup
of old hyphenated files during init/update.
* fix: pi.dev command references and template args passing (#912)
- Transform /opsx: references to /opsx- in Pi command bodies and skills,
matching the hyphenated filename convention (same approach as OpenCode)
- Inject $@ into template body so user arguments are passed through
Pi uses the filename (minus .md) as the slash command name, so
opsx-propose.md becomes /opsx-propose. This keeps filenames
cross-platform safe while ensuring command references in the body
match the actual command names.
* fix: make shell completion install opt-in and fix PowerShell profile encoding corruption (#948)
The postinstall hook silently modified users' shell profiles and corrupted
UTF-16 LE PowerShell profiles by forcing all reads/writes through UTF-8.
Now postinstall only prints a tip, and the PowerShell installer preserves
file encoding via BOM detection on read/write.
* Address review: skip profile on any read error, log warnings, clean up UTF-16 BE handling
- configureProfile: skip profile on any non-ENOENT error instead of falling
through with empty content (could overwrite real profile)
- removeProfileConfig: log warning on unexpected read errors instead of
silently swallowing
- detectEncoding: throw directly for UTF-16 BE instead of using sentinel value
- Add test for UTF-16 BE profile rejection
* Add support for Junie from JetBrains tool and command generation
* Expand Junie support to include `opsx` file patterns and update documentation accordingly
---------
Co-authored-by: TabishB <tabishbidiwale@gmail.com>
* fix(status): exit gracefully when no changes exist (#714)
Extract `getAvailableChanges` as a public function from `validateChangeExists`
and use it in `statusCommand` to detect the no-changes case early. Returns a
friendly message (text and JSON modes) with exit code 0 instead of a fatal error.
Generated with Claude Code using claude-opus-4-6.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs: fix design risk description and proposal accuracy
Address CodeRabbit review feedback:
- Fix contradictory risk description in design.md (double-read happens
when changes exist, not when they don't)
- Clarify in proposal.md that validateChangeExists was internally
refactored to delegate to getAvailableChanges
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix(status): narrow catch in getAvailableChanges to ENOENT only
Return [] only when the changes directory doesn't exist (ENOENT).
Rethrow other errors (EACCES, etc.) so real filesystem issues
surface instead of being silently masked as "no changes".
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
* fix(opencode): use plural `commands/` directory to match OpenCode convention
The OpenCode adapter was using `.opencode/command/` (singular) but OpenCode's
official documentation specifies `.opencode/commands/` (plural). This aligns
with every other adapter in the codebase. Legacy cleanup updated to detect
old singular-path artifacts. Fixes#748.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix(legacy): detect both opsx-* and openspec-* patterns, auto-cleanup in CI
- Extend LegacySlashCommandPattern.pattern to accept string | string[]
- OpenCode legacy entry now detects both opsx-*.md and openspec-*.md
- Auto-cleanup legacy artifacts in non-interactive mode instead of
aborting with exit 1 (safe: slash commands are OpenSpec-managed,
config cleanup only removes markers)
- Add 7 tests (6 legacy detection + 1 non-interactive init)
- Update spec with array pattern support and auto-cleanup scenario
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* chore: update task description to reflect dual-pattern support
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
* docs: fix `openspec status` examples in cli.md to match actual CLI output
The text and JSON output examples for the status command used incorrect
field names, indicators, and structure. Updated to match real CLI output,
validated against a test project with partial artifacts.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* chore: remove spec change and changeset for docs-only fix
Per reviewer feedback — docs fixes don't need a spec change or
version bump.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
* feat: add support for Pi (pi.dev) coding agent
Add Pi as a supported tool in OpenSpec with full adapter implementation.
Changes:
- Create pi.ts adapter for command generation
- Register adapter in registry and export from index
- Add Pi to AI_TOOLS config with .pi skills directory
- Add tests for piAdapter following existing patterns
- Update supported-tools.md documentation
Pi uses:
- Skills: .pi/skills/ (Agent Skills standard)
- Prompts: .pi/prompts/*.md (with description frontmatter)
Closes#732
* fix: add Pi to LEGACY_SLASH_COMMAND_PATHS for test compliance
* style: add trailing newline to pi.ts
* fix: correct legacy cleanup pattern for Pi (opsx-*.md not openspec-*.md)
* fix: add YAML escaping for Pi adapter to handle special characters in descriptions
- Add escapeYamlValue() function to properly escape YAML special characters
- Apply escaping to description field in frontmatter
- Add tests for YAML special character escaping (colons, quotes, newlines)
This follows the same pattern used by cursor, claude, and windsurf adapters.
* fix: remove Pi from LEGACY_SLASH_COMMAND_PATHS
Pi was never supported in pre-1.0 versions, so no legacy cleanup is needed.
Per reviewer feedback: this is only for tools from pre-1.0 OpenSpec.
* test: relax legacy-cleanup registry coverage invariant
---------
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: TabishB <tabishbidiwale@gmail.com>
* feat: implement simplified skill installation with profiles and smart defaults
Introduces a profile system (core/custom) to reduce the default workflow
count from 10 to 4, auto-detects AI tools during init, adds a new
`propose` workflow combining new+ff, fixes multi-select keybindings,
and adds backwards-compatible migration for existing users.
* feat: harden update config drift, command-only detection, and init profile validation
Address post-implementation review findings: update now detects profile/delivery
drift even when template versions are current, recognizes command-only installs
as configured tools, init validates --profile values and applies delivery cleanup
on re-init. Specs and design docs updated with new scenarios and rationale.
* fix: address AI reviewer feedback on config, detection, and test cleanup
- Add error handling for execSync in config profile apply and use static import
- Fix config list showing "(explicit)" for core profile workflows misleadingly
- Add missing 'openspec-onboard' to SKILL_NAMES for parity with COMMAND_IDS
- Remove unused fsSync import in init tests
- Fix configTempDir leak in test afterEach cleanup
* docs: add qa smoke harness change proposal
* feat: add change proposal for simplified skill installation
Introduces a change proposal to simplify the init flow and skill installation:
- Zero-question init with sensible defaults (core profile, both delivery)
- Auto-detect AI tools from existing directories (.claude/, .cursor/, etc.)
- Profile system: core (4 workflows), extended (11 workflows), custom
- Delivery config: both, skills, commands
- New `propose` workflow combining new + ff
- Fix tool selection UX (space to select, enter to confirm)
Key design decisions:
- Extend existing global config (~/.config/openspec/config.json)
- Profile install/uninstall immediately mutates filesystem
- Safe deletion via SKILL_NAMES and COMMAND_IDS constant lookups
- Filesystem as truth for installed workflows
Also adds rules to openspec/config.yaml to prevent overengineering
(explicit lookups over pattern matching).
* chore: add missing .openspec.yaml metadata file
* fix: address PR review feedback
Issues fixed:
- Clarify workflow count: extended = existing 10 + new propose = 11
- Rename spec: tool-auto-detection → available-tools (matches proposal)
- Change "identical" to "functionally equivalent" in propose spec
- Add profile change notification when install/uninstall changes profile
- Specify edge case: uninstall workflow from current non-custom profile
- Specify behavior when --apply-profile confirmation is declined
- Fix section numbering in design.md (6, 6a, 6b, 8)
- Add scaffolding verification tasks (verify .openspec.yaml exists)
- Specify case sensitivity mechanism: use fs.existsSync, let OS handle it
* fix: address CodeRabbit review comments
- Add language specifiers to fenced code blocks in proposal.md
- Add COMMAND_IDS update for propose in modified files list
- Make init success message tool-aware (colon vs hyphen syntax)
- Fix grammar: "Skills-only" and "Commands-only" in delivery-config
- Specify config get delivery output when field absent: "both (default)"
- Add profile set scenarios: config-only vs --apply-profile with filesystem mutation
- Add error scenarios for invalid profile name and unknown workflow
- Add scenario for existing config without profile field
- Mark active profile in profile list output
- Enumerate artifacts in propose basic scenario
- Fix propose equivalence to use skill syntax consistently
- Specify continue/create new branches in propose
- Remove out-of-scope command assertion from skill-generation spec
- Reference SKILL_NAMES constant instead of vague "existing templates"
- Fix design.md: SKILL_NAMES AND COMMAND_IDS (not "only")
- Specify overwrite semantics for refresh/update
- Add task 6.8: propose to COMMAND_IDS
- Fix function name: getAvailableTools() not detectInstalledTools()
* refactor: simplify skill installation design based on review
- Update design to use existing CLAUDE.md mechanisms
- Add cli-update spec for managing skill updates
- Clarify profile system and user config interactions
- Add explorations directory with design notes
- Update docs with clearer concepts
* docs: rename zero-question init to smart defaults init
Clarify that init auto-detects tools and asks for confirmation,
rather than being completely question-free. Update examples to
show the tool confirmation UI.
* docs: add explore workflow tasks and UX exploration
- Add tasks to update explore.ts references to /opsx:propose
- Create exploration note for deeper explore → propose UX questions
- Captures open questions about exploration artifacts, lifecycle,
context handoff, and transition smoothness
* fix: address PR review feedback from 1code-async
- Add ## Purpose sections to all 10 spec files (required by schema)
- Add specs/ to propose workflow's first-time user guidance scenario
- Add --tools flag scenario for interactive mode in cli-init/spec.md
- Clarify that profile changes take effect on next init/update
- Fix design snippet to use AI_TOOLS config instead of TOOL_DIRS constant
- Add explicit Windsurf detection scenario to available-tools/spec.md
- Mark tasks 10.2-10.3 as follow-up work (out of scope)
- Fix capability name: init → cli-init in proposal.md
Add Kiro (AWS AI IDE) as a supported tool with command adapter
that writes to .kiro/prompts/ with YAML frontmatter.
- Add Kiro to AI_TOOLS registry in config.ts
- Create kiro.ts adapter (GitHub Copilot pattern)
- Register adapter in index.ts and registry.ts
- Add legacy cleanup path for migration
- Update supported-tools.md documentation
Generated with Kiro CLI using Claude Opus 4.6
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
* docs: clarify GitHub Copilot CLI does not support custom prompt files
GitHub Copilot's .github/prompts/*.prompt.md files are only recognized
as custom slash commands in IDE extensions (VS Code, JetBrains, Visual
Studio). The Copilot CLI does not support them (github/copilot-cli#618).
This updates the docs to clarify the limitation and point users to the
.github/agents/ workaround.
Closes#671
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs: use distinct footnote markers for Codex and Copilot
Addresses review feedback: the shared `*` marker was ambiguous across
Markdown renderers. Now uses `*` for Codex and `**` for Copilot.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
- Replace Unix 'cat' command with fs.readFile in spec.test.ts
- Replace 'mkdir -p' and 'bash' commands with fs.mkdir/writeFile in validate.enriched-output.test.ts
- Skip symlink test on Windows (requires admin privileges) in file-system.test.ts
* fix(onboard): replace broken preflight check and add Windows compatibility
The onboarding preflight used `openspec status --json` to detect if a
project was initialized, but that command requires an existing change
to succeed. After a fresh `openspec init` (no changes yet), it always
failed — causing the onboarding to incorrectly tell users to run init
again.
Replace with `openspec --version` to verify the CLI is installed.
Also add Windows PowerShell alternatives for all platform-specific
shell commands in the onboarding skill:
- `2>&1 ||` → `; if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {}`
- `2>/dev/null` → `2>$null`
- `mkdir -p` → `New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force`
* fix(onboard): address PR review feedback for PowerShell commands
Use Get-Command for robust CLI detection instead of $LASTEXITCODE
(which stays stale when a command isn't found), and use forward slashes
in PowerShell paths for consistency with Unix commands.
The onboarding preflight used `openspec status --json` to detect if a
project was initialized, but that command requires an existing change
to succeed. After a fresh `openspec init` (no changes yet), it always
failed — causing the onboarding to incorrectly tell users to run init
again.
Replace with two targeted checks:
- `openspec --version` to verify the CLI is installed
- `test -f openspec/config.yaml` to verify project initialization
* fix: use Skill tool for sync invocation in archive templates
Update archive skill templates to properly instruct the AI to use
the Skill tool to invoke sync commands instead of executing command
logic directly.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix: use Task tool subagent for sync in archive templates
Skill tool terminates after completion and doesn't return control to the
caller, causing archive to not continue after sync. Changed to spawn a
subagent via Task tool which properly returns control after completion.
Also updated opsx:sync references to openspec-sync-specs for semantic
coherence across templates.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
The test expected path.join('/custom/codex-home', ...) but the
implementation uses path.resolve() which adds the drive letter on
Windows (e.g. D:\). Align the test expectation with the implementation.
* feat: support global paths for Codex command generation
Codex custom prompts live in ~/.codex/prompts/ (global, not per-project).
Update the Codex adapter to return absolute paths via os.homedir(), handle
absolute paths in init/update writers, and update docs and specs to reflect
the change.
* fix: address review feedback on Codex global paths
- Guard against empty CODEX_HOME resolving to CWD by trimming the env var
- Loosen test regex to not depend on .codex prefix (resilient to custom CODEX_HOME)
- Clarify non-goal wording in design.md to avoid contradictory phrasing
When artifacts or tasks are complete, the command templates now
suggest specific slash commands (/opsx:apply, /opsx:archive) instead
of generic guidance, helping users discover the next workflow step.
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
On Windows, fs.rename() often fails with EPERM when moving non-empty
directories. Fall back to recursive copy then rm when rename throws
EPERM or EXDEV so 'openspec archive' succeeds where Move-Item works.
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
Implements a new `openspec dashboard` command that serves a local HTTP server with a web-based dashboard for exploring changes, specs, and archive. Features include:
- Three-tab navigation for Changes, Specifications, and Archive
- Click artifacts to view rendered markdown in a detail panel
- Domain-grouped specs with requirement counts
- Task progress tracking for active changes
- Artifact status indicators (proposal, specs, design, tasks)
- Archive pagination with reverse chronological sorting
- Zero external dependencies (Node.js built-in http module)
- Port auto-increment (3000-3010) with --port override
- Cross-platform browser opening (macOS, Linux, Windows)
- Path traversal prevention on artifact API
Includes comprehensive tests for markdown renderer, data gathering, and API security (43 tests, all passing).
* chore(nix): improve flake with dynamic version and source filtering
- Read version dynamically from package.json instead of hardcoding
- Add lib.fileset source filtering to exclude node_modules and build artifacts
- Update update-flake.sh to support dynamic version pattern
- Add hash change detection to skip unnecessary rebuilds
- Improve error handling with automatic rollback on failure
- Update specs to reflect dynamic version behavior
* chore(ci): bump Nix actions to latest versions
- nix-installer-action: v13 → v21
- magic-nix-cache-action: v8 → v13
- Update validation message for unchanged flake.nix
* chore: add changeset for Nix improvements
* fix(nix): make update-flake.sh portable to macOS
- Fix grep pattern on line 37 to include opening parenthesis
- Replace GNU grep -oP with portable sed alternatives (lines 53, 68, 70)
- Ensures script works on both Linux and macOS (BSD sed/grep)
* fix(nix): properly check build verification exit status
Fix logic bug where build failures were incorrectly reported as success.
The script now:
- Captures build exit code and output separately
- Fails fast if build returns non-zero exit code
- Only checks for 'dirty tree' warning if build succeeded
This addresses CodeRabbit review feedback on line 101-107.
---------
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
* fix: clarify spec naming convention and task checkbox format
- Update docs, schema, and templates to clarify that specs should be
named after capabilities (specs/<capability>/spec.md), not changes
- Emphasize that tasks MUST use checkbox format for apply phase tracking
* fix: clarify delta spec location for modified capabilities
Address review feedback: explicitly state that the delta spec is created
at specs/<capability>/spec.md, not in openspec/specs/<capability>/.
* chore: remove TDD schema and all references
TDD was an internal test example that should not be in user-facing docs.
This removes:
- The schemas/tdd directory and all its templates
- All TDD references from documentation
- TDD examples from skill templates and source code comments
* test: update tests to remove TDD schema references
All tests that referenced the removed TDD schema have been updated
to use spec-driven or custom-schema names instead.
* chore: remove accidentally committed files
The onboarding template incorrectly documented the archive path as
`openspec/archive/YYYY-MM-DD--<name>/` when the actual implementation
uses `openspec/changes/archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<name>/`.
This fixes two issues:
- Missing `changes/` directory in the path
- Double dash `--` instead of single dash `-`
Fixes discussion #583
* docs: rewrite customization guide to document schema commands
The old guide described a painful manual process for schema customization
(mkdir, npm list, cp commands) and even listed "No scaffolding" as a
limitation. But the `openspec schema` commands have existed for a while:
- `schema fork` - copy existing schema to customize
- `schema init` - create new schema from scratch
- `schema validate` - check schema structure
- `schema which` - debug resolution precedence
Rewrote the guide to:
- Lead with the actual CLI commands instead of manual steps
- Remove the misleading "Current Limitations" section
- Add practical examples (TDD workflow, adding review artifact)
- Structure progressively: config → custom schemas → global overrides
* docs: add language tags to code blocks in customization guide
Address review feedback from CodeRabbit:
- Add 'text' language tag to directory tree code blocks
- Satisfies MD040 markdown lint rule
* Add changeset for v0.24.0 features
* Replace changeset with 1.0.0 release notes
Update from minor to major version bump. Rewrite release notes to
properly capture the OPSX workflow changes:
- Dynamic instructions based on artifact state
- Semantic spec syncing with ADDED/MODIFIED/REMOVED parsing
- Step-through artifacts with /opsx:continue
- Skills support alongside tool commands
- Breaking: old /openspec:* commands removed
* Rewrite 1.0.0 changeset with comprehensive release notes
Based on deep research into old vs new workflow:
Old workflow:
- 3 phase-locked commands (proposal → apply → archive)
- 8+ config files scattered at project root
- Static prompts, same instructions every time
- Text-based spec merging
New OPSX workflow:
- 10 action-based commands (do any action anytime)
- Dynamic instructions (context + rules + template layers)
- Artifact graph with dependency awareness
- Semantic spec syncing (ADDED/MODIFIED/REMOVED/RENAMED)
- Agent Skills standard for cross-editor compatibility
- 21 AI tools supported
- Onboarding skill for guided first experience
* feat(skills): add opsx:onboard guided workflow skill
Add a new onboard skill that walks users through their first complete
OpenSpec workflow cycle. The skill provides interactive guidance through
task selection, change creation, artifact building, implementation, and
archiving.
Also includes:
- New README with updated branding and workflow examples
- Documentation structure placeholders
- Change artifacts for the onboard skill feature
* test(skills): update skill-generation tests for onboard skill
Update test expectations from 9 to 10 skills after adding opsx:onboard.
* docs: update README links and add doc cleanup checklist
- Replace placeholder links in README_NEW.md with actual doc paths
- Add documentation cleanup checklist to README_RENEWAL_PROMPTS.md
* docs: overhaul documentation with new workflows, getting-started, and customization guides
- Rewrite workflows.md with action-based philosophy and workflow patterns
- Rewrite getting-started.md with clearer onboarding flow
- Rewrite customization.md with schema customization guidance
- Add cross-references between docs (Commands, Customization links)
- Remove obsolete docs: artifact_poc, experimental-release-plan, project-config-demo, schema-customization, schema-workflow-gaps
- Update README_RENEWAL_PROMPTS.md checklist
* docs: continue documentation overhaul with expanded guides and restructuring
- Expand cli.md, commands.md, and concepts.md with comprehensive content
- Add installation.md, multi-language.md, and supported-tools.md
- Rename experimental-workflow.md to opsx.md
- Remove i18n.md (replaced by multi-language.md)
- Update README links and cleanup prompts
* chore(assets): consolidate logo images
* docs: enhance README with badges, usage notes, and contributing guidelines
- Update Discord badge to show member count
- Add collapsible section with stars/downloads/contributors badges
- Add OpenSpec Dashboard preview section
- Add usage notes for model selection and context hygiene
- Expand contributing section with guidelines for small/large changes
- Clarify AI-generated code policy
* docs: remove misleading mid-flight update claims
The documentation claimed users could edit artifacts mid-implementation
and seamlessly continue, but no such mechanism exists. This removes:
- "Mid-Flight Correction" section from workflows.md
- Feedback arrows and "update as you learn" from all diagrams
- Mid-flight claims from commands.md, opsx.md, concepts.md
- Example blocks showing edit-then-continue workflow
Also adds a proposal for future artifact regeneration support that
would actually make this workflow possible.
* docs: fix PR review comments (markdown linting and accuracy)
- Add language tags to fenced code blocks (MD040)
- Remove blank line between blockquotes (MD028)
- Capitalize "Markdown" as proper noun
- Update deprecated command reference (experimental -> update)
- Update skill count from 9 to 10, add openspec-onboard
- Fix typo: fix-midlight -> fix-midflight
* chore: remove polish-release-notes CI workflow
Replaced with local /polish-release skill. The claude-code-action
doesn't work well with repository_dispatch triggers (no PR context).
* docs: clarify /opsx:sync is optional (archive prompts if needed)
Remove sync from main workflow flows and diagrams since archive
already prompts to sync when needed. Most users will never need
to call sync directly.
- Remove sync from completion flow diagrams
- Remove "Sync Specs Regularly" best practice section
- Update command descriptions to note it's optional
- Update "When to sync" to "When to use manually"
* docs: redesign README with simplified content and new OPSX callout
- Simplify badges and logo presentation
- Add collapsible "most loved" section
- Replace detailed explanation with concise philosophy
- Add prominent /opsx:onboard callout for new workflow
- Remove README_NEW.md (content merged into README.md)
- Remove renewal prompts documentation
* docs: add README_OLD.md as reference backup
* docs: fix command directory paths for multiple tools
Correct commands locations for Antigravity, Codex, Crush, OpenCode,
and Qoder in the supported tools table.
- Add \s* to parseTasksFile regex to handle trailing whitespace in task lines
- Add missing projectRoot argument to resolveSchema call in generateApplyInstructions
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Reverts the README documentation changes that were included in PR #565.
These changes document features that aren't released yet.
A separate PR will be opened to re-apply these changes when the package
is released.
* feat(core): add legacy cleanup detection functions for init migration
Implement src/core/legacy-cleanup.ts with detection and cleanup functions
for all legacy OpenSpec artifact types:
Detection functions:
- detectLegacyConfigFiles() - checks for config files with OpenSpec markers
(CLAUDE.md, CLINE.md, CODEBUDDY.md, COSTRICT.md, QODER.md, IFLOW.md,
AGENTS.md, QWEN.md)
- detectLegacySlashCommands() - checks for old /openspec:* command
directories and files across all 21 tool integrations
- detectLegacyStructureFiles() - checks for openspec/AGENTS.md and
openspec/project.md (project.md preserved for migration hint)
- detectLegacyArtifacts() - orchestrates all detection
Utility functions:
- hasOpenSpecMarkers() - checks if content has OpenSpec markers
- isOnlyOpenSpecContent() - checks if file is 100% OpenSpec content
- removeMarkerBlock() - surgically removes marker blocks from mixed content
Cleanup functions:
- cleanupLegacyArtifacts() - orchestrates removal with proper edge cases:
- Deletes files that are 100% OpenSpec content
- Removes marker blocks from files with mixed content
- Deletes legacy slash command directories and files
- Preserves openspec/project.md (shows migration hint only)
Formatting functions:
- formatDetectionSummary() - formats what was detected before cleanup
- formatCleanupSummary() - formats what was cleaned up after
This is task 1.1 for the merge-init-experimental change.
* feat(utils): add removeMarkerBlock() for surgically removing marker blocks
- Add removeMarkerBlock() function to file-system.ts that properly handles
inline marker mentions by using findMarkerIndex/isMarkerOnOwnLine
- Refactor legacy-cleanup.ts to use the shared utility
- Export removeMarkerBlock from utils/index.ts for reusability
- Add comprehensive tests for inline marker mention edge cases
- Add tests for shell-style markers and various whitespace scenarios
The new implementation correctly ignores markers mentioned inline within
text and only removes actual marker blocks that are on their own lines.
* feat(core): add formatProjectMdMigrationHint() for migration messaging
- Add standalone formatProjectMdMigrationHint() function for reusable
migration hint output directing users to migrate project.md content
to config.yaml's "context:" field
- Update formatDetectionSummary() to include the migration hint when
project.md is detected (not just in cleanup summary)
- Refactor formatCleanupSummary() to use the new function for
consistency
- Add unit tests for the new function and updated behavior
* test(init): rewrite init tests for experimental workflow approach
Rewrites the init command tests to verify the new experimental workflow
implementation. The new tests cover:
- OpenSpec directory structure creation (specs, changes, archive)
- config.yaml generation with default schema
- 9 Agent Skills creation for various tools (Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, etc.)
- 9 slash commands generation using tool-specific adapters
- Multi-tool support (--tools all, --tools none, specific tools)
- Extend mode (re-running init)
- Tool-specific adapters (Gemini TOML, Continue .prompt, etc.)
- Error handling for invalid tools and permissions
Removes old tests for legacy config file generation (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md,
project.md, etc.) as the new init command uses Agent Skills instead.
* test(update): rewrite tests for skills/commands refresh behavior
Update the update command tests to match the new implementation that
refreshes skills and opsx commands instead of config files.
Changes:
- Remove old ToolRegistry import (deleted module)
- Rewrite tests to verify skill file updates
- Rewrite tests to verify opsx command generation
- Add tests for multi-tool support (Claude, Cursor, Qwen, Windsurf)
- Add tests for error handling and tool detection
- Fix test assertions to match actual skill template names
The update command now:
- Detects configured tools by checking skill directories
- Updates SKILL.md files with latest skill templates
- Generates opsx commands using tool-specific adapters
* docs(readme): update documentation for new init behavior
- Replace tool list with simplified supported tools section (skills-based)
- Update init instructions to document --tools flag, --force, and legacy cleanup
- Replace project.md with config.yaml documentation
- Update workflow examples to use /opsx:* commands instead of /openspec:*
- Add command reference table for slash commands
- Update Team Adoption and Updating sections for new workflow
- Replace Experimental Features with Workflow Customization section
* refactor(cli): remove legacy configurators and merge experimental into workflow
- Delete src/core/configurators/ directory (ToolRegistry, all config generators)
- Delete legacy templates (agents-template, claude-template, project-template, etc.)
- Move experimental commands to src/commands/workflow/ with cleaner structure
- Remove experimental setup.ts and index.ts (functionality merged into init)
- Update CLI to register workflow commands directly instead of through experimental
- Update openspec update command to refresh skills/commands instead of config files
- Update tests for new command structure
* refactor: extract shared modules and move AGENTS.md to root
- Move AGENTS.md from openspec/ to project root
- Add shared module with tool-detection and skill-generation utilities
- Update legacy-cleanup with improved cleanup logic
- Enhance update.ts with additional functionality
- Add comprehensive tests for shared modules
* fix(ui): update welcome screen tagline
Change from experimental reference to reflect the merged workflow.
* fix: improve Windows cross-platform compatibility
- Handle both forward and backward slashes in path parsing
- Normalize paths before regex matching for legacy artifact detection
- Use regex split for both path separators in tool directory extraction
- Handle CRLF line endings when cleaning up multiple blank lines
- Add retry logic for test file cleanup to handle Windows file locking
* fix(init): use dynamic counts for skills and commands in success message
Replace hard-coded "9 skills and 9 commands" with dynamic values from
getSkillTemplates().length and getCommandContents().length to prevent
the message from diverging from reality when skills/commands change.
* fix: various small improvements across init, cleanup, and file handling
- Remove shell prompt characters from README bash examples (MD014)
- Show actual config filename (config.yaml vs config.yml) in init output
- Include hasProjectMd in hasLegacyArtifacts to show migration hint
- Add existence check before AGENTS.md deletion to avoid spurious errors
- Preserve leading whitespace and original newline style in file operations
- Use dynamic tool list from CommandAdapterRegistry in tests
* feat(cli): add change proposal to merge init and experimental commands
This change merges `openspec init` and `openspec experimental` into a
single command that uses the skill-based workflow as the default.
Key changes:
- BREAKING: init generates skills and /opsx:* commands instead of config files
- BREAKING: Config files (CLAUDE.md, .cursorrules, etc.) no longer generated
- BREAKING: Old slash commands (/openspec:proposal, etc.) no longer generated
- BREAKING: openspec/AGENTS.md and project.md no longer generated
- Add legacy detection and cleanup with Y/N confirmation
- Keep experimental as hidden alias for backward compatibility
Artifacts:
- proposal.md: Motivation and scope
- design.md: Architecture decisions and edge case handling
- specs/legacy-cleanup/spec.md: New capability for legacy artifact cleanup
- specs/cli-init/spec.md: Modified init spec with skill-based workflow
- tasks.md: 37 implementation tasks across 7 groups
* docs(change): preserve project.md with migration hint instead of deleting
Update merge-init-experimental change artifacts to preserve openspec/project.md
during legacy cleanup instead of auto-deleting it. Users will see a migration
hint directing them to move content to config.yaml's context field.
Changes:
- design.md: Add Decision 6 documenting rationale and migration path
- spec.md: Add project.md migration hint requirement and scenarios
- tasks.md: Add task 1.7 for migration hint output
This avoids losing user-written project documentation while guiding them
to the new config.yaml approach.
* docs(change): resolve open questions about update command and experimental labels
Add optional fields to SkillTemplate interface and all skill templates
to improve compliance with the Agent Skills specification:
- license: MIT (matching project license)
- compatibility: Requires openspec CLI.
- metadata: { author: openspec, version: 1.0 }
Updates skill file generation to include these fields in YAML frontmatter.
* refactor(commands): modularize artifact workflow into separate files
Split the monolithic artifact-workflow.ts into separate modules under
src/commands/experimental/:
- index.ts: main exports and command registration
- status.ts: status display logic
- new-change.ts: change creation logic
- schemas.ts: Zod schemas
- setup.ts: setup command logic
- templates.ts: template generation
- shared.ts: shared utilities
- instructions.ts: instruction generation
Also extracted init wizard logic to src/core/init/wizard.ts.
* fix(commands): address code review feedback from PR #562
- Fix template source detection using path.relative instead of startsWith
to prevent misclassification of paths with shared prefixes
- Fix config file log message to show actual file name (config.yaml vs config.yml)
- Fix selectedTools option to be honored when provided programmatically
* feat(cli): improve artifact experimental setup with refresh detection
- Add functions to detect which tools already have experimental skills configured
- Pre-select configured tools in interactive mode for easy refresh
- Sort configured tools to appear first in the selection list
- Show "(refresh)" indicator for already-configured tools in selection
- Distinguish between "Created" and "Refreshed" tools in output
- Streamline success output to be more concise and scannable
* test: update experimental command test assertions for new output format
The output format changed from '.claude/skills/' to '.claude/' (showing
summary counts instead of directory paths), so update assertions to match.
* feat(cli): rename artifact-experimental-setup to experimental
Shorter command name for better usability. Updates command registration,
documentation, and README references.
* feat(cli): add interactive UI for artifact experimental setup
Add animated welcome screen and searchable multi-select prompt when
running `openspec artifact-experimental-setup` without the --tool flag
in interactive mode. Users can now browse and select multiple tools
for setup instead of requiring the --tool flag.
- Add welcome screen with ASCII art animation
- Add searchable multi-select prompt component
- Support multi-tool setup in single command invocation
* fix(nix): update flake version and reset hash for rebuild
- Update version from 0.20.0 to 0.23.0 to match package.json
- Set pnpmDeps hash to empty string to trigger rebuild
- Fix update-flake.sh to work on macOS (use portable grep/sed)
CI will fail with correct hash which we'll then apply.
* fix(nix): set correct pnpmDeps hash
* feat(cli): improve error handling for multi-tool setup
- Continue setup for remaining tools when one fails
- Collect and report all failures at the end
- Only throw if all tools fail
- Show partial success summary (configured vs failed)
* feat(cli): add multi-provider skill generation support
Add --tool flag to artifact-experimental-setup command to generate
skills and commands for different AI tools (Claude, Cursor, Windsurf).
- Add skillsDir field to AIToolOption interface
- Create command-generation module with tool-specific adapters
- Each adapter handles tool-specific file paths and frontmatter formats
- Add CommandAdapterRegistry for adapter lookup
- Update artifact-experimental-setup to use dynamic paths
* feat(config): add skillsDir for all supported AI tools
Add skillsDir mappings for tools that were missing:
- Amazon Q Developer (.amazonq)
- Antigravity (.agent)
- Auggie (.augment)
- Cline (.cline)
- CodeBuddy Code (.codebuddy)
- Continue (.continue)
- CoStrict (.cospec)
- Crush (.crush)
- iFlow (.iflow)
- Qoder (.qoder)
- Qwen Code (.qwen)
Fix RooCode path: .roocode → .roo
* feat(adapters): add command adapters for all supported AI tools
Add 18 new command adapters covering all supported AI tools in the
multi-provider skill generation system. Each adapter implements the
correct file path and frontmatter format for its respective tool.
New adapters: amazon-q, antigravity, auggie, cline, codex, codebuddy,
continue, costrict, crush, factory, gemini, github-copilot, iflow,
kilocode, opencode, qoder, qwen, roocode.
* fix(adapters): address PR review feedback
- Change .requiredOption to .option for custom error handling with tool list
- Add YAML escaping for special characters in all command adapters
- Normalize path separators in tests for cross-platform compatibility
- Update docs: --tool flag is required, not optional with default
- Add missing Windsurf adapter scenario to spec
- Fix spec headers and language specifiers
Claude Code's YAML parser fails when the `name` field contains a colon (e.g., `name: OpenSpec: Proposal`), causing it to fall back to the first content line as the description, showing `<!-- OPENSPEC:START -->`.
Changes:
- Replace `OpenSpec: Proposal` with `OpenSpec - Proposal` in claude.ts
- Add `shouldRefreshFrontmatter()` hook to allow updating existing files
- Extract `buildContent()` helper method for DRY
- Update test expectations for Claude configurator
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
* fix(instructions): separate context and rules from template in JSON output
Previously, project config context and rules were prepended to the template
field in artifact instructions. This caused AI assistants to literally copy
these constraint blocks into generated artifact files, rather than treating
them as instructions.
Changes:
- Add `context` and `rules` as separate fields in ArtifactInstructions interface
- Update generateInstructions() to populate these as distinct fields
- Update CLI output to display context/rules with clear "do not include" comments
- Rename <context> (dependencies) to <dependencies> to avoid confusion
- Update tests for new structure
The JSON output from `openspec instructions` now clearly separates:
- `context`: Project background (constraints for AI)
- `rules`: Artifact-specific rules (constraints for AI)
- `template`: The actual structure for the output file
* fix(skills): update skill templates with separate context/rules documentation
Update generated skill templates (continue-change, ff-change) to document
that context and rules are separate JSON fields that should NOT be copied
into artifact output files.
Users running `openspec update` will get the updated skill instructions.
The GitHub App token doesn't have actions:write permission, which is
required for workflow_dispatch. Switch to repository_dispatch which
works with existing contents:write permission.
Changes:
- release-prepare.yml: Use gh api to trigger repository_dispatch
- polish-release-notes.yml: Add repository_dispatch trigger type
- Delete test workflow (validation complete)
Tested via PR #542 - both workflow_dispatch and repository_dispatch
triggers work correctly with claude-code-action.
* refactor(setup): simplify config creation and fix test hanging
- Replace interactive config prompts with automatic config creation using
default schema. The generated config includes helpful comments explaining
context and rules options.
- Remove unused promptForConfig, promptForArtifactRules, and isExitPromptError
functions from config-prompts.ts
- Add forceExit: true to vitest config to prevent worker processes from hanging
after tests complete
* docs: add schema-alias-support change proposal
Proposal to add schema alias support so `openspec-default` and `spec-driven`
can be used interchangeably, enabling a rename without breaking existing configs.
* fix(test): remove invalid forceExit config and add proper teardown
- Remove `forceExit: true` from vitest.config.ts (Jest option, not Vitest)
- Add actual teardown logic in vitest.setup.ts that forces exit after 1s
grace period if processes are still hanging
Add `/opsx:bulk-archive` skill that allows archiving multiple completed
changes in a single operation. Features include:
- Multi-select change selection via AskUserQuestion
- Batch validation of artifacts, tasks, and delta specs
- Spec conflict detection when multiple changes touch same capability
- Agentic conflict resolution by checking codebase for implementation
- Consolidated status table before confirmation
- Single confirmation for entire batch operation
- Comprehensive summary showing archived/skipped/failed changes
This is useful when working on multiple changes in parallel and wanting
to archive them together after implementation is complete.
* fix(ci): use workflow_dispatch for polish release notes
The claude-code-action doesn't support the `release` event type.
Switch to workflow_dispatch which is supported, and have
release-prepare trigger it after publishing.
* fix: get tag from package.json instead of gh release list
Changeset descriptions that use markdown headers (### New Features) get
nested inside list items, causing poor rendering. This converts all
affected entries to use **Bold Text** instead, which renders correctly.
Also adds a brief summary line to each entry for better readability.
* feat(config): add project-level configuration via openspec/config.yaml
Adds openspec/config.yaml support for project-level customization without
forking schemas. Teams can now:
- Set a default schema (used when --schema flag not provided)
- Inject project context into all artifact instructions
- Add per-artifact rules (e.g., proposal rules, specs rules)
Key changes:
- New `src/core/project-config.ts` with Zod schema and resilient parsing
- New `src/core/config-prompts.ts` for interactive config creation
- Updated schema resolution order: CLI → change metadata → config → default
- Updated instruction generation to inject <context> and <rules> XML sections
- Integrated config creation prompts into `artifact-experimental-setup`
Schema resolution precedence:
1. --schema CLI flag (explicit override)
2. .openspec.yaml in change directory (change-specific)
3. openspec/config.yaml schema field (project default)
4. "spec-driven" (hardcoded fallback)
* test(config): add e2e tests and performance benchmarks for project config
- Add project config integration tests in artifact-workflow.test.ts:
- Test new change uses schema from config
- Test CLI schema overrides config schema
- Test context and rules injection in instructions
- Test backwards compatibility without config file
- Test immediate reflection of config changes
- Add performance benchmark tests in project-config.test.ts:
- Typical config (1KB): <20ms target
- Large config (50KB): <50ms target
- Repeated reads consistency check
- Missing config fast-path test
- Add project configuration documentation in experimental-workflow.md:
- Config fields reference (schema, context, rules)
- Schema precedence explanation
- Artifact IDs by schema
- Troubleshooting guide
- Mark all tasks complete in tasks.md
* refactor(config): remove benchmark tests, document decision in source
Remove performance benchmark tests from project-config.test.ts and
document the results directly in the source code instead. Benchmarks
showed config reads are fast enough (~0.5ms typical) that caching
is unnecessary.
* fix(config): resolve three issues in project config feature
- Remove nested <template> tags: generateInstructions() no longer wraps
template content since printInstructionsText() already handles XML
structure
- Fix schema message accuracy: newChangeCommand() now uses the resolved
schema returned from createChange() instead of hardcoded fallback
- Add TTY check: artifact-experimental-setup skips interactive prompts
in non-TTY environments (CI, automation) to prevent hangs
* fix(config): handle null rules field in project config
Add null check when parsing rules field since YAML `rules:` with no
value parses to null, and `typeof null === 'object'` in JavaScript.
Without this check, Object.entries(null) would throw an error.
* docs: update workflow docs for schema management CLI
Update documentation to reflect implemented schema management features:
- Document schema CLI commands (which, validate, fork, init)
- Update gap summary to show completed phases (PR #522, #525)
- Improve custom schema examples with actual CLI usage
- Update resolution order documentation
* feat(cli): mark schema commands as experimental
Add [experimental] tag to help description and runtime warning
for schema management commands to indicate they may change.
Add `openspec schema` command group with subcommands for managing
workflow schemas:
- `schema which [name]` - Show where a schema resolves from with
shadow detection across project/user/package locations
- `schema validate [name]` - Validate schema structure, templates,
and dependency graph
- `schema fork <source> [name]` - Copy an existing schema to project
for customization
- `schema init <name>` - Create a new project-local schema with
interactive or CLI-driven configuration
All commands support `--json` output for scripting. The init command
supports interactive prompts for description and artifact selection.
Implements the schema-management-cli change proposal.
- Use path.join() in test expectations instead of hardcoded forward slashes
- Add openspec/config.yaml with cross-platform requirements to prevent
similar issues in future proposals
The tests were failing on Windows because path.join() uses backslashes
on Windows, but the test expectations hardcoded forward slashes.
Add 3-level schema resolution: project-local → user override → package built-in.
- Add `getProjectSchemasDir(projectRoot)` to resolve project schemas at `./openspec/schemas/<name>/`
- Extend `SchemaInfo.source` type to include `'project'`
- Update `getSchemaDir()`, `resolveSchema()`, `listSchemas()`, `listSchemasWithInfo()` with optional `projectRoot` parameter
- Update CLI commands to display schema source labels (project/user/package)
- Add `projectRoot` to `ChangeContext` interface for proper resolution throughout workflow
- Add 17 new tests covering project-local schema resolution
This enables projects to define custom schemas that override user and package schemas,
while maintaining backward compatibility when projectRoot is not provided.
Add a quick-reference demo guide for the project-config feature
(openspec/config.yaml). This consolidates the demo walkthrough
into a standalone document that's easier to use when presenting
the feature.
Includes:
- Summary of what project config does
- 6 numbered demo scenarios
- Quick all-in-one demo script
- Key points to emphasize
* feat(config): add project-level configuration via openspec/config.yaml
Adds openspec/config.yaml support for project-level customization without
forking schemas. Teams can now:
- Set a default schema (used when --schema flag not provided)
- Inject project context into all artifact instructions
- Add per-artifact rules (e.g., proposal rules, specs rules)
Key changes:
- New `src/core/project-config.ts` with Zod schema and resilient parsing
- New `src/core/config-prompts.ts` for interactive config creation
- Updated schema resolution order: CLI → change metadata → config → default
- Updated instruction generation to inject <context> and <rules> XML sections
- Integrated config creation prompts into `artifact-experimental-setup`
Schema resolution precedence:
1. --schema CLI flag (explicit override)
2. .openspec.yaml in change directory (change-specific)
3. openspec/config.yaml schema field (project default)
4. "spec-driven" (hardcoded fallback)
* test(config): add e2e tests and performance benchmarks for project config
- Add project config integration tests in artifact-workflow.test.ts:
- Test new change uses schema from config
- Test CLI schema overrides config schema
- Test context and rules injection in instructions
- Test backwards compatibility without config file
- Test immediate reflection of config changes
- Add performance benchmark tests in project-config.test.ts:
- Typical config (1KB): <20ms target
- Large config (50KB): <50ms target
- Repeated reads consistency check
- Missing config fast-path test
- Add project configuration documentation in experimental-workflow.md:
- Config fields reference (schema, context, rules)
- Schema precedence explanation
- Artifact IDs by schema
- Troubleshooting guide
- Mark all tasks complete in tasks.md
* refactor(config): remove benchmark tests, document decision in source
Remove performance benchmark tests from project-config.test.ts and
document the results directly in the source code instead. Benchmarks
showed config reads are fast enough (~0.5ms typical) that caching
is unnecessary.
* fix(config): resolve three issues in project config feature
- Remove nested <template> tags: generateInstructions() no longer wraps
template content since printInstructionsText() already handles XML
structure
- Fix schema message accuracy: newChangeCommand() now uses the resolved
schema returned from createChange() instead of hardcoded fallback
- Add TTY check: artifact-experimental-setup skips interactive prompts
in non-TTY environments (CI, automation) to prevent hangs
* perf: add path filtering to Nix validation CI job
Skip Nix flake validation when no Nix-related files change. This speeds
up CI for PRs that only touch source code, docs, or tests.
Files that trigger Nix validation:
- flake.nix, flake.lock
- package.json, pnpm-lock.yaml
- scripts/update-flake.sh
- .github/workflows/ci.yml
Uses dorny/paths-filter@v3 for change detection. Required-checks jobs
updated to handle skipped status correctly.
* fix: auto-trigger polish release notes on release publish
The workflow was only set up for manual dispatch, requiring someone to
remember to run it after each release. This change adds an automatic
trigger on `release: [published]` events while keeping the manual
trigger as a fallback.
The Claude Code Action supports any GitHub event when using the `prompt`
parameter for custom automations.
Skip Nix flake validation when no Nix-related files change. This speeds
up CI for PRs that only touch source code, docs, or tests.
Files that trigger Nix validation:
- flake.nix, flake.lock
- package.json, pnpm-lock.yaml
- scripts/update-flake.sh
- .github/workflows/ci.yml
Uses dorny/paths-filter@v3 for change detection. Required-checks jobs
updated to handle skipped status correctly.
Add explicit instructions to both the explore skill and slash command:
- Add IMPORTANT notice clarifying explore is for thinking, not implementing
- Add "Open threads, not interrogations" stance for user-driven exploration
- Add "Don't implement" guardrail to both templates
Creating OpenSpec artifacts is still allowed since that captures thinking.
* opsx: infer change for apply
* opsx: prompt when apply ambiguous
* opsx: use AskUserQuestion when ambiguous
* Simplify opsx:apply change selection instructions
Update all change selection instructions across all opsx commands
(apply, continue, sync, archive, verify, ff) to use consistent wording:
"If omitted, check if it can be inferred from conversation context.
If vague or ambiguous you MUST prompt for available changes."
For apply specifically, also simplifies Step 1 from ~180 to ~60 words
while preserving the same behavior: infer from conversation, auto-select
if single change, prompt via AskUserQuestion if ambiguous, always announce.
Removes micromanagement details (validation commands, recommendation
markers, presentation specifics) and trusts the LLM to figure out
reasonable defaults.
* Refine opsx archive sync assessment
* Simplify opsx archive sync instructions
Replace verbose algorithmic instructions with intent-focused guidance.
Trust the agent to figure out comparison logic rather than specifying
the exact algorithm for each delta type (ADDED, MODIFIED, etc).
Reduces section 4 from ~31 lines to ~13 lines per template.
* Add explicit paths for delta spec locations
Make it clear where agents should look for delta specs and main specs:
- Delta specs: openspec/changes/<name>/specs/
- Main specs: openspec/specs/<capability>/spec.md
* feat: add feedback command for submitting user feedback
Implement `openspec feedback` command that creates GitHub Issues using the gh CLI.
Includes graceful fallback to manual submission when gh is not available or
not authenticated.
Features:
- Automatic gh CLI detection and authentication check
- Graceful fallback with pre-filled issue URLs for manual submission
- Automatic metadata inclusion (version, platform, timestamp)
- /feedback skill for agent-assisted feedback with context enrichment
- Comprehensive test coverage with mocked gh CLI calls
* fix: address PR review comments for feedback command
- Add Windows compatibility: use 'where gh' on Windows, 'which gh' on Unix/macOS
- Fix shell injection vulnerability: replace execSync with execFileSync and argument arrays
- Fix British English phrasing: "in future" → "in the future"
- Reduce code duplication: extract formatTitle/formatBody to single location
- Update tests to verify execFileSync usage and cross-platform command detection
- Add spec scenarios for safe command execution and cross-platform support
The workflow was failing because Claude Code requested permission to write files
(release-title.txt and polished-notes.md) but there was no interactive user to approve.
Added claude_args: "--allowedTools Write,Read" to pre-approve file operations
in automation mode.
The workflow was failing due to two issues:
1. Using unsupported 'release' event trigger - Claude Code action doesn't support this event type
2. Using deprecated 'direct_prompt' parameter instead of 'prompt'
Changes:
- Switch from 'release' trigger to 'workflow_dispatch' for manual triggering
- Replace 'direct_prompt' with 'prompt' parameter (v1.0 breaking change)
- Update all tag references from github.event.release.tag_name to inputs.tag_name
The workflow now needs to be manually triggered from GitHub Actions UI after a release is published.
Vitest v3 defaults to `pool: "forks"` and scales worker processes with
CPU count. This repo's tests spawn many Node processes (CLI invocations,
temp FS operations), which can cause runaway CPU/memory usage when
combined with high parallelism.
Changes:
- Explicitly set pool to 'forks' (tests rely on process isolation)
- Add resolveMaxWorkers() to cap workers at min(4, availableCPUs)
- Allow VITEST_MAX_WORKERS env override for CI/automation tuning
Add change proposal for `openspec feedback` CLI command that enables
users and agents to submit feedback via GitHub Issues.
Key features:
- Simple `openspec feedback <message>` command
- GitHub Device OAuth for authentication
- `/feedback` skill for agent-assisted feedback with context enrichment
- Anonymization of sensitive data before submission
- User confirmation required before submitting
Add change proposal for a new verification skill that validates
implementation matches change artifacts (specs, tasks, design).
The skill verifies three dimensions:
- Completeness: all tasks done, all specs addressed
- Correctness: implementation matches specs and scenarios
- Coherence: follows design decisions and project patterns
Produces prioritized report with actionable fix suggestions.
AI agents following OpenSpec workflows would hit interactive prompts when
running `openspec validate` because the commands in AGENTS.md and slash
command templates didn't include the --no-interactive flag.
This caused hangs in LLM tool execution since agents run in pseudo-TTY
environments where process.stdin.isTTY returns true, triggering
interactive mode.
Fixes#492
GitHub's auto-merge feature uses an internal token that cannot trigger
workflows. Even with manual approval, the merge performed by auto-merge
doesn't trigger the release workflow.
Removing auto-merge means:
1. Version PR is created with CI running
2. User manually merges the PR (clicking "Merge")
3. The merge triggers the release workflow
4. Package is published
This aligns with industry standard practice for changesets.
Move the GitHub App token generation before checkout and pass it
to actions/checkout. This configures git to use the App's identity
for all operations, allowing pushes to trigger CI workflows.
Removes commitMode: github-api which doesn't support executable files.
* ci: use GitHub App token to trigger CI on version PR
Replace GITHUB_TOKEN with a GitHub App token so that the version PR
can trigger CI workflows. GITHUB_TOKEN cannot trigger workflows by
design (to prevent infinite loops).
Requires APP_ID variable and APP_PRIVATE_KEY secret to be configured.
* ci: upgrade create-github-app-token to v2
* ci: add commitMode github-api to trigger CI on version PR
* ci: use GitHub App token to trigger CI on version PR
Replace GITHUB_TOKEN with a GitHub App token so that the version PR
can trigger CI workflows. GITHUB_TOKEN cannot trigger workflows by
design (to prevent infinite loops).
Requires APP_ID variable and APP_PRIVATE_KEY secret to be configured.
* ci: upgrade create-github-app-token to v2
* Add changeset for Continue support, shell completions, and explore command
* ci: auto-merge version PR to streamline releases
Enable auto-merge on the changesets version PR so it merges
automatically once CI passes. This reduces the release process
from 2 manual PR merges to effectively 1.
Requires enabling "Allow auto-merge" in repository settings
and branch protection rules on main.
* OpenSpec 支持 Continue 插件
* add update
* Update spec.md
* fix: correct Continue frontmatter format and README ordering
- Fix Continue frontmatter to use proper YAML format with opening `---`
and required `invokable: true` field for slash command availability
- Fix README table ordering: Continue should be after Codex alphabetically
- Remove unused TemplateManager import from continue.ts
- Fix trailing whitespace in update.test.ts
- Fix double blank line in init.test.ts
- Fix extra blank line in cli-init/spec.md
- Update tests to verify correct frontmatter format
---------
Co-authored-by: ajuanli <ajuanli@tencent.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <tabishbidiwale@gmail.com>
The preAction hook receives (thisCommand, actionCommand) where thisCommand
is the root program and actionCommand is the actual subcommand being run.
Using thisCommand was incorrectly tracking the root command instead of
the actual subcommand executed by the user.
On Windows, os.homedir() uses the USERPROFILE environment variable
instead of HOME. The telemetry config tests were only mocking HOME,
causing them to fail on Windows CI.
* chore: add proposal for PostHog analytics integration
Introduces the proposal artifact for adding opt-in telemetry to OpenSpec
using PostHog. Covers command tracking, feature adoption metrics, and
privacy-respecting consent management.
* feat: add optional anonymous usage statistics
Introduces privacy-first usage analytics to help understand how OpenSpec
is being used. Key privacy protections:
- Only tracks command names and version (no arguments, paths, or content)
- Opt-out via OPENSPEC_TELEMETRY=0 or DO_NOT_TRACK=1
- Auto-disabled in CI environments
- No IP address collection (explicitly disabled)
- Anonymous ID is a random UUID with no PII
Uses PostHog with a reverse proxy to avoid ad blockers. First-run shows
a one-line notice informing users about the collection.
* docs: make telemetry section collapsible and concise
Wire up the explore skill and slash command templates to the
artifact-experimental-setup command. This adds /opsx:explore as
a thinking partner mode for exploring ideas, investigating problems,
and clarifying requirements before committing to a change.
Changes:
- Add imports for getExploreSkillTemplate and getOpsxExploreCommandTemplate
- Add explore skill to skills array (generates openspec-explore/SKILL.md)
- Add explore command to commands array (generates opsx/explore.md)
- Add /opsx:explore to CLI usage message
- Update docs/experimental-workflow.md with explore command
* docs: add OPSX experimental workflow visibility to README
Add a subtle banner near the top and an Experimental Features section
before Contributing to draw attention to the new OPSX workflow.
* docs: reframe OPSX messaging around fluid iteration
Update messaging to emphasize the core value proposition:
- No phases, just actions
- Dependencies are enablers, not gates
- Update artifacts as you learn during implementation
The previous "step-by-step artifact creation" framing incorrectly
suggested more bureaucracy. OPSX is about less rigidity, not more.
* docs: add architecture deep dive with ASCII diagrams
Add comprehensive comparison of standard vs OPSX workflow architecture:
- Philosophy: phases vs actions
- Component architecture diagrams
- Dependency graph model
- Information flow comparison
- Iteration model comparison
- Custom schema example
* docs: emphasize hackability and experimentation rationale
Add "Why We Built This" section explaining the meta-level motivation:
- Instructions were hardcoded, hard to improve
- Needed granular, testable artifacts
- Wanted to experiment with different workflows without code changes
- OPSX makes the instruction system itself hackable
Update README banner and experimental features section to highlight
schema-driven, hackable nature alongside fluid iteration benefits.
* docs: reframe hackability as user benefit, not just internal
OPSX isn't just for OpenSpec devs to experiment - it's for everyone:
- Teams can create workflows that match how they work
- Power users can tweak prompts to get better AI outputs
- Contributors can experiment without releases
Updated framing from "we needed" to "now anyone can".
* docs: add guidance on when to update vs. start fresh
Addresses a common question: when does "update as you learn" become
"this is different work"? Adds heuristics based on intent, scope
overlap, and completability to help users make the judgment call.
When a command has both flags and subcommands, the Bash and PowerShell
completion generators now check if the user is typing a flag (input
starts with `-`) before offering subcommand completions. This fixes the
issue where parent-level flags were never suggested.
Before: `openspec config --<TAB>` → Only showed subcommands
After: `openspec config --<TAB>` → Shows parent flags when input starts with `-`
Fixes#463
* fix: skip additional Windows-specific tests
- fish-installer: skip uninstall permission test (chmod on directory)
- powershell-installer: skip "skip configuration when script line exists"
test (Windows has dual profile paths so the second profile gets configured)
* refactor: use ENOTDIR approach for cross-platform install error tests
Instead of platform-specific invalid paths (Z:\ or /root), create a
temporary file and use it as homeDir. This guarantees deterministic
ENOTDIR failures when trying to create subdirectories on all platforms.
fs.chmod() on directories doesn't restrict write access on Windows since
Windows uses ACLs that Node.js doesn't control. Additionally, admin users
and CI runners can bypass read-only attributes. Skip these tests on Windows
and use platform-specific invalid paths in cross-platform tests.
Fixes#401 (bash/pwsh completion commit breaking Windows e2e tests).
* added CLI completions support for: bash, fish and powershell
* Add bash/fish/powershell completions
* Archive extend-shell-completions
* Archive extend-shell-completions
* Fix canWriteFile control flow and add tests
* Fix bash completion fallback and security escaping
- Add _init_completion fallback for systems without bash-completion
- Fix command injection escaping in Fish/PowerShell generators
- Add Bash command name escaping for security
- Add comprehensive security tests for all generators
- Fix test placement issues in bash/powershell test files
* refactor: extract completion templates and standardize naming
Extract static template literals from generators into separate template files.
Standardize naming to {SHELL}_STATIC_HELPERS and {SHELL}_DYNAMIC_HELPERS.
- Create bash/fish/powershell/zsh template files
- Rename constants: BASH_HELPERS → BASH_DYNAMIC_HELPERS,
FISH_HELPER_FUNCTIONS → FISH_STATIC_HELPERS,
POWERSHELL_HELPERS → POWERSHELL_DYNAMIC_HELPERS
- Update generator imports
- Remove ~99 lines of boilerplate from generators
🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)
Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* docs: update spec to reflect multi-shell support
Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)
Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix: add all shells to zsh completion suggestions
* feat: add --yes flag to completion uninstall
* fix: remove bash-completion dependency from fallback
🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)
Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix: use printf instead of echo for Fish tab output
Fish's echo doesn't interpret escape sequences, so \t outputs
literally instead of as a tab character. Use printf for proper
tab-separated completion output.
🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)
Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix: make UX messages shell-aware
Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix: add Homebrew paths for bash-completion detection
Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix: support both PowerShell Core and Windows PS 5.1
Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix: preserve colon handling in bash completion
Add -n : option to _init_completion to prevent colons from being
treated as word separators. This is important for spec/change IDs
that may contain colons.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix: update completion tests to match implementation changes
Updated bash-generator test to expect `-n :` flag in _init_completion call.
Updated powershell-installer tests to match refactored implementation that
supports both PowerShell Core and Windows PowerShell 5.1.
🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)
Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
* feat: change the frontmatter of the Codebuddy Slash Commands
* fix: fix the issue mentioned by coderabbitai
* feat: change the init.test
* feat: change the init.test
---------
Co-authored-by: neroyang <neroyang@tencent.com>
Adds documentation for the experimental artifact-based workflow:
- Setup instructions (Claude Code only for now)
- Command reference for all /opsx:* commands
- Usage examples and tips
- Comparison with standard workflow
- Feedback links to Discord and GitHub
Instead of blindly asking "want to sync?", archive now performs a quick
check to see if delta specs actually need syncing:
- Extracts requirement names from delta specs
- Checks if corresponding main spec exists
- Checks if ADDED requirements appear in main spec
- Only prompts if sync appears needed
Also improves archive output to always show specs status:
- ✓ Synced to main specs
- No delta specs
- ⚠️ Not synced
* feat: add /opsx:sync command for syncing delta specs to main specs
Add a new agent-driven skill that syncs delta specs from a change to main specs
without requiring archiving. This enables:
- Updating main specs during active development
- Intelligent merging (partial updates, adding scenarios)
- Idempotent operation (safe to run multiple times)
Implementation:
- Extract shared specs-apply logic from archive.ts to specs-apply.ts
- Add getSyncSpecsSkillTemplate and getOpsxSyncCommandTemplate
- Register /opsx:sync in artifact-experimental-setup
- Add specs-sync-skill main spec
* fix: rename specs apply to specs sync throughout change artifacts
Update all references:
- /opsx:specs → /opsx:sync
- specs-apply-skill → specs-sync-skill
- Remove cli-artifact-workflow delta spec (no CLI command)
- Update proposal, design, and tasks docs
Adds a new fast-forward command that creates all artifacts needed for
implementation in one go, instead of stepping through them individually.
Changes:
- Add `applyRequires` field to status JSON output (shows which artifacts
are required before the apply phase can begin)
- Add skill template for openspec-ff-change
- Add command template for /opsx:ff slash command
- Register templates in artifact-workflow setup command
The fast-forward command uses the schema's `apply.requires` configuration
to determine when to stop creating artifacts, making it schema-agnostic.
* feat: make apply instructions schema-aware
The `generateApplyInstructions` function was hardcoded to check for
`spec-driven` artifacts. This change makes it read artifact definitions
from the schema's new `apply` block, enabling support for different
workflows like TDD.
Changes:
- Add `ApplyPhaseSchema` Zod schema with `requires`, `tracks`, and
`instruction` fields to types.ts
- Update `SchemaYamlSchema` to include optional `apply` field
- Add `apply` block to spec-driven and tdd schemas
- Refactor `generateApplyInstructions` to:
- Load schema via `resolveSchema()`
- Read `apply.requires` for required artifacts
- Check artifact existence dynamically (supports glob patterns)
- Use `apply.tracks` for progress tracking (or skip if null)
- Use `apply.instruction` for custom guidance
- Build `contextFiles` from all existing artifacts in schema
- Handle fallback when schema has no `apply` block (require all artifacts)
- Add 8 new tests for schema-aware apply behavior
* fix: improve apply instructions robustness and consistency
- Fix artifactOutputExists to properly handle glob patterns cross-platform
by using path.sep and verifying actual file matches
- Remove redundant if/else in contextFiles loop
- Distinguish between missing tracks file vs empty tracks file
- Use consistent { error: } key in ApplyPhaseSchema validation
- Rename fallback test to accurately describe what it tests
* test: add fallback behavior tests for schemas without apply block
Add two tests that verify the fallback logic when a schema lacks an
apply block:
- Blocks when not all artifacts exist (requires ALL artifacts)
- Ready state with default instruction when all artifacts exist
Uses XDG_DATA_HOME to create temporary user schemas for testing.
- Add `openspec schemas` CLI command with `--json` option for agents
- Add `listSchemasWithInfo()` helper to get schema metadata (name, description, artifacts)
- Update `openspec-new-change` skill to prompt for schema selection
- Update `openspec-continue-change` skill to read schema dynamically from status
- Update `openspec-apply-change` skill to use schema-specific context files
- Update all slash commands (/opsx:new, /opsx:continue, /opsx:apply) to be schema-agnostic
- Add documentation for when to use each schema (spec-driven vs tdd)
Agents can now create changes with different workflow schemas and the skills
dynamically adapt based on the selected schema's artifact sequence.
Extend the `openspec artifact-experimental-setup` command to also generate
slash commands alongside Agent Skills.
Changes:
- Add CommandTemplate interface and template functions for /opsx:new,
/opsx:continue, and /opsx:apply commands
- Modify artifactExperimentalSetupCommand() to create slash command files
at .claude/commands/opsx/
- Update success message to show both skills and slash commands created
The setup command now creates:
- 3 Agent Skills (.claude/skills/)
- 3 Slash Commands (.claude/commands/opsx/)
* feat: add Agent Skills for experimental artifact workflow
Implements Task #3 from the experimental release plan:
- Create skill templates for openspec-new-change and openspec-continue-change
- Add artifact-experimental-setup CLI command
- Generate Agent Skills in .claude/skills/ directory
- Support cross-editor compatibility (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf)
Skills follow the Agent Skills specification and provide:
- Natural language invocation by AI assistants
- Step-by-step artifact creation workflow
- Dependency-driven change management
* fix: update GitHub issues URL to correct repository
Replace placeholder `https://github.com/your-org/openspec/issues`
with correct URL `https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues` in:
- docs/experimental-release-plan.md
- src/commands/artifact-workflow.ts
Verified against package.json repository.url field.
* feat: add openspec-apply-change skill for task implementation
Add the apply skill to guide agents through implementing tasks from an
OpenSpec change:
- Add `openspec instructions apply` CLI command that parses tasks.md and
returns context files, progress tracking, and dynamic instructions
- Add `getApplyChangeSkillTemplate()` to skill-templates.ts with full
workflow guidance for implementing tasks
- Update artifact-experimental-setup to generate all three skills:
openspec-new-change, openspec-continue-change, openspec-apply-change
The apply skill supports the fluid "actions on a change" model:
- Can be invoked anytime (if tasks.md exists)
- Handles blocked/ready/all_done states
- Guides agents to pause on issues and suggest artifact updates
- Tracks progress via task checkboxes
* docs: mark apply skill implementation steps as complete
* feat: add Capabilities section to proposal template
Enrich the proposal template to explicitly capture capability discovery:
- Add "Capabilities" section with "New Capabilities" and "Modified
Capabilities" subsections to proposal template
- Update proposal instruction in schema.yaml to guide agents on
researching existing specs and listing capabilities
- Update skill instructions with detailed guidance for the Capabilities
section
This creates a clear contract between proposal and specs phases - each
capability listed in the proposal will need a corresponding spec file.
* feat: remove redundant `openspec next` command
The `next` command was redundant with `status` - both show which artifacts
are ready to create. The status command provides more context (done/ready/blocked)
and is the single source of truth for artifact state.
Changes:
- Remove nextCommand function and CLI registration from artifact-workflow.ts
- Update skill templates to use status instead of next
- Update docs and specs to reflect removal
- Add REMOVED Requirements section to cli-artifact-workflow spec
- Remove 7 tests for the next command
Migration: Use `openspec status --change <id> --json` and filter artifacts
with `status: "ready"` to find artifacts that can be created next.
* docs: clarify kebab-case naming in proposal template
Update HTML comments in the Capabilities section to explicitly instruct
using kebab-case identifiers with examples (user-auth, data-export,
api-rate-limiting).
* feat: add change proposals for per-change schema metadata
Add two related change proposals for enabling schema selection in the
experimental artifact workflow:
1. add-per-change-schema-metadata: Store schema choice in .openspec.yaml
per change, enabling auto-detection in workflow commands. Includes
Zod schema design and delta specs for cli-artifact-workflow.
2. add-agent-schema-selection: Follow-up to update agent skills to
support dynamic schema selection (depends on metadata change).
Also includes:
- Example .openspec.yaml in add-frontmatter-to-openspec-artifact-files
- Clarify "Modified Capabilities" guidance in proposal template
* remove test change
* feat: fix design.md as optional, update docs, add schema-aware apply proposal
Changes:
- Fix generateApplyInstructions to treat design.md as optional (not required)
- Update experimental-release-plan.md CLI output to match implementation
- Add openspec-apply-change skill to docs (was missing)
- Fix test flow numbering after adding apply skill verification step
- Add change proposal for making apply instructions schema-aware
The schema-aware proposal introduces an `implementation` block in schema.yaml
to define when a change becomes implementable and how to track progress.
Archives two changes that were missing complete requirement content in their
spec deltas, which would have caused data loss during archival:
1. add-antigravity-support: Adds Antigravity IDE support to cli-init and
cli-update with proper workflow file generation in `.agent/workflows/`
2. fix-cline-workflows-implementation: Corrects Cline paths from `.clinerules/`
to `.clinerules/workflows/` to match Cline's official workflow conventions
Both deltas were fixed to include all 15 slash command scenarios (14 existing +
1 new Antigravity) to prevent loss of existing requirements when archived.
* feat: enhance artifact instructions with inline guidance and XML output
Schema changes:
- Add `instruction` field to artifacts for inline creation guidance
- Include detailed instructions for proposal, specs, design, and tasks
Instruction loader enhancements:
- Return `instruction` field from schema
- Include `changeDir` for full path resolution
- Enrich dependency info with `path` and `description` fields
CLI output improvements:
- New XML-style format for `openspec instructions` (better for AI parsing)
- Structured tags: <artifact>, <task>, <context>, <output>, <template>
- Dependencies now show full paths for easy file reading
- JSON output includes all new fields
* docs: add schema customization and workflow gap documentation
- schema-customization.md: Guide for customizing artifact schemas
- schema-workflow-gaps.md: Analysis of current workflow limitations
* test: fix list test for new default sort order
Update test to explicitly use sort='name' since the default
changed from alphabetical to most-recently-modified.
- Add lastModified field showing when each change was last modified
- Default sort order is now "recent" (most recently modified first)
- Add --sort option to choose between "recent" and "name" ordering
- Add --json option for programmatic access with structured output
- Fall back to directory mtime for empty change directories
- Display relative time (e.g., "2h ago", "3d ago") in human output
* proposal: add artifact workflow CLI commands (Slice 4)
Add CLI commands for artifact workflow operations:
- `openspec status --change <id>` - Show artifact completion state
- `openspec next --change <id>` - Show ready artifacts
- `openspec instructions <artifact> --change <id>` - Get enriched template
- `openspec templates --change <id>` - Show template paths
- `openspec new change <name>` - Create new change
Commands are top-level for fluid UX and implemented in isolation
for easy removal (experimental feature).
* fix: remove --change from templates command
Templates are schema-level, not change-level. The command now uses
--schema instead of --change for consistency with how templates
are actually resolved.
* rename: cli-workflow -> cli-artifact-workflow
More specific capability name that clarifies which workflow the CLI
commands are for.
* feat: implement artifact workflow CLI commands (Slice 4)
Add experimental CLI commands for artifact-based workflow management:
- `openspec status --change <id>` - display artifact completion status
- `openspec next --change <id>` - show artifacts ready to create
- `openspec instructions <artifact> --change <id>` - output enriched template
- `openspec templates [--schema <name>]` - show resolved template paths
- `openspec new change <name>` - create new change directory
Features:
- JSON output support (--json flag) for all commands
- Color-coded status indicators (green/yellow/red)
- Progress spinners during loading
- --no-color and NO_COLOR env support
- --schema option for custom schema selection
- Comprehensive error handling with helpful messages
All commands are isolated in src/commands/artifact-workflow.ts for easy
removal if the feature doesn't work out. Help text marks them as experimental.
* fix: update specs glob to match nested directory structure
The schema used specs/*.md but specs are stored as specs/<capability>/spec.md.
Updated to specs/**/*.md so openspec status/next correctly detect spec completion.
* test: update test to match new specs glob pattern
* chore: archive add-artifact-workflow-cli change
- Move change to archive/2025-12-28-add-artifact-workflow-cli
- Create cli-artifact-workflow spec
* feat: unify change state model for scaffolded changes
- Update artifact workflow commands to work with scaffolded changes
- Add draft changes section to dashboard view
- Fix completed changes to require tasks.total > 0
- Archive unify-change-state-model change
* fix: validate change name format to prevent path traversal
Add validation in validateChangeExists() to ensure --change parameter
is a valid kebab-case ID before constructing file paths. This prevents
path traversal attacks like --change "../foo" or --change "/etc/passwd".
- Reuses existing validateChangeName() from change-utils.ts
- Adds 3 tests for path traversal, absolute paths, and slashes
* feat: add instruction loader for template loading and change context
Add the instruction-loader module that provides:
- loadTemplate: Load templates from schema directories
- loadChangeContext: Combine artifact graph with completion state
- generateInstructions: Enrich templates with change-specific context
- formatChangeStatus: Format change status as readable output
This is Slice 3 of the artifact-graph system, building on the graph
operations (Slice 1) and change creation utilities (Slice 2).
* chore: archive add-instruction-loader change
- Move change to archive as 2025-12-28-add-instruction-loader
- Create instruction-loader spec with 4 requirements
* docs: add purpose description to instruction-loader spec
* feat: restructure schemas as directories with templates
Move built-in schemas from embedded TypeScript objects to a file-based
directory structure. This enables co-located templates alongside schemas.
Changes:
- Remove builtin-schemas.ts (replaced by file-based schemas)
- Add schemas/ directory at package root with spec-driven and tdd schemas
- Update resolveSchema() to load from directory structure
- Resolution checks user dir → package dir
* chore: archive restructure-schema-directories change
* docs: update artifact_poc.md for directory-based schema structure
Update documentation to reflect the new schema structure where schemas
are directories containing schema.yaml and co-located templates/ rather
than single .yaml files with separate template directories.
* proposal: add instruction loader and schema restructure (Slice 3)
Adds two change proposals for implementing Slice 3 of the artifact POC:
1. restructure-schema-directories
- Move schemas from embedded TS objects to self-contained directories
- Each schema becomes a directory with schema.yaml + templates/
- Enables co-located templates for user extensibility
- 2-level resolution: user override → package built-in
2. add-instruction-loader (depends on #1)
- Load templates from schema directories
- Enrich templates with change context (dependencies, next steps)
- Format change status for CLI output
- New instruction-loader capability
These proposals complete Slice 3 from docs/artifact_poc.md.
* fix: include full requirement block in MODIFIED spec
Update the Schema Loading requirement to include all original scenarios
(modified as needed) per the MODIFIED requirement guidelines. The archiver
replaces the entire requirement with the provided content.
Add FileSystemUtils.toPosixPath() utility and consolidate scattered
path normalization patterns. This fixes Windows test failures where
fast-glob couldn't match paths containing backslashes.
Root cause: path.join() uses backslashes on Windows, but fast-glob
requires forward slashes for glob patterns on all platforms.
Changes:
- Add toPosixPath() to FileSystemUtils for cross-platform path handling
- Update artifact-graph/state.ts to normalize glob patterns
- Consolidate path normalization in update.ts, validator.ts, and
json-converter.ts to use the new utility
* proposal: add artifact graph core query system
Add OpenSpec change proposal for Slice 1 of the artifact POC - the core
"What's Ready?" query system. This implements:
- ArtifactGraph class for DAG-based dependency modeling
- Filesystem-based state detection (file existence = completion)
- Topological sort for build order calculation
- Ready/blocked artifact queries
This is a parallel module that will coexist with the current system.
* docs: specify Zod for schema validation in artifact graph proposal
- Add decision section for Zod schema validation in design.md
- Update data structures to show Zod schemas with z.infer<> types
- Update tasks to specify Zod usage for type definitions and parsing
* docs: add 2-level schema resolution and built-in schemas
- Add decision for global → built-in schema resolution pattern
- Add resolver.ts for schema lookup logic
- Add built-in schemas directory (spec-driven.yaml, tdd.yaml)
- Add schema resolution tests
- Follows ESLint/Prettier/Git patterns (defaults baked in package)
* experiment: add vertical slice version of artifact graph change
Creates add-artifact-graph-core-v2 with requirements organized as
vertical slices - each requirement file contains its spec, design
decisions, and tasks bundled together for comparison.
* feat(core): add getGlobalDataDir for XDG-compliant data directory
Add getGlobalDataDir() function following XDG Base Directory Specification
for storing user data like schema overrides:
- XDG_DATA_HOME takes precedence on all platforms
- Unix/macOS fallback: ~/.local/share/openspec/
- Windows fallback: %LOCALAPPDATA%/openspec/
* feat(artifact-graph): add core dependency graph module
Implement Slice 1 ("What's Ready?") of the artifact graph system:
- types.ts: Zod schemas for artifact definitions with derived TypeScript types
- schema.ts: YAML parsing with validation for duplicates, invalid refs, cycles
- graph.ts: ArtifactGraph class with Kahn's algorithm for topological sort
- state.ts: Filesystem-based completion detection with glob pattern support
- resolver.ts: Two-level schema resolution (global override → built-in)
- builtin-schemas.ts: spec-driven and tdd workflow definitions
Key design decisions:
- Filesystem as database (stateless, git-friendly)
- Cycle errors show full path (e.g., "A → B → C → A")
- Deterministic ordering via sorted queues
* test(artifact-graph): add comprehensive test suite
52 tests covering all artifact-graph functionality:
- schema.test.ts: Parsing, validation errors, cycle detection
- graph.test.ts: Build order, ready artifacts, blocked queries
- state.test.ts: File existence, glob patterns, missing directories
- resolver.test.ts: Schema resolution with global overrides
* docs(openspec): archive add-artifact-graph-core change
Archive completed change proposal and create artifact-graph spec with
6 requirements covering schema loading, build order, state detection,
ready queries, completion checks, and blocked queries.
* chore: remove experimental artifact-graph-core-v2 folder
Clean up experimental vertical slice proposal that is no longer needed.
* feat(artifact-graph): validate global schema overrides
Global schema overrides are now validated through the same pipeline as
built-in schemas, catching invalid schemas, cyclic dependencies, and
invalid requires references at load time. Added SchemaLoadError for
better error context with file paths.
* test(artifact-graph): add workflow integration tests
Add end-to-end integration tests that exercise the full artifact-graph
pipeline: resolveSchema → ArtifactGraph → detectCompleted → queries.
Tests cover:
- Complete spec-driven and tdd workflow progressions
- Out-of-order file creation handling
- Glob pattern matching with multiple files
- Build order consistency
- Edge cases (empty/missing directories, non-matching files)
* refactor(artifact-graph): adopt zod v4 error message format
Update custom error messages from string format to zod v4 object format
using `{ error: 'message' }` convention.
* fix(test): prevent hanging vitest threads after test runs
- Add teardownTimeout (3s) to vitest config for forced cleanup
- Add global teardown function to vitest.setup.ts
- Call child.unref() to prevent child processes from blocking event loop
- Explicitly destroy stdio streams on process close/error
When creating a new spec file, REMOVED requirements are now ignored
with a warning instead of causing archive to fail. This enables
refactoring scenarios where old fields are removed while documenting
a capability for the first time.
Fixes#403
Add internal documentation for the artifact-based approach to OpenSpec
core. This document outlines design decisions, terminology, and the
philosophy behind treating dependencies as enablers rather than gates.
* fix(cli): respect --no-interactive flag in validate command
The validate command's spinner was starting regardless of the
--no-interactive flag, causing hangs in pre-commit hooks.
Changes:
- Pass noInteractive option to runBulkValidation
- Handle Commander.js --no-* flag syntax (sets interactive=false)
- Only start ora spinner when in interactive mode
- Add CI environment variable check to isInteractive() for industry
standard compliance
* test: add unit tests for interactive utilities and CLI flag
- Export resolveNoInteractive() helper for reuse
- Add InteractiveOptions type export for testing
- Refactor validate.ts to use resolveNoInteractive()
- Add 17 unit tests for isInteractive() and resolveNoInteractive()
- Add CLI integration test for --no-interactive flag
This prevents future regressions where Commander.js --no-* flag
parsing is not properly handled.
* fix(cli): use dynamic import for @inquirer/prompts in config command
The config command (added in #382) reintroduced the pre-commit hook hang
issue that was fixed in #380. The static import of @inquirer/prompts at
module load time causes stdin event listeners to be registered even when
running non-interactive commands, preventing clean process exit when
stdin is piped (as pre-commit does).
Convert the static import to a dynamic import that only loads inquirer
when the `config reset` command is actually used interactively.
Fixes#367
* chore: add ESLint with no-restricted-imports rule for @inquirer
Add ESLint configuration that prevents static imports of @inquirer/*
modules. This prevents future regressions of the pre-commit hook hang
issue fixed in this PR.
The rule shows a helpful error message pointing to issue #367 for context.
init.ts is exempted since it's already dynamically imported from the CLI.
* ci: add ESLint step to lint job
Run `pnpm lint` in CI to enforce the no-restricted-imports rule
that prevents static @inquirer imports.
* feat(cli): add openspec config command for global configuration management
Implements the `openspec config` command with subcommands:
- `path`: Show config file location
- `list [--json]`: Show all current settings
- `get <key>`: Get a specific value (raw output for scripting)
- `set <key> <value> [--string]`: Set a value with auto type coercion
- `unset <key>`: Remove a key (revert to default)
- `reset --all [-y]`: Reset configuration to defaults
- `edit`: Open config in $EDITOR/$VISUAL
Key features:
- Dot notation for nested key access (e.g., featureFlags.someFlag)
- Auto type coercion (true/false → boolean, numbers → number)
- --string flag to force string storage
- Zod schema validation with unknown field passthrough
- Reserved --scope flag for future project-local config
- Windows-compatible editor spawning with proper path quoting
- Shell completion registry integration
* test(config): add additional unit tests for validation and coercion
- Add tests for unknown fields with various types
- Add test to verify error message path for featureFlags
- Add test for number values rejection in featureFlags
- Add config set simulation tests to verify full coerce → set → validate flow
* fix(config): avoid shell parsing in config edit to handle paths with spaces
Use spawn with shell: false and pass configPath as an argument instead
of building a shell command string. This correctly handles spaces in
both the EDITOR path and config file path on all platforms.
* chore(openspec): archive add-config-command and create cli-config spec
Move completed change to archive and apply spec deltas to create
the cli-config specification documenting the config command interface.
* Validate config keys on set
Fixes#367
The CLI was hanging when run as a pre-commit hook because @inquirer/prompts
was statically imported at module load time. Even when prompts were never
called (e.g., `openspec validate --specs --no-interactive`), the import
itself could set up stdin references that prevented clean process exit
when stdin was piped.
Changes:
- Convert all static `@inquirer/prompts` imports to dynamic imports
- Dynamically import `InitCommand` (which uses `@inquirer/core`)
- Update `isInteractive()` to accept options object with both
`noInteractive` and Commander's negated `interactive` property
- Handle empty validation queue with proper exit code
Now when running in non-interactive mode, the inquirer modules are never
loaded, allowing the process to exit cleanly after completion.
Prioritize XDG_CONFIG_HOME on Windows to fix test environment overrides.
Previously, Windows would always use APPDATA regardless of XDG_CONFIG_HOME,
causing tests to fail. Now XDG_CONFIG_HOME is checked first on all platforms
before falling back to platform-specific defaults.
Also update the Windows APPDATA test to explicitly clear XDG_CONFIG_HOME
when testing the fallback behavior.
* feat(core): implement global config directory with XDG support
Add new global-config module following XDG Base Directory Specification with platform-specific fallbacks (Unix: ~/.config/openspec, Windows: %APPDATA%/openspec). Includes config loading with defaults, config saving with directory creation, and full test coverage. Archive add-global-config-dir change.
* docs(spec): add Purpose section to global-config spec
Replace placeholder text with a concise description of what the spec governs, its scope, and high-level objectives.
Create two OpenSpec change proposals:
1. add-global-config-dir: Foundation for user-level configuration following XDG Base Directory Specification with cross-platform support
2. add-config-command: User-facing CLI command for viewing and managing global settings
Both proposals are minimal and focused on providing a clean, extensible base for OpenSpec settings and future feature flags.
- Fix canWriteFile to use fs.access with W_OK flag instead of Unix-style
permission bits (stats.mode & 0o222) which don't work on Windows
- Update test paths to use platform-specific invalid paths that fail on
both Unix and Windows
- Use regex for path separator matching in test assertions
Update the cli-completion spec to match the actual implementation:
- Change `completion zsh` to `completion generate [shell]` command structure
- Update uninstall behavior to reflect confirmation prompt cancels entire operation
- Change "not installed" uninstall exit code from 0 to 1
- Update shell detection error message to match implementation
- Replace Purpose placeholder with actual description
* shell completions for zsh
* after code review changes
* expose only postinstall.js script
* Replace _openspec "$@" with compdef in zsh-generator.ts to prevent execution during load
* Update test/commands/completion.test.ts
Co-authored-by: coderabbitai[bot] <136622811+coderabbitai[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
* - Fix dispatcher to use $words instead of $line for subcommand routing
- Add __complete endpoint with tab-separated output for safe parsing
- Replace brittle awk parsing with __complete in completion helpers
- Add uninstall confirmation prompt with --yes flag to skip
- Prefer $ZSH env var for Oh My Zsh detection before dir check
- Add fpath verification guidance for OMZ installations
- Update cli-completion spec to document generate subcommand
* improve shell detection and installation handling
- Return structured result from detectShell() with shell and detected name
- Detect already-installed completions and skip reinstall
- Add update detection with automatic backup of previous version
- Add debug logging to silent catch blocks for diagnostics
- Quote fpath directories to handle paths with spaces
- Verify Oh My Zsh fpath configuration and add to .zshrc if needed
- Show helpful error for detected but unsupported shells
- Update all tests for new detection API
---------
Co-authored-by: coderabbitai[bot] <136622811+coderabbitai[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
- Sort supported AI tools alphabetically (A-Z)
- Wrap both "Native Slash Commands" and "AGENTS.md Compatible" sections
in collapsible <details> tags to reduce visual clutter
Remove the `agent: build` field from OpenCode slash command templates
to allow OpenCode to use the current/custom agent instead of requiring
the build agent to be available.
Fixes#334
* Add changeset for new features and improvements
* Update .changeset/new-features-and-improvements.md
Co-authored-by: coderabbitai[bot] <136622811+coderabbitai[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: coderabbitai[bot] <136622811+coderabbitai[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Add prominent restart instruction in success message to inform users
they need to restart their IDE/coding tool for slash commands to appear.
Applies to all tools when slash commands are created or refreshed.
Also updates cli-init spec to document the restart instruction requirement.
* support iflow-cli
* docs: add iFlow to supported AI tools in README ([#268](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/268))
Add iFlow to the Native Slash Commands table in the README. iFlow support was implemented but was missing from the documentation.
* add UTs for iflow-cli
* Enhance proposal guidelines in slash-command-templates.ts
- Added instructions to avoid writing code during the proposal stage and focus on creating design documents.
- Emphasized the design phase by including a reminder not to implement code until the apply stage.
- Updated validation steps to clarify the importance of confirming project conventions before proceeding with tasks.
* Update proposal guidelines in slash-command-templates.ts to clarify that no implementation code should be written during the design phase.
* Refine proposal and apply steps in slash-command-templates.ts
- Removed redundant instruction in proposal steps to streamline the process.
- Clarified the initial reading order for apply steps by omitting the project conventions document, focusing on the proposal and design documents instead.
* feat(roocode): Added RooCode tool support and related configurations
Added RooCode tool integration, including:
- Added RooCode configurator class
- Registered RooCode to the tool registry
- Implemented RooCode template files
- Added RooCode slash command support
- Updated README documentation
- Added related test cases
* Removed RooCode related configurations from the project. This includes deleting the RooCode configurator, its template, and associated tests.
* fix(cline): use workflows instead of rules for slash commands
- Update ClineSlashCommandConfigurator to use .clinerules/workflows/ paths
- Update tests to expect correct workflow file locations
- Update README.md to reflect workflows instead of rules
- Fixes Cline integration to match Cline's architecture per their blog post
* Adds spec for fix-cline-workflows-implementation
---------
Co-authored-by: didier <didier.boff@axess.fr>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
* feat: add Gemini CLI support with TOML-based slash commands
- Add GeminiSlashCommandConfigurator for .gemini/commands/openspec/
- Register Gemini CLI in AI_TOOLS config and slash command registry
- Generate TOML files with description and prompt fields
- Add comprehensive test coverage for Gemini CLI integration
- Update README to list Gemini CLI under Native Slash Commands
- Remove Gemini CLI from AGENTS.md compatible list (now native)
Implements GitHub issue #248
* [add]
* feat: address PR feedback - remove changeset and add update test
- Remove .changeset/add-gemini-cli-support.md as requested by maintainer
- Add test for Gemini CLI TOML update/refresh path
- Test verifies that existing TOML files are properly updated when running init again
Addresses feedback from TabishB in PR #256
---------
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
This change adds the $ARGUMENTS property to the OpenCode apply slash command template, allowing users to pass arguments when invoking the apply command. The template now includes instructions for the agent to find and implement the change proposal, with guidance to ask for clarification when ambiguous.
* feat(ai-tools): add Costrict integration support
Add support for Costrict AI tool with slash commands and configuration template. Includes configurator, registry entries, templates, and comprehensive test coverage.
* feat(config): update branding from 'Costrict' to 'CoStrict'
* fix: recreate missing openspec template files in extend mode
The init command now checks for and recreates missing template files
(like openspec/AGENTS.md and openspec/project.md) when running in
extend mode, instead of skipping file generation entirely.
Previously, if a user deleted openspec/AGENTS.md and ran init again,
the file would not be recreated because the openspec/ directory
existed, triggering extend mode which skipped all file generation.
Changes:
- Added ensureTemplateFiles() method to check and recreate missing files
- Modified extend mode to call ensureTemplateFiles() instead of skipping
- Updated message to "Checking for missing files..." for clarity
- Added tests for recreating deleted openspec/AGENTS.md and project.md
* refactor: consolidate duplicate logic in template file generation
Extracted shared logic from generateFiles() and ensureTemplateFiles()
into a new writeTemplateFiles() method with a skipExisting parameter.
This eliminates code duplication while maintaining the same behavior.
* test: improve extend mode test coverage and reduce duplication
- Extracted testFileRecreationInExtendMode helper to reduce code duplication
- Added test to verify existing files are preserved in extend mode
- Ensures skipExisting behavior is properly tested
* fix: prevent false "already configured" detection for tools
Fixes#195
## Problem
Users with existing tool config files (like CLAUDE.md) would see those
tools marked as "already configured" even when running `openspec init`
for the first time. This caused confusion as users thought OpenSpec was
already set up when it wasn't.
Root causes:
1. Tool detection checked only for file existence, not OpenSpec ownership
2. Detection ran even in fresh projects without openspec/ folder
## Solution
Two-part fix:
1. **Conditional detection**: Only check tool configuration when in extend
mode (when openspec/ directory already exists). Fresh initializations
skip the check entirely, treating all tools as unconfigured.
2. **Marker-based validation**: For tools to be considered "configured by
OpenSpec", their files must contain OpenSpec markers (<!-- OPENSPEC:START -->
and <!-- OPENSPEC:END -->). For tools with both config files and slash
commands (like Claude Code), BOTH must have markers.
## Changes
- Modified getExistingToolStates() to accept extendMode parameter
- Rewrote isToolConfigured() to verify OpenSpec markers in files
- Added OPENSPEC_MARKERS to imports
- Added 4 comprehensive test cases covering the new behavior
## Test Coverage
- Fresh init with existing CLAUDE.md → NOT shown as configured ✅
- Fresh init with existing slash commands → NOT shown as configured ✅
- Extend mode with OpenSpec files → shown as configured ✅
- Fresh init with global Codex prompts → NOT shown as configured ✅
All 240 tests pass.
* refactor: optimize tool state detection and improve code clarity
Address code review feedback:
1. **Parallelize tool state checks**: Changed from sequential `for` loop to
`Promise.all()` for checking multiple tools simultaneously. This reduces
I/O latency during extend mode initialization.
2. **Extract marker validation helper**: Created `fileHasMarkers()` helper
function to eliminate code duplication between config file and slash
command checks. Makes the logic clearer and more maintainable.
3. **Clarify slash command policy**: Added explicit comment that "at least
one file with markers is sufficient" (not all required) for slash commands.
This is correct because OpenSpec creates all files together - if any
exists with markers, the tool was configured by OpenSpec.
4. **Simplify fresh init path**: Use `Object.fromEntries()` for cleaner
initialization of all-false states.
Performance improvement: Extend mode now checks tools in parallel instead
of serially, reducing init time especially for projects with many tools.
* fix: use change-id as fallback title instead of "Untitled Change"
Fixes#225 by addressing mismatch between proposal template and title extraction:
- Updated proposal template to include `# Change: [description]` header
- Changed extractTitle fallback from "Untitled Change" to change-id
- Updated all extractTitle call sites to pass changeName parameter
This ensures both new and existing proposals display meaningful titles.
* refactor: make title extraction case-insensitive for "Change:"
Makes the extractTitle regex case-insensitive to handle variations like
"# change:" or "# CHANGE:" in addition to "# Change:".
* fix: manually merge and archive four completed OpenSpec changes
Merged and archived four concurrent changes that modified the same specs:
- add-cline-support: Added Cline AI tool configuration
- add-crush-support: Added Crush AI tool configuration
- add-factory-slash-commands: Added Factory Droid slash commands
- add-archive-command-arguments: Added archive command argument support
Changes to cli-init/spec.md:
- Added Cline and CodeBuddy Code configuration scenarios
- Added slash command scenarios for CodeBuddy Code, Cline, Crush, Factory Droid
Changes to cli-update/spec.md:
- Added update scenarios for CodeBuddy Code, Cline, Crush, Factory Droid
- Added Archive Command Argument Support requirement
- Modified OpenCode scenario to support $ARGUMENTS placeholder
This required manual intervention to prevent data loss from OpenSpec's
requirement-level replacement during archiving. The archive operations
initially overwrote scenarios from earlier changes, requiring restoration
of all missing content to preserve complete spec state.
All four changes successfully archived to openspec/changes/archive/.
* Add changeset for AI assistants support and validation fixes
Merged and archived four concurrent changes that modified the same specs:
- add-cline-support: Added Cline AI tool configuration
- add-crush-support: Added Crush AI tool configuration
- add-factory-slash-commands: Added Factory Droid slash commands
- add-archive-command-arguments: Added archive command argument support
Changes to cli-init/spec.md:
- Added Cline and CodeBuddy Code configuration scenarios
- Added slash command scenarios for CodeBuddy Code, Cline, Crush, Factory Droid
Changes to cli-update/spec.md:
- Added update scenarios for CodeBuddy Code, Cline, Crush, Factory Droid
- Added Archive Command Argument Support requirement
- Modified OpenCode scenario to support $ARGUMENTS placeholder
This required manual intervention to prevent data loss from OpenSpec's
requirement-level replacement during archiving. The archive operations
initially overwrote scenarios from earlier changes, requiring restoration
of all missing content to preserve complete spec state.
All four changes successfully archived to openspec/changes/archive/.
This commit enhances the validation logic for delta specs:
- Delta section headers are now parsed case-insensitively (e.g., "Added Requirements" and "ADDED Requirements" both work)
- Empty delta sections now produce clear error messages guiding users to add requirement entries
- Specs with no delta headers at all now receive specific error messages
- Added test coverage for case-insensitive delta header parsing
Add comprehensive OpenSpec integration for Crush AI assistant including:
- CrushSlashCommandConfigurator for proposal, apply, and archive commands
- Integration with slash command registry and CLI tools
- Generates .crush/commands/openspec/ with proper frontmatter and workflows
- Available via `openspec init --tools crush`
💘 Generated with Crush
Co-authored-by: Crush <crush@charm.land>
* feat: add Auggie (Augment CLI) support to configuration and documentation
- Added Auggie (Augment CLI) to the AI tools configuration in `config.ts`.
- Updated the slash command registry to include Auggie's configurator.
- Documented Auggie's commands in the README.md for better visibility.
This enhances the integration of Auggie within the existing toolset.
* test: add tests for Auggie command file creation and updates
- Implemented tests to verify the creation of Auggie slash command files with appropriate templates.
- Added checks to ensure existing Auggie command files are refreshed correctly during updates.
- Confirmed that missing command files are not created during the update process.
These changes enhance the test coverage for Auggie's integration and ensure proper functionality of command file management.
* fix: skip metadata when validating requirement SHALL/MUST keywords
Fixes validation incorrectly checking metadata lines instead of requirement text.
The extractRequirementText() function was returning the first non-empty line
after the requirement header, which was often metadata like **ID**: REQ-001
instead of the actual requirement statement.
Changes:
- Updated extractRequirementText() to skip lines matching **Key**: Value pattern
- Skip blank lines between header and requirement text
- Return first substantive text line for SHALL/MUST validation
Added comprehensive tests for:
- Requirements with metadata before SHALL/MUST text
- Requirements with SHALL in text but not header
- Requirements correctly failing without SHALL/MUST
- Requirements without metadata fields
All 20 validation tests pass.
Fixes#159
* Respect --no-validate flag while archiving
Standardize archive command documentation to use `<change-id>` instead of `[change]` to clarify that the change ID must be explicitly passed. Remove OpenCode-specific slash command reference from AGENTS.md to keep it tool-agnostic.
* feat: add argument support to archive slash command
Add $ARGUMENTS placeholder to the /openspec:archive slash command to allow explicit change ID specification, improving safety and matching CLI behavior.
Changes:
- Add $ARGUMENTS to archive command frontmatter in OpenCode configurator
- Update archive command template with argument validation steps
- Add rewriteArchiveFile method to handle managed section updates
- Update AGENTS.md documentation for archive command usage
This change makes it possible for users to run `/openspec:archive <change-id>` instead of relying on context inference, reducing the risk of archiving the wrong change.
* refactor: improve archive slash command argument handling instructions
Update the archive slash command template to provide clearer guidance on how
to handle change IDs from arguments versus conversation context. The new
instructions better distinguish between explicit argument-provided IDs and
contextual references, and provide more explicit failure modes.
This change adds support for factory functions in slash command configuration,
allowing slash commands to be defined as functions that return command objects.
* feat: add non-interactive options to openspec init
- Add --tools, --all-tools, and --skip-tools CLI options
- Enable automated initialization for CI/CD pipelines
- Maintain backward compatibility with interactive mode
- Add comprehensive validation and error handling
- Update cli-init spec with non-interactive requirements
- Add unit and integration tests for new functionality
Closes change proposal: add-non-interactive-init-options
* feat(init): add single --tools flag for non-interactive init
* test(init): verify --tools help lists available ids
* Revert manual spec.md edits
The canonical spec shouldn't be edited directly when a change delta
already captures the update. Archiving that delta will sync the spec.
---------
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <tabishbidiwale@gmail.com>
* Version Packages
* run CI
---------
Co-authored-by: github-actions[bot] <41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <tabishbidiwale@gmail.com>
* Version Packages
* chore: trigger CI
* chore: trigger CI again
---------
Co-authored-by: github-actions[bot] <41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <tabishbidiwale@gmail.com>
Update the tool selection wizard so pressing Enter on a highlighted tool
automatically selects it before proceeding to the review step. This aligns
with common CLI expectations where Enter confirms the highlighted item.
Changes:
- Add logic to select the currently highlighted tool when Enter is pressed
- Update help text to clarify that Enter selects the highlighted tool
- Maintain Space key for toggling multiple selections
This reduces friction during onboarding by matching user expectations,
especially for users who navigate to a tool and press Enter without
first toggling it with Space.
Add changeset for patch release to fix OpenSpec not working on Windows
when Codex integration is selected. Includes cross-platform path handling
and normalization fixes.
- Use POSIX-style forward slashes in FILE_PATHS for consistent logging
- Normalize backslashes to forward slashes in update command output
- Improves Windows compatibility and log readability
Fixes#132
The FILE_PATHS constant was using hardcoded forward slashes, which caused
path.basename() to fail on Windows. On Windows, path.basename() expects
backslashes as path separators, so it would return the entire string
instead of just the filename.
This broke Codex detection on Windows during init/update because the
resolveAbsolutePath() method would construct incorrect paths, causing
file existence checks to fail.
Changed FILE_PATHS to use path.join() which automatically uses the
correct platform-specific path separators (backslashes on Windows,
forward slashes on Unix).
* Version Packages
* empty
* RUN CI
* trigger CI
---------
Co-authored-by: github-actions[bot] <41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <tabishbidiwale@gmail.com>
* feat: update Codex slash commands to use YAML frontmatter and $ARGUMENTS
Updates Codex custom slash command format to match the official Codex implementation:
- Replace simple header format with YAML frontmatter (description + argument-hint fields)
- Switch from positional $1 placeholder to $ARGUMENTS for consistency with GitHub Copilot
- Add updateFullFile method to ensure both frontmatter and body are updated during openspec update
- Align with Codex custom_prompts.rs specification
* docs: update Codex proposal to reflect YAML frontmatter and $ARGUMENTS
Updates the proposal to accurately describe the implemented format:
- YAML frontmatter with description and argument-hint fields
- $ARGUMENTS instead of positional placeholders like $1
- Alignment with GitHub Copilot pattern and official Codex specification
- Clarifies that openspec update refreshes both frontmatter and body
* test: update Codex tests for YAML frontmatter and $ARGUMENTS
Updates test assertions to match the new Codex format:
- YAML frontmatter with description and argument-hint fields
- $ARGUMENTS instead of positional $1 placeholders
- Verifies frontmatter is updated during openspec update
* feat: add GitHub Copilot slash command support
Add GitHub Copilot as a natively supported AI tool with custom slash
commands for OpenSpec workflow operations. This enables teams using
GitHub Copilot to access /openspec-proposal, /openspec-apply, and
/openspec-archive directly from Copilot's chat interface.
Implementation:
- Create GitHubCopilotSlashCommandConfigurator that writes prompts to
.github/prompts/ directory with YAML frontmatter and $ARGUMENTS
placeholder following GitHub Copilot's prompt format
- Register GitHub Copilot in AI_TOOLS configuration and slash
command registry for automatic init/update integration
- Add comprehensive test coverage for prompt generation, updates,
and extend mode detection
- Update documentation (README and CHANGELOG) to include GitHub
Copilot in the slash-command support table
The implementation follows the existing SlashCommandConfigurator
pattern and integrates seamlessly with openspec init and openspec
update commands.
* docs: remove GitHub Copilot from tools list
* Document current cli specs and archive safety
* feat: add Codex slash command support
Add support for generating and updating Codex prompts in `.codex/prompts/` directory:
- Implement CodexSlashCommandConfigurator for managing openspec-*.md prompts
- Update AI_TOOLS configuration to include Codex as an available option
- Add Codex registration in SlashCommandRegistry
- Update documentation to reflect Codex support
- Add comprehensive test coverage for Codex init and update workflows
* feat: complete Codex slash command support implementation
Add comprehensive Codex slash command support with Claude.md integration,
config-driven command management, and full test coverage. Update documentation
and changelog to reflect changes.
* chore: mark all Codex slash command tasks as completed
All tasks for the Codex slash command support feature have been implemented and tested.
* docs: remove Codex-specific note from README
Remove the Codex-specific installation note as it's no longer needed in the main setup instructions. This information is better suited for tool-specific documentation.
Added a "How OpenSpec compares (at a glance)" section to highlight key differentiators early in the README. Expanded the comparison section with a dedicated spec-kit comparison, emphasizing OpenSpec's two-folder model for managing existing features and cross-spec updates.
* fix: correct CLI version mismatch and add release guard\n\n- Add patch changeset for 0.8.1\n- Add pack-version check to validate tarball version\n- Update release script to include versioning and guard
* chore(release): simplify release script and harden pack-version-check\n\n- Run pack-version check before publish only\n- Remove redundant changeset version + explicit build in release script\n- Always cleanup temp dir and tgz\n- Quieter, faster npm install during guard
* chore(release): clarify CI vs local release scripts; refine pack guard\n\n- Add scripts: release:ci (no version), release:local (runs changeset version)\n- Workflow uses release:ci to ensure version PR bump precedes publish\n- Pack guard: document npm vs pnpm choice; improve JSON fallback handling
* docs(windsurf): propose workflow support
* restore missing opencode spec
* Add Windsurf IDE support with slash commands
* feat(windsurf): add Windsurf workflows support under .windsurf/workflows and simplify templates\n\n- Write workflows to .windsurf/workflows instead of .windsurf/commands\n- Remove YAML frontmatter; add concise intro before managed markers\n- Add init/update tests for Windsurf and marker preservation\n- List Windsurf in README native tools table\n- Normalize registry indentation
* chore(windsurf): remove optional intro content to simplify workflows\n\n- Drop intro hook and headings for Windsurf workflows\n- Keep OPENSPEC markers-only body for safe updates\n- Adjust tests to assert marker-managed content
* feat(windsurf): add required YAML frontmatter to workflows\n\n- Include description and auto_execution_mode: 3 for proposal/apply/archive\n- Keep content minimal; body remains marker-managed
---------
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <30385142+TabishB@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Tabish Bidiwale <tabishbidiwale@gmail.com>
Implements Kilo Code integration with the following features:
- Added Kilo Code as a selectable AI tool in `openspec init`
- Created KiloCodeSlashCommandConfigurator to generate workflow files
- Generates `.kilocode/workflows/openspec-{proposal,apply,archive}.md`
- Added update support to refresh existing Kilo Code workflows
- Updated README with Kilo Code integration details
- Added comprehensive test coverage for init and update commands
- Updated CHANGELOG with new feature
All tasks from the change proposal are complete.
Bump version to 0.5.0 with new features and improvements:
- E2E testing with cross-platform CI matrix
- Improved apply instructions
- Documentation improvements and cleanup
* feat: implement Phase 1 E2E testing with cross-platform CI matrix
- Add shared runCLI helper in test/helpers/run-cli.ts for spawn testing
- Create test/cli-e2e/basic.test.ts covering help, version, validate flows
- Migrate existing CLI exec tests to use runCLI helper
- Extend CI matrix to bash (Linux/macOS) and pwsh (Windows)
- Update Phase 1 tasks and proposal with implementation status
* fix: correct YAML syntax in CI workflow diagnostics command
* fix: use multiline YAML for diagnostics command
* fix ci
* fix: ci
* fix: update core validation and json converter
* chore(ci): split pr and main workflows
* refactor: simplify CI workflow with unified matrix strategy
- Consolidate test_pr and test_matrix into single test job
- Add proper shell configuration with defaults
- Add timeout protection (15 minutes)
- Simplify required-checks to single job
- Maintain cross-platform testing (bash on Linux/macOS, pwsh on Windows)
* fix: restore lean PR workflow with async main branch matrix
- PRs run only essential tests on ubuntu-latest (fast feedback)
- Main branch runs full cross-platform matrix asynchronously
- Separate required-checks for each workflow type
- Different timeouts: 10min for PR, 15min for matrix
Fixes validation errors on Windows by normalizing CRLF/CR line endings
to LF before parsing sections. Adds comprehensive test coverage for
CRLF handling in both unit and integration tests.
* feat: add CLI e2e testing improvement plan
## Summary
- Add phased approach to stabilize CLI spawn testing
- Expand cross-shell/OS matrix coverage when stable
- Optional packaging validation for CI environments
* feat: add markdown parser CRLF fix proposal and update e2e plan
- Add comprehensive proposal for fixing CRLF parsing issues on Windows
- Update CLI path references from dist/cli.js to dist/cli/index.js
- Streamline e2e testing tasks based on refined approach
* fix: correct spec delta to add parsing requirement instead of modifying remediation
- Change from MODIFIED to ADDED Requirements for cross-platform line ending parsing
- Create focused requirement for parser behavior rather than validation messages
- Maintain logical coherence between requirement and scenario
The diff command added unnecessary complexity and duplicated functionality
already available through the show command. Users can now use:
- `openspec show <change>` for structured change viewing
- `openspec show <change> --json --deltas-only` for delta-only views
- Standard git diff or other tools for file comparisons
This change:
- Removes ~227 lines of code and the jest-diff dependency
- Simplifies the CLI interface
- Reduces maintenance burden
- Aligns with verb-first command structure
- Restructured README.md with three-stage workflow front-loaded
- Reduced from 575 to 298 lines while adding comprehensive content
- Added clear decision trees and removed ambiguous conditions
- Documented all CLI commands with examples and debugging tips
- Added critical scenario formatting guidance (most common error)
- Created troubleshooting section with error solutions
- Updated CLAUDE.md template with streamlined, focused content
- Added "Before Any Task" checklist for context gathering
- Added spec discovery workflow to prevent duplicates
- Included tool selection matrix and best practices
- Document all 9 primary OpenSpec commands with examples
- Add openspec list and list --specs prominently
- Add "Before Creating Specs" rule to check existing specs first
- Document all CLI flags (--json, --type, --skip-specs, etc.)
- Update tasks to include 9 CLI documentation items
- Add spec discovery workflow to prevent duplicate capabilities
This ensures AI agents have complete CLI knowledge and avoid spec fragmentation
- Add decision clarity improvements (decision trees, remove ambiguity)
- Include agent-specific sections (tool selection, error recovery, context management)
- Restructure with clear information hierarchy
- Add comprehensive implementation tasks (6 sections, 26 tasks)
- Update design with industry best practices rationale
Based on analysis of Claude Code, Cursor, and other coding agent patterns
- Documentation updates are tooling/infrastructure changes
- No specs needed for OpenSpec's own instructions
- Will use --skip-specs flag when archiving
- Replace any types with proper Change and Delta types from schemas
- Add error logging in catch blocks when DEBUG env var is set
- Include file paths in error messages for better debugging
- Extract regex patterns and magic strings as constants
- Improve code maintainability and type safety
- Add new `openspec change` command with three subcommands
- Implement JSON output capability for change proposals
- Add deprecation warning to legacy `openspec list` command
- Enable --requirements-only filtering for change show
- Support --strict mode and --json flags for validation
This provides programmatic access to change proposals through JSON output
and establishes a consistent resource-based command structure.
Implements new `openspec spec` command with three subcommands:
- `spec show`: Display specs with JSON output and filtering options
- `spec list`: List all available specifications
- `spec validate`: Validate spec structure with detailed reporting
Key features:
- JSON output for CI/CD integration (--json flag)
- Content filtering (--requirements, --no-scenarios, -r)
- Strict validation mode (--strict)
- Support for both Overview/Purpose and Requirements/Behavior sections
This enables programmatic access to OpenSpec specifications for external
tools and automated pipelines as specified in the add-spec-commands change.
- Use word boundaries in delta operation detection to avoid false matches
- Standardize name extraction to use directory name after specs/changes
- Combine archive validation warning into single prompt for better UX
- Add change.md validation to archive command before archiving
- Replace structured {given, when, then} with {rawText} field
- Remove complex Given/When/Then parsing logic
- Preserve original formatting and whitespace
- Update all tests to use rawText field
- Remove unnecessary validation checks
This change reduces complexity while preserving all content exactly
as written, making the system more maintainable and flexible.
- Extract magic numbers to named constants in validation/constants.ts
- Update task 3.2 to reflect actual implementation (constants.ts)
- Add comprehensive documentation for validation system
- Add migration guide for future command integration
- Update CLI help text for diff command
- Add Zod schemas for specs, changes, requirements, and scenarios
- Implement markdown parser for extracting structured data
- Create validation infrastructure with error/warning/info levels
- Enhance archive command with pre-archive validation
- Add --no-validate flag with confirmation prompt for emergencies
- Enhance diff command with non-blocking validation warnings
- Add JSON converters for spec and change formats
- Add comprehensive test coverage for all validation components
The --deltas flag was ambiguous. Since it shows only the requirement
changes (ADDED/MODIFIED/REMOVED/RENAMED sections), rename it to
--requirements-only to be explicit about what it displays.
Add three OpenSpec change proposals for enhancing the CLI:
- add-spec-commands: Resource-based spec commands with JSON output
- add-change-commands: Resource-based change commands with JSON output
- add-zod-validation: Runtime validation with detailed error reporting
These proposals enable programmatic access to specs and changes,
improving integration with CI/CD pipelines and external tooling.
- Update openspec-conventions spec with delta-based approach
- Add Header-Based Requirement Identification for programmatic matching
- Define ADDED/MODIFIED/REMOVED/RENAMED sections format
- Document standard output symbols (+ ~ - →)
- Update openspec/README.md with delta conventions and examples
- Update init command template to use delta format
- Mark completed tasks in adopt-delta-based-changes/tasks.md
This implements the first part of the delta-based changes proposal,
updating all documentation and conventions to support the new format.
- Added back tasks to update the actual specs (not just proposals)
- Included validation implementation tasks
- Kept implementation-focused structure
- Clarified that specs in changes folder are proposals, not current truth
- CLI specs now reference openspec-conventions for shared concepts
- Added standard output symbols definition to conventions
- Simplified tasks.md to focus on implementation only
- Fixed terminology to consistently use 'normalized header'
- Condense 'What Changes' section to core concepts only
- Simplify Impact section to essentials
- Make Conflict Resolution one concise paragraph
- Remove inline comment from example
- Focus on the key benefit: readable GitHub diffs
- Remove phased migration timeline (project not in use yet)
- Remove deprecation notices from CLI commands
- Keep simple backward compatibility for both formats
- Replace full future state storage with delta-based approach
- Store only ADDED, MODIFIED, RENAMED, and REMOVED requirements
- Use headers as unique identifiers for programmatic matching
- Enable cleaner GitHub reviews showing only actual changes
- Add comprehensive examples and implementation tasks
- Added try-catch error handling for configurator failures
- Improved console output to be more specific about what was updated
- Added TODO comment for future multi-configurator test enhancement
- Added test for error handling when configurator fails
- Console now shows 'Updated OpenSpec instructions (README.md)' for clarity
The update command now only updates existing AI tool configuration
files instead of forcing CLAUDE.md creation. This allows team members
to use different AI tools without conflicts.
- Modified update.ts to check for existing files before updating
- Added comprehensive tests for the new behavior
- Updated spec and documentation to reflect team-friendly approach
- Created project README documenting the behavior
- Add --skip-specs flag to archive command to skip spec update operations
- Fix confirmation behavior: declining spec updates now continues with archiving instead of cancelling
- Add comprehensive tests for new functionality
- Update task documentation to reflect completed implementation
The update command now only updates existing AI tool configuration
files instead of forcing CLAUDE.md creation. This allows team members
to use different AI tools without conflicts.
Add change proposal to enable skipping spec updates during archive operation.
This allows archiving changes that don't modify specs (tooling, docs, etc.)
and fixes the confirmation behavior to continue archiving even when users
decline spec updates.
- Add Specification Format section to openspec-conventions with:
- Requirement headers for consistent structure
- Scenario headers with bold WHEN/THEN/AND keywords
- Format flexibility for different content types
- Update all CLI command specs to use structured format:
- cli-init: Convert all behavioral sections
- cli-list: Apply structured format throughout
- cli-update: Restructure requirements and edge cases
- cli-diff: Update all behavior sections
- cli-archive: Convert complex behaviors to scenarios
- Update openspec-conventions spec itself to follow its own format
- Mark all tasks as completed
- Remove migration.md as project has no existing users to migrate
- Remove Migration Support section from tasks.md
- Structured format only applies to behavioral specs, not convention definitions
- Merge format rules into openspec-conventions instead of separate spec
- Add Format Flexibility requirement for non-behavioral content
- Address review feedback on gradual migration and alternative formats
- Replace readline with @inquirer/prompts for all user interactions
- Add arrow key navigation for change selection (consistent with diff command)
- Use confirm() for yes/no prompts with better UX
- Remove manual readline interface management (no longer needed)
- Update tests to mock @inquirer/prompts instead of readline
- Add new test cases for interactive mode behavior
This change provides a consistent user experience across all OpenSpec commands,
where users can navigate options with arrow keys rather than typing numbers.
Adds a new `openspec archive` command that moves completed changes to an archive
directory with date-based naming. The command includes:
- Interactive change selection when no name provided
- Incomplete task warnings before archiving
- Automatic spec updates to main specs directory
- Confirmation prompts (skippable with --yes flag)
- Duplicate archive prevention
Also fixes TypeScript compilation errors in diff.ts and init.ts.
The archive command was missing critical functionality to update main specs
from the change's future state specs when archiving. This fix adds:
- Spec update process that copies future state specs to main specs directory
- Confirmation prompt showing which specs will be created vs updated
- --yes flag for automation scenarios to skip confirmations
- Safety by default with clear visibility into spec changes
- Define @requirement marker syntax for identifying requirements in specs
- Each marker includes a kebab-case identifier before WHEN/THEN blocks
- Document convention in openspec-conventions spec
- Enables reliable extraction without brittle regex parsing
This directory is managed by [Changesets](https://github.com/changesets/changesets).
## Quick Start
```bash
pnpm changeset
```
Follow the prompts to select version bump type and describe your changes.
## Workflow
1.**Choose the release path**: Maintainers decide whether a PR follows the normal release cadence or gets dedicated release tracking.
2.**Add dedicated release tracking**: When a maintainer asks for a changeset, run `pnpm changeset` locally before or after your PR.
3.**Version PR**: CI opens/updates a "Version Packages" PR when changesets merge to main.
4.**Release**: Merging the Version PR triggers npm publish and GitHub Release.
> **Note:** The default path is the normal release cadence. Add a changeset when a maintainer or release owner wants dedicated release notes and version tracking for the PR. Versioning (`changeset version`) and publishing happen automatically in CI.
## Template
Use this structure for your changeset content:
```markdown
---
"@fission-ai/openspec": patch
---
### New Features
- **Feature name** — What users can now do
### Bug Fixes
- Fixed issue where X happened when Y
### Breaking Changes
-`oldMethod()` has been removed, use `newMethod()` instead
### Deprecations
-`legacyOption` is deprecated and will be removed in v2.0
### Other
- Internal refactoring of X for better performance
```
Include only the sections relevant to your change.
## Version Bump Guide
| Type | When to use | Example |
|------|-------------|---------|
| `patch` | Release-tracked bug fixes, small improvements | Fixed crash when config missing |
| `minor` | New features, non-breaking additions | Added `--verbose` flag |
| `major` | Breaking changes, removed features | Renamed `init` to `setup` |
## When to Create a Changeset
**Use dedicated release tracking for:**
- New features or commands selected for release
- Notable bug fixes or hotfixes requested by a maintainer/release owner
- Breaking changes or deprecations
- Performance improvements users would notice and that are planned for release
**Use the normal release cadence for:**
- Routine bug fixes that fit the normal release cadence
- Documentation-only changes
- Test additions/fixes
- Internal refactoring that preserves user behavior
- CI/tooling changes
## Writing Good Descriptions
**Do:** Write for users, not developers
```markdown
- **Shell completions** — Tab completion now available for Bash, Fish, and PowerShell
```
**Don't:** Write implementation details
```markdown
- Added ShellCompletionGenerator class with Bash/Fish/PowerShell subclasses
```
**Do:** Explain the impact
```markdown
- Fixed config loading to respect `XDG_CONFIG_HOME` on Linux
- **Auto-approve the OpenSpec CLI in generated skills and commands** — every generated `SKILL.md` (all tools) and every Claude Code `/opsx:*` slash command now carries `allowed-tools: Bash(openspec:*)` in its frontmatter, so agents that honor the Agent Skills standard run `openspec` commands without prompting for approval on each call; tools that don't recognize the field ignore it. Scope is limited to the `openspec` CLI; because `allowed-tools` pre-approves rather than restricts, every other tool a skill or command uses stays available under your normal permission settings.
- **`archive` exits non-zero when blocked in human mode** — `openspec archive <change> -y` (and any non-`--json` invocation) no longer returns exit code 0 when validation fails and nothing is archived. The three blocking paths in human mode — delta-spec validation failure, spec rebuild failure, and rebuilt-spec validation failure — now set `process.exitCode = 1`, matching the existing `--json` behavior. Previously the command printed "Validation failed" (or "Aborted. No files were changed.") and exited 0, letting scripts and CI believe the archive succeeded. Aligns `archive` with the same exit-code guarantee already approved for `apply` instructions (#1250).
- **`validate` resolves changes like `status`** — `openspec validate <change>` (and `--all`/`--changes` and the interactive selector) now resolves a change by directory existence, matching `status`/`instructions`, instead of requiring `proposal.md`. A scaffolded or still-authoring change is validated rather than reported as `Unknown item`, and a resolved-but-invalid change now exits non-zero. Delta discovery also recurses the nested `specs/<area>/<capability>/spec.md` layout. (#1182)
- **Task progress reads nested/glob `tasks.md`** — `openspec view`, `list`, and the `archive` incomplete-task gate now resolve task progress through the tracked-tasks artifact's `generates` glob (the same file-resolution `status` uses), so a change whose tasks live in nested `tasks.md` files is classified correctly and can no longer archive while unfinished. (#1202)
- **SHALL/MUST body-keyword hint applies to main specs** — A main-spec requirement whose normative keyword sits only in the `### Requirement:` header now receives the same targeted "move it to the body line" remediation as a change delta, emitted exactly once. (#1156)
- **Requirement reading fidelity** — The requirement reader used by `validate <change>`, `validate <spec>`, and `archive` is now unified into one fence-, metadata-, and multi-line-aware extraction, closing the known divergences between the change-delta path and the main-spec path (the remaining ones are documented in the change's design doc):
- A `SHALL`/`MUST` keyword that wraps onto a later body line is detected instead of dropped (#361).
- Metadata lines (`**ID**:`, `**Priority**:`) before the description are skipped on the spec path, matching the change path (#418). A requirement written entirely as metadata (e.g. `**Constraint**: The system MUST ...`) keeps that line as its text instead of being emptied.
- A fenced code block before the prose line no longer becomes the requirement text (#312).
- A `#### Scenario:` inside a fenced example no longer counts as a real scenario in `validate <change>`, matching `validate <spec>`.
-`SHALL`/`MUST` detection uses one whole-word predicate across all readers, and a requirement with no body text falls back to its header title on both paths.
Displayed requirement text (e.g. in JSON output and delta descriptions) now reflects the full requirement body rather than only its first line. Archived spec content is unchanged — the archive rebuild reads raw `### Requirement:` blocks, not the parsed text.
- **Surface non-canonical delta headers** — `validate <change>` now emits an INFO note when an `## ADDED`/`## MODIFIED Requirements` section contains a level-3 header that is not a canonical `### Requirement:` header (one the delta reader silently skips, such as a stray `### Documentation Requirements` divider). The note never changes the `valid` result, including under `--strict` (#498).
- [#1267](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/1267) [`96f6cac`](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/commit/96f6cacb206c65bee30066f6a1f4e9b855a0d783) Thanks [@TabishB](https://github.com/TabishB)! - ### New Features
- **Stores (very early beta)** — Introduces stores as a simpler way to organize specs and changes, replacing the workspace and initiative model. This feature is in very early beta — expect rough edges and breaking changes in upcoming releases.
### Bug Fixes
- **Config parsing** — Configuration values wrapped in JSON containers are now parsed correctly.
`escapeYamlValue` flagged `\r` as a character requiring quoting but never escaped it, leaving a literal carriage return inside the double-quoted scalar where YAML line folding/normalization could silently corrupt the value (realistic with CRLF-authored command descriptions). Carriage returns are now escaped as `\r`. The helper — previously duplicated verbatim across five adapters (bob, claude, cursor, pi, windsurf) — is extracted into a shared `command-generation/yaml.ts` module so the behavior stays consistent and is fixed in one place.
## 1.4.1
### Patch Changes
- [#1165](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/1165) [`0a01146`](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/commit/0a01146c181a3af8dbf645547bcbe20c0d48d615) Thanks [@TabishB](https://github.com/TabishB)! - Move beta workspace view state to `.openspec-workspace/view.yaml`, stop top-level `openspec update` from routing into workspace updates, and ignore foreign root `workspace.yaml` files so Dagster projects keep updating normally.
## 1.4.0
### Minor Changes
- [#1003](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/1003) [`342ed43`](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/commit/342ed43e694abba65a3ea275f94ba3b77df85da3) Thanks [@Miss-you](https://github.com/Miss-you)! - ### New Features
- **Kimi CLI support** — OpenSpec can now initialize Kimi CLI as a supported skills-only tool using `.kimi/skills/`
### Other
- Added Kimi-specific docs and init coverage aligned with skill-based `/skill:openspec-*` usage
- [#1154](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/1154) [`aa16080`](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/commit/aa16080d16b70f7b26cebd465334b2e16c0e7a43) Thanks [@TabishB](https://github.com/TabishB)! - ### New Features
- **Mistral Vibe support** — OpenSpec can now initialize Mistral Vibe as a supported skills-only tool using `.vibe/skills/`
### Bug Fixes
- **Case-insensitive requirement headers** — Requirement headers are now parsed regardless of capitalization, so specs no longer fail to parse over header casing
- **Zsh completions on oh-my-zsh** — Fixed shell completion setup so tab completion installs correctly under oh-my-zsh's `compinit`
### Other
- **Clearer validation hints** — When a requirement has SHALL/MUST only in its header, `openspec validate` now points you to move the keyword onto the requirement body line instead of showing the generic error
- [#1030](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/1030) [`485c97e`](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/commit/485c97e97d766e35dd16c02370baee2044abc4f4) Thanks [@TabishB](https://github.com/TabishB)! - ### New Features
- Include the sync workflow in the default core profile so new installs generate `/opsx:sync` skills and commands by default.
- **Canonical artifact paths** — Workflow artifact paths are now resolved via the native `realpath`, so symlinks and case-insensitive filesystems no longer cause path mismatches during apply and archive.
- **Glob apply instructions** — Apply instructions with glob artifact outputs now resolve correctly, and literal artifact outputs are enforced to be file paths.
- **Hidden main spec requirements** — Requirements nested inside fenced code blocks or otherwise hidden in main specs are now detected during validation.
- **Clean `--json` output** — Spinner progress text no longer leaks into stderr when `--json` is passed, so AI agents that combine stdout and stderr can parse the JSON reliably.
- **Silent telemetry in firewalled environments** — PostHog network errors are now swallowed with a 1s timeout and retries/remote config disabled, so OpenSpec no longer surfaces `PostHogFetchNetworkError` in locked-down networks. Telemetry opt-out is documented earlier in the README, installation guide, and CLI reference.
## 1.3.0
### Minor Changes
- [#952](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/952) [`cce787e`](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/commit/cce787ec4083da2b27781f6786f5ce0002909a7b) Thanks [@TabishB](https://github.com/TabishB)! - ### New Features
- **Junie support** — Added tool and command generation for JetBrains Junie
- **Lingma IDE support** — Added configuration support for Lingma IDE
- **ForgeCode support** — Added tool support for ForgeCode
- **IBM Bob support** — Added support for IBM Bob coding assistant
### Bug Fixes
- **Shell completions opt-in** — Completion install is now opt-in, fixing PowerShell encoding corruption
- **Copilot auto-detection** — Prevented false GitHub Copilot detection from a bare `.github/` directory
- [#760](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/760) [`61eb999`](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/commit/61eb999f7c6c0fc98d2e7f3678756fce6a3f4378) Thanks [@fsilvaortiz](https://github.com/fsilvaortiz)! - fix: OpenCode adapter now uses `.opencode/commands/` (plural) to match OpenCode's official directory convention. Fixes #748.
- [#759](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/759) [`afdca0d`](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/commit/afdca0d5dab1aa109cfd8848b2512333ccad60c3) Thanks [@fsilvaortiz](https://github.com/fsilvaortiz)! - fix: `openspec status` now exits gracefully when no changes exist instead of throwing a fatal error. Fixes #714.
## 1.2.0
### Minor Changes
- [#747](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/747) [`1e94443`](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/commit/1e94443a3551b228eecbc89e95d96d3b9600a192) Thanks [@TabishB](https://github.com/TabishB)! - ### New Features
- **Profile system** — Choose between `core` (4 essential workflows) and `custom` (pick any subset) profiles to control which skills get installed. Manage profiles with the new `openspec config profile` command
- **Propose workflow** — New one-step workflow creates a complete change proposal with design, specs, and tasks from a single request — no need to run `new` then `ff` separately
- **AI tool auto-detection** — `openspec init` now scans your project for existing tool directories (`.claude/`, `.cursor/`, etc.) and pre-selects detected tools
- **Pi (pi.dev) support** — Pi coding agent is now a supported tool with prompt and skill generation
- **Kiro support** — AWS Kiro IDE is now a supported tool with prompt and skill generation
- **Sync prunes deselected workflows** — `openspec update` now removes command files and skill directories for workflows you've deselected, keeping your project clean
- **Config drift warning** — `openspec config list` warns when global config is out of sync with the current project
### Bug Fixes
- Fixed onboard preflight giving a false "not initialized" error on freshly initialized projects
- Fixed archive workflow stopping mid-way when syncing — it now properly resumes after sync completes
- Added Windows PowerShell alternatives for onboard shell commands
- **OpenCode command references** — Command references in generated files now use the correct `/opsx-` hyphen format instead of `/opsx:` colon format, ensuring commands work properly in OpenCode
- **Codex global path support** — Codex adapter now resolves global paths correctly, fixing workflow file generation when run outside the project directory (#622)
- **Archive operations on cross-device or restricted paths** — Archive now falls back to copy+remove when rename fails with EPERM or EXDEV errors, fixing failures on networked/external drives (#605)
- **Slash command hints in workflow messages** — Workflow completion messages now display helpful slash command hints for next steps (#603)
- **Windsurf workflow file path** — Updated Windsurf adapter to use the correct `workflows` directory instead of the legacy `commands` path (#610)
- Fixed incorrect archive path in onboarding documentation — the template now shows the correct path `openspec/changes/archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<name>/` instead of the incorrect `openspec/archive/YYYY-MM-DD--<name>/`
The workflow has been rebuilt from the ground up. OPSX replaces the old phase-locked `/openspec:*` commands with an action-based system where AI understands what artifacts exist, what's ready to create, and what each action unlocks.
### Breaking Changes
- **Old commands removed** — `/openspec:proposal`, `/openspec:apply`, and `/openspec:archive` no longer exist
- **Config files removed** — Tool-specific instruction files (`CLAUDE.md`, `.cursorrules`, `AGENTS.md`, `project.md`) are no longer generated
- **Migration** — Run `openspec init` to upgrade. Legacy artifacts are detected and cleaned up with confirmation.
### From Static Prompts to Dynamic Instructions
**Before:** AI received the same static instructions every time, regardless of project state.
**Now:** Instructions are dynamically assembled from three layers:
1.**Context** — Project background from `config.yaml` (tech stack, conventions)
2.**Rules** — Artifact-specific constraints (e.g., "propose spike tasks for unknowns")
3.**Template** — The actual structure for the output file
AI queries the CLI for real-time state: which artifacts exist, what's ready to create, what dependencies are satisfied, and what each action unlocks.
### From Phase-Locked to Action-Based
**Before:** Linear workflow — proposal → apply → archive. Couldn't easily go back or iterate.
**Now:** Flexible actions on a change. Edit any artifact anytime. The artifact graph tracks state automatically.
Archive parses these at the requirement level, not brittle header matching.
### From Scattered Files to Agent Skills
**Before:** 8+ config files at project root + slash commands scattered across 21 tool-specific locations with different formats.
**Now:** Single `.claude/skills/` directory with YAML-fronted markdown files. Auto-detected by Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf. Cross-editor compatible.
### New Features
- **Onboarding skill** — `/opsx:onboard` walks new users through their first complete change with codebase-aware task suggestions and step-by-step narration (11 phases, ~15 minutes)
- **21 AI tools supported** — Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Continue, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot, Amazon Q, Cline, RooCode, Kilo Code, Auggie, CodeBuddy, Qoder, Qwen, CoStrict, Crush, Factory, OpenCode, Antigravity, iFlow, and Codex
- **Interactive setup** — `openspec init` shows animated welcome screen and searchable multi-select for choosing tools. Pre-selects already-configured tools for easy refresh.
- **Customizable schemas** — Define custom artifact workflows in `openspec/schemas/` without touching package code. Teams can share workflows via version control.
### Bug Fixes
- Fixed Claude Code YAML parsing failure when command names contained colons
- Fixed task file parsing to handle trailing whitespace on checkbox lines
- Fixed JSON instruction output to separate context/rules from template — AI was copying constraint blocks into artifact files
### Documentation
- New getting-started guide, CLI reference, concepts documentation
- Removed misleading "edit mid-flight and continue" claims that weren't implemented
- Added migration guide for upgrading from pre-OPSX versions
## 0.23.0
### Minor Changes
- [#540](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/540) [`c4cfdc7`](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/commit/c4cfdc7c499daef30d8a218f5f59b8d9e5adb754) Thanks [@TabishB](https://github.com/TabishB)! - ### New Features
- **Bulk archive skill** — Archive multiple completed changes in a single operation with `/opsx:bulk-archive`. Includes batch validation, spec conflict detection, and consolidated confirmation
### Other
- **Simplified setup** — Config creation now uses sensible defaults with helpful comments instead of interactive prompts
- **Project-level configuration** — Configure OpenSpec behavior per-project via `openspec/config.yaml`, including custom rules injection, context files, and schema resolution settings
- **Project-local schemas** — Define custom artifact schemas within your project's `openspec/schemas/` directory for project-specific workflows
- **Schema management commands** — New `openspec schema` commands (`list`, `show`, `export`, `validate`) for inspecting and managing artifact schemas (experimental)
**Bug Fixes**
- Fixed config loading to handle null `rules` field in project configuration
## 0.21.0
### Minor Changes
- [#516](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/516) [`b5a8847`](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/commit/b5a884748be6156a7bb140b4941cfec4f20a9fc8) Thanks [@TabishB](https://github.com/TabishB)! - Add feedback command and Nix flake support
**New Features**
- **Feedback command** — Submit feedback directly from the CLI with `openspec feedback`, which creates GitHub Issues with automatic metadata inclusion and graceful fallback for manual submission
- **Nix flake support** — Install and develop openspec using Nix with the new `flake.nix`, including automated flake maintenance and CI validation
**Bug Fixes**
- **Explore mode guardrails** — Explore mode now explicitly prevents implementation, keeping the focus on thinking and discovery while still allowing artifact creation
**Other**
- Improved change inference in `opsx apply` — automatically detects the target change from conversation context or prompts when ambiguous
- [#502](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/502) [`9db74aa`](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/commit/9db74aa5ac6547efadaed795217cfa17444f2004) Thanks [@TabishB](https://github.com/TabishB)! - Add `/opsx:verify` command and fix vitest process storms
**New Features**
- **`/opsx:verify` command** — Validate that change implementations match their specifications
**Bug Fixes**
- Fixed vitest process storms by capping worker parallelism
- Fixed agent workflows to use non-interactive mode for validation commands
- Fixed PowerShell completions generator to remove trailing commas
## 0.19.0
### Minor Changes
- eb152eb: Add Continue IDE support, shell completions, and `/opsx:explore` command
**New Features**
- **Continue IDE support** – OpenSpec now generates slash commands for [Continue](https://continue.dev/), expanding editor integration options alongside Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Code, and others
- **Shell completions for Bash, Fish, and PowerShell** – Run `openspec completion install` to set up tab completion in your preferred shell
- **`/opsx:explore` command** – A new thinking partner mode for exploring ideas and investigating problems before committing to changes
- **Codebuddy slash command improvements** – Updated frontmatter format for better compatibility
**Bug Fixes**
- Shell completions now correctly offer parent-level flags (like `--help`) when a command has subcommands
- Fixed Windows compatibility issues in tests
**Other**
- Added optional anonymous usage statistics to help understand how OpenSpec is used. This is **opt-out** by default – set `OPENSPEC_TELEMETRY=0` or `DO_NOT_TRACK=1` to disable. Only command names and version are collected; no arguments, file paths, or content. Automatically disabled in CI environments.
## 0.18.0
### Minor Changes
- 8dfd824: Add OPSX experimental workflow commands and enhanced artifact system
**New Commands:**
-`/opsx:ff` - Fast-forward through artifact creation, generating all needed artifacts in one go
-`/opsx:sync` - Sync delta specs from a change to main specs
-`/opsx:archive` - Archive completed changes with smart sync check
**Artifact Workflow Enhancements:**
- Schema-aware apply instructions with inline guidance and XML output
- Agent schema selection for experimental artifact workflow
- Per-change schema metadata via `.openspec.yaml` files
- Agent Skills for experimental artifact workflow
- Instruction loader for template loading and change context
- Restructured schemas as directories with templates
**Improvements:**
- Enhanced list command with last modified timestamps and sorting
- Change creation utilities for better workflow support
**Fixes:**
- Normalize paths for cross-platform glob compatibility
- Allow REMOVED requirements when creating new spec files
## 0.17.2
### Patch Changes
- 455c65f: Fix `--no-interactive` flag in validate command to properly disable spinner, preventing hangs in pre-commit hooks and CI environments
## 0.17.1
### Patch Changes
- a2757e7: Fix pre-commit hook hang issue in config command by using dynamic import for @inquirer/prompts
The config command was causing pre-commit hooks to hang indefinitely due to stdin event listeners being registered at module load time. This fix converts the static import to a dynamic import that only loads inquirer when the `config reset` command is actually used interactively.
Also adds ESLint with a rule to prevent static @inquirer imports, avoiding future regressions.
## 0.17.0
### Minor Changes
- 2e71835: Add `openspec config` command and Oh-my-zsh completions
**New Features**
- Add `openspec config` command for managing global configuration settings
- Implement global config directory with XDG Base Directory specification support
- Add Oh-my-zsh shell completions support for enhanced CLI experience
**Bug Fixes**
- Fix hang in pre-commit hooks by using dynamic imports
- Respect XDG_CONFIG_HOME environment variable on all platforms
- Resolve Windows compatibility issues in zsh-installer tests
- Align cli-completion spec with implementation
- Remove hardcoded agent field from slash commands
**Documentation**
- Alphabetize AI tools list in README and make it collapsible
## 0.16.0
### Minor Changes
- c08fbc1: Add new AI tool integrations and enhancements:
- **feat(iflow-cli)**: Add iFlow-cli integration with slash command support and documentation
- **feat(init)**: Add IDE restart instruction after init to inform users about slash command availability
**feat(antigravity)**: Add Antigravity slash command support
- **fix**: Generate TOML commands for Qwen Code (fixes #293)
- Clarify scaffold proposal documentation and enhance proposal guidelines
- Update proposal guidelines to emphasize design-first approach before implementation
## Unreleased
### Minor Changes
- Add Continue slash command support so `openspec init` can generate `.continue/prompts/openspec-*.prompt` files with MARKDOWN frontmatter and `$ARGUMENTS` placeholder, and refresh them on `openspec update`.
- Add Antigravity slash command support so `openspec init` can generate `.agent/workflows/openspec-*.md` files with description-only frontmatter and `openspec update` refreshes existing workflows alongside Windsurf.
## 0.15.0
### Minor Changes
- 4758c5c: Add support for new AI tools with native slash command integration
- **Gemini CLI**: Add native TOML-based slash command support for Gemini CLI with `.gemini/commands/openspec/` integration
- **RooCode**: Add RooCode integration with configurator, slash commands, and templates
- **Cline**: Fix Cline to use workflows instead of rules for slash commands (`.clinerules/workflows/` paths)
- **Documentation**: Update documentation to reflect new integrations and workflow changes
## 0.14.0
### Minor Changes
- 8386b91: Add support for new AI assistants and configuration improvements
- feat: add Qwen Code support with slash command integration
- feat: add $ARGUMENTS support to apply slash command for dynamic variable passing
- feat: add Qoder CLI support to configuration and documentation
- feat: add CoStrict AI assistant support
- fix: recreate missing openspec template files in extend mode
- fix: prevent false 'already configured' detection for tools
- fix: use change-id as fallback title instead of "Untitled Change"
- docs: add guidance for populating project-level context
- docs: add Crush to supported AI tools in README
## 0.13.0
### Minor Changes
- 668a125: Add support for multiple AI assistants and improve validation
This release adds support for several new AI coding assistants:
- CodeBuddy Code - AI-powered coding assistant
- CodeRabbit - AI code review assistant
- Cline - Claude-powered CLI assistant
- Crush AI - AI assistant platform
- Auggie (Augment CLI) - Code augmentation tool
New features:
- Archive slash command now supports arguments for more flexible workflows
Bug fixes:
- Delta spec validation now handles case-insensitive headers and properly detects empty sections
- Archive validation now correctly honors --no-validate flag and ignores metadata
Documentation improvements:
- Added VS Code dev container configuration for easier development setup
- Updated AGENTS.md with explicit change-id notation
- Enhanced slash commands documentation with restart notes
## 0.12.0
### Minor Changes
- 082abb4: Add factory function support for slash commands and non-interactive init options
This release includes two new features:
- **Factory function support for slash commands**: Slash commands can now be defined as functions that return command objects, enabling dynamic command configuration
- **Non-interactive init options**: Added `--tools`, `--all-tools`, and `--skip-tools` CLI flags to `openspec init` for automated initialization in CI/CD pipelines while maintaining backward compatibility with interactive mode
## 0.11.0
### Minor Changes
- 312e1d6: Add Amazon Q Developer CLI integration. OpenSpec now supports Amazon Q Developer with automatic prompt generation in `.amazonq/prompts/` directory, allowing you to use OpenSpec slash commands with Amazon Q's @-syntax.
## 0.10.0
### Minor Changes
- d7e0ce8: Improve init wizard Enter key behavior to allow proceeding through prompts more naturally
## 0.9.2
### Patch Changes
- 2ae0484: Fix cross-platform path handling issues. This release includes fixes for joinPath behavior and slash command path resolution to ensure OpenSpec works correctly across all platforms.
## 0.9.1
### Patch Changes
- 8210970: Fix OpenSpec not working on Windows when Codex integration is selected. This release includes fixes for cross-platform path handling and normalization to ensure OpenSpec works correctly on Windows systems.
## 0.9.0
### Minor Changes
- efbbf3b: Add support for Codex and GitHub Copilot slash commands with YAML frontmatter and $ARGUMENTS
## Unreleased
### Minor Changes
- Add GitHub Copilot slash command support. OpenSpec now writes prompts to `.github/prompts/openspec-{proposal,apply,archive}.prompt.md` with YAML frontmatter and `$ARGUMENTS` placeholder, and refreshes them on `openspec update`.
## 0.8.1
### Patch Changes
- d070d08: Fix CLI version mismatch and add a release guard that validates the packed tarball prints the same version as package.json via `openspec --version`.
## 0.8.0
### Minor Changes
- c29b06d: Add Windsurf support.
- Add Codex slash command support. OpenSpec now writes prompts directly to Codex's global directory (`~/.codex/prompts` or `$CODEX_HOME/prompts`) and refreshes them on `openspec update`.
## 0.7.0
### Minor Changes
- Add native Kilo Code workflow integration so `openspec init` and `openspec update` manage `.kilocode/workflows/openspec-*.md` files.
- Always scaffold the managed root `AGENTS.md` hand-off stub and regroup the AI tool prompts during init/update to keep instructions consistent.
## 0.6.0
### Minor Changes
- Slim the generated root agent instructions down to a managed hand-off stub and update the init/update flows to refresh it safely.
## 0.5.0
### Minor Changes
- feat: implement Phase 1 E2E testing with cross-platform CI matrix
- Add shared runCLI helper in test/helpers/run-cli.ts for spawn testing
> **New workflow now available!** We've rebuilt OpenSpec with a new artifact-guided workflow.
>
> Run `/opsx:propose "your idea"` to get started. → [Learn more here](docs/opsx.md)
<p align="center">
Follow <a href="https://x.com/0xTab">@0xTab on X</a> for updates · Join the <a href="https://discord.gg/YctCnvvshC">OpenSpec Discord</a> for help and questions.
Solo, OpenSpec keeps you and your AI honest on a single repo. On a team, the hard part moves: a feature spans the API server, the web app, and a shared library; requirements are owned by one team and consumed by others; planning starts before any code exists.
**[Stores](docs/stores-beta/user-guide.md)** are the answer — planning in a repo of its own. The same `openspec/` shape you already know (specs and changes), shared by `git push` like anything else. One source of truth your whole team and every coding agent can read, across every repo.
- **Cross-repo features** — one change, one plan, even when the code lands in three repos.
- **Shared requirements** — a platform team owns the specs; product teams reference them read-only, right where their coding agent can read them. No drifting wiki.
- **Plan before code** — capture the plan in the store now; the code repos catch up later.
> Stores are in **beta**. Start with the [Stores User Guide](docs/stores-beta/user-guide.md).
## Quick Start
**Requires Node.js 20.19.0 or higher.**
Install OpenSpec globally:
```bash
npm install -g @fission-ai/openspec@latest
```
Then navigate to your project directory and initialize:
```bash
cd your-project
openspec init
```
Now talk to your AI:
- **Not sure what to build yet?** Start with `/opsx:explore`, a no-stakes thinking partner that reads your code, weighs options, and shapes a plan before anything is written. ([Explore guide](docs/explore.md))
- **Already know what you want?** Go straight to `/opsx:propose <what-you-want-to-build>`.
Both are in the default profile. If you want the expanded workflow (`/opsx:new`, `/opsx:continue`, `/opsx:ff`, `/opsx:verify`, `/opsx:bulk-archive`, `/opsx:onboard`), select it with `openspec config profile` and apply with `openspec update`.
> [!NOTE]
> Not sure if your tool is supported? [View the full list](docs/supported-tools.md) – we support 25+ tools and growing.
>
> Also works with pnpm, yarn, bun, and nix. [See installation options](docs/installation.md).
## Docs
**Start here:** the **[Documentation Home](docs/README.md)** maps everything. New to OpenSpec? Read [Getting Started](docs/getting-started.md), then [How Commands Work](docs/how-commands-work.md) (where you actually type `/opsx:propose`).
→ **[Getting Started](docs/getting-started.md)**: first steps<br>
→ **[Explore First](docs/explore.md)**: think it through with `/opsx:explore` before you commit<br>
→ **[How Commands Work](docs/how-commands-work.md)**: where slash commands run vs the CLI<br>
→ **[Core Concepts at a Glance](docs/overview.md)**: the whole mental model, one page<br>
→ **[Examples & Recipes](docs/examples.md)**: real changes, start to finish<br>
→ **[Workflows](docs/workflows.md)**: combos and patterns<br>
→ **[Existing Projects](docs/existing-projects.md)**: adopt OpenSpec on a brownfield codebase<br>
→ **[Editing a Change](docs/editing-changes.md)**: update artifacts, go back, reconcile manual edits<br>
→ **[Customization](docs/customization.md)**: make it yours<br>
→ **[FAQ](docs/faq.md)** · **[Troubleshooting](docs/troubleshooting.md)** · **[Glossary](docs/glossary.md)**: quick help
## Community schemas
Third-party schema bundles distributed via standalone repositories — these provide opinionated workflows that integrate OpenSpec with other tools, similar to how [github/spec-kit's community extension catalog](https://github.com/github/spec-kit/tree/main/extensions) handles tool integrations.
→ **[Browse the catalog](docs/customization.md#community-schemas)** in the customization docs.
## Why OpenSpec?
AI coding assistants are powerful but unpredictable when requirements live only in chat history. OpenSpec adds a lightweight spec layer so you agree on what to build before any code is written.
- **Agree before you build** — human and AI align on specs before code gets written
- **Stay organized** — each change gets its own folder with proposal, specs, design, and tasks
- **Work fluidly** — update any artifact anytime, no rigid phase gates
- **Use your tools** — works with 30+ AI assistants via slash commands
### How we compare
**vs. [Spec Kit](https://github.com/github/spec-kit)** (GitHub) — Thorough but heavyweight. Rigid phase gates, lots of Markdown, Python setup. OpenSpec is lighter and lets you iterate freely.
**vs. [Kiro](https://kiro.dev)** (AWS) — Powerful but you're locked into their IDE and limited to Claude models. OpenSpec works with the tools you already use.
**vs. nothing** — AI coding without specs means vague prompts and unpredictable results. OpenSpec brings predictability without the ceremony.
## Updating OpenSpec
**Upgrade the package**
```bash
npm install -g @fission-ai/openspec@latest
```
**Refresh agent instructions**
Run this inside each project to regenerate AI guidance and ensure the latest slash commands are active:
```bash
openspec update
```
## Usage Notes
**Model selection**: OpenSpec works best with high-reasoning models. We recommend Codex 5.5 and Opus 4.7 for both planning and implementation.
**Context hygiene**: OpenSpec benefits from a clean context window. Clear your context before starting implementation and maintain good context hygiene throughout your session.
## Contributing
**Small fixes** — Bug fixes, typo corrections, and minor improvements can be submitted directly as PRs.
**Larger changes** — For new features, significant refactors, or architectural changes, please submit an OpenSpec change proposal first so we can align on intent and goals before implementation begins.
When writing proposals, keep the OpenSpec philosophy in mind: we serve a wide variety of users across different coding agents, models, and use cases. Changes should work well for everyone.
**AI-generated code is welcome** — as long as it's been tested and verified. PRs containing AI-generated code should mention the coding agent and model used (e.g., "Generated with Claude Code using claude-opus-4-5-20251101").
### Development
- Install dependencies: `pnpm install`
- Build: `pnpm run build`
- Test: `pnpm test`
- Develop CLI locally: `pnpm run dev` or `pnpm run dev:cli`
Follow <a href="https://x.com/0xTab">@0xTab on X</a> for updates · Join the <a href="https://discord.gg/YctCnvvshC">OpenSpec Discord</a> for help and questions.
</p>
<p align="center">
<sub>🧪 <strong>New:</strong> <a href="docs/opsx.md">OPSX Workflow</a> — schema-driven, hackable, fluid. Iterate on workflows without code changes.</sub>
</p>
# OpenSpec
OpenSpec aligns humans and AI coding assistants with spec-driven development so you agree on what to build before any code is written. **No API keys required.**
## Why OpenSpec?
AI coding assistants are powerful but unpredictable when requirements live in chat history. OpenSpec adds a lightweight specification workflow that locks intent before implementation, giving you deterministic, reviewable outputs.
Key outcomes:
- Human and AI stakeholders agree on specs before work begins.
- Structured change folders (proposals, tasks, and spec updates) keep scope explicit and auditable.
- Shared visibility into what's proposed, active, or archived.
- Works with the AI tools you already use: custom slash commands where supported, context rules everywhere else.
## How OpenSpec compares (at a glance)
- **Lightweight**: simple workflow, no API keys, minimal setup.
- **Brownfield-first**: works great beyond 0→1. OpenSpec separates the source of truth from proposals: `openspec/specs/` (current truth) and `openspec/changes/` (proposed updates). This keeps diffs explicit and manageable across features.
- **Change tracking**: proposals, tasks, and spec deltas live together; archiving merges the approved updates back into specs.
- **Compared to spec-kit & Kiro**: those shine for brand-new features (0→1). OpenSpec also excels when modifying existing behavior (1→n), especially when updates span multiple specs.
See the full comparison in [How OpenSpec Compares](#how-openspec-compares).
## How It Works
```
┌────────────────────┐
│ Draft Change │
│ Proposal │
└────────┬───────────┘
│ share intent with your AI
▼
┌────────────────────┐
│ Review & Align │
│ (edit specs/tasks) │◀──── feedback loop ──────┐
└────────┬───────────┘ │
│ approved plan │
▼ │
┌────────────────────┐ │
│ Implement Tasks │──────────────────────────┘
│ (AI writes code) │
└────────┬───────────┘
│ ship the change
▼
┌────────────────────┐
│ Archive & Update │
│ Specs (source) │
└────────────────────┘
1. Draft a change proposal that captures the spec updates you want.
2. Review the proposal with your AI assistant until everyone agrees.
3. Implement tasks that reference the agreed specs.
4. Archive the change to merge the approved updates back into the source-of-truth specs.
```
## Getting Started
### Supported AI Tools
<details>
<summary><strong>Native Slash Commands</strong> (click to expand)</summary>
These tools have built-in OpenSpec commands. Select the OpenSpec integration when prompted.
Kilo Code discovers team workflows automatically. Save the generated files under `.kilocode/workflows/` and trigger them from the command palette with `/openspec-proposal.md`, `/openspec-apply.md`, or `/openspec-archive.md`.
</details>
<details>
<summary><strong>AGENTS.md Compatible</strong> (click to expand)</summary>
These tools automatically read workflow instructions from `openspec/AGENTS.md`. Ask them to follow the OpenSpec workflow if they need a reminder. Learn more about the [AGENTS.md convention](https://agents.md/).
| Tools |
|-------|
| Amp • Jules • Others |
</details>
### Install & Initialize
#### Prerequisites
- **Node.js >= 20.19.0** - Check your version with `node --version`
#### Step 1: Install the CLI globally
**Option A: Using npm**
```bash
npm install -g @fission-ai/openspec@latest
```
Verify installation:
```bash
openspec --version
```
**Option B: Using Nix (NixOS and Nix package manager)**
Run OpenSpec directly without installation:
```bash
nix run github:Fission-AI/OpenSpec -- init
```
Or install to your profile:
```bash
nix profile install github:Fission-AI/OpenSpec
```
Or add to your development environment in `flake.nix`:
- You'll be prompted to pick any natively supported AI tools (Claude Code, CodeBuddy, Cursor, OpenCode, Qoder,etc.); other assistants always rely on the shared `AGENTS.md` stub
- OpenSpec automatically configures slash commands for the tools you choose and always writes a managed `AGENTS.md` hand-off at the project root
- A new `openspec/` directory structure is created in your project
**After setup:**
- Primary AI tools can trigger `/openspec` workflows without additional configuration
- Run `openspec list` to verify the setup and view any active changes
- If your coding assistant doesn't surface the new slash commands right away, restart it. Slash commands are loaded at startup,
so a fresh launch ensures they appear
### Optional: Populate Project Context
After `openspec init` completes, you'll receive a suggested prompt to help populate your project context:
```text
Populate your project context:
"Please read openspec/project.md and help me fill it out with details about my project, tech stack, and conventions"
```
Use `openspec/project.md` to define project-level conventions, standards, architectural patterns, and other guidelines that should be followed across all changes.
### Create Your First Change
Here's a real example showing the complete OpenSpec workflow. This works with any AI tool. Those with native slash commands will recognize the shortcuts automatically.
#### 1. Draft the Proposal
Start by asking your AI to create a change proposal:
```text
You: Create an OpenSpec change proposal for adding profile search filters by role and team
(Shortcut for tools with slash commands: /openspec:proposal Add profile search filters)
AI: I'll create an OpenSpec change proposal for profile filters.
*Scaffolds openspec/changes/add-profile-filters/ with proposal.md, tasks.md, spec deltas.*
```
#### 2. Verify & Review
Check that the change was created correctly and review the proposal:
```bash
$ openspec list # Confirm the change folder exists
✓ Change archived successfully. Specs updated. Ready for the next feature!
```
Or run the command yourself in terminal:
```bash
$ openspec archive add-profile-filters --yes # Archive the completed change without prompts
```
**Note:** Tools with native slash commands (Claude Code, CodeBuddy, Cursor, Codex, Qoder, RooCode) can use the shortcuts shown. All other tools work with natural language requests to "create an OpenSpec proposal", "apply the OpenSpec change", or "archive the change".
## Command Reference
```bash
openspec list # View active change folders
openspec view # Interactive dashboard of specs and changes
- **`## REMOVED Requirements`** - Deprecated features
**Format requirements:**
- Use `### Requirement: <name>` for headers
- Every requirement needs at least one `#### Scenario:` block
- Use SHALL/MUST in requirement text
## How OpenSpec Compares
### vs. spec-kit
OpenSpec’s two-folder model (`openspec/specs/` for the current truth, `openspec/changes/` for proposed updates) keeps state and diffs separate. This scales when you modify existing features or touch multiple specs. spec-kit is strong for greenfield/0→1 but provides less structure for cross-spec updates and evolving features.
### vs. Kiro.dev
OpenSpec groups every change for a feature in one folder (`openspec/changes/feature-name/`), making it easy to track related specs, tasks, and designs together. Kiro spreads updates across multiple spec folders, which can make feature tracking harder.
### vs. No Specs
Without specs, AI coding assistants generate code from vague prompts, often missing requirements or adding unwanted features. OpenSpec brings predictability by agreeing on the desired behavior before any code is written.
## Team Adoption
1.**Initialize OpenSpec**– Run `openspec init` in your repo.
2.**Start with new features**– Ask your AI to capture upcoming work as change proposals.
3.**Grow incrementally**– Each change archives into living specs that document your system.
4.**Stay flexible**– Different teammates can use Claude Code, CodeBuddy, Cursor, or any AGENTS.md-compatible tool while sharing the same specs.
Run `openspec update` whenever someone switches tools so your agents pick up the latest instructions and slash-command bindings.
## Updating OpenSpec
1.**Upgrade the package**
```bash
npm install -g @fission-ai/openspec@latest
```
2. **Refresh agent instructions**
- Run `openspec update` inside each project to regenerate AI guidance and ensure the latest slash commands are active.
Welcome. This is the home for everything OpenSpec.
OpenSpec helps you and your AI coding assistant **agree on what to build before any code is written.** You describe the change, the AI drafts a short spec and a task list, you both look at the same plan, and then the work happens. No more discovering halfway through that the AI built the wrong thing.
If you read nothing else, read these two pages:
1. [Getting Started](getting-started.md): install, initialize, and ship your first change.
2. [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md): where you actually type `/opsx:propose` (hint: in your AI chat, not the terminal). This trips up almost everyone once.
That second one matters more than it looks. OpenSpec has two halves: a command line tool you run in your terminal, and slash commands you give to your AI assistant. Knowing which is which saves you the most common moment of confusion.
> **The best habit to build first: when you're not sure what to build, start with `/opsx:explore`.** It's a no-stakes thinking partner that reads your code, weighs options, and sharpens a fuzzy idea into a concrete plan before any artifact or code exists. The [Explore First](explore.md) guide makes the case.
## Pick your path
**I'm brand new.** Start with [Getting Started](getting-started.md), then skim the [Core Concepts at a Glance](overview.md). When something feels mysterious, the [FAQ](faq.md) and [Glossary](glossary.md) are nearby.
**I have a problem but not a plan.** This is the common case, and it has a dedicated answer: [Explore First](explore.md). Use `/opsx:explore` to think it through with the AI before committing to anything.
**I have a big existing codebase.** You don't document all of it. [Using OpenSpec in an Existing Project](existing-projects.md) shows how to start on real, brownfield code without boiling the ocean.
**I just want to get it working.** [Install](installation.md), run `openspec init`, then read [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md) so your first slash command lands in the right place.
**I learn by example.** The [Examples & Recipes](examples.md) page walks through real changes start to finish: a small feature, a bug fix, a refactor, an exploration.
**The AI just drafted a plan — now what?** Read it. [Reviewing a Change](reviewing-changes.md) shows the two-minute pass that catches a wrong turn while it's still cheap, and [Writing Good Specs](writing-specs.md) covers what a plan worth approving is made of.
**I work on a team.** [OpenSpec on a Team](team-workflow.md) shows how a change maps onto a branch and a pull request, and how teammates review a plan before the code.
**I'm coming from the old workflow.** The [Migration Guide](migration-guide.md) explains what changed and why, and promises your existing work is safe.
**I want to bend it to my team's process.** [Customization](customization.md) covers project config, custom schemas, and shared context.
**Something's broken.** [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting.md) collects the failures people actually hit, with fixes.
## The whole map
### Start here
| Doc | What it gives you |
|-----|-------------------|
| [Getting Started](getting-started.md) | Install, initialize, and run your first change end to end |
| [Explore First](explore.md) | Use `/opsx:explore` to think through an idea before you commit |
| [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md) | Where slash commands run, what "interactive mode" means, terminal vs chat |
| [Core Concepts at a Glance](overview.md) | The whole mental model on one page: specs, changes, deltas, archive |
| [Installation](installation.md) | npm, pnpm, yarn, bun, Nix, and how to verify it worked |
### Use it day to day
| Doc | What it gives you |
|-----|-------------------|
| [Workflows](workflows.md) | Common patterns and when to reach for each command |
| [Examples & Recipes](examples.md) | Full walkthroughs of real changes, copy-pasteable |
| [Writing Good Specs](writing-specs.md) | What a strong requirement and scenario look like, and how to right-size a change |
| [Reviewing a Change](reviewing-changes.md) | The two-minute pass on a drafted plan before any code is written |
| [OpenSpec on a Team](team-workflow.md) | How changes fit branches, pull requests, and review |
| [Using OpenSpec in an Existing Project](existing-projects.md) | Adopting OpenSpec on a large brownfield codebase |
| [Editing & Iterating on a Change](editing-changes.md) | Update artifacts, go back, reconcile manual edits |
| [Commands](commands.md) | Reference for every `/opsx:*` slash command |
| [CLI](cli.md) | Reference for every `openspec` terminal command |
### Understand it deeply
| Doc | What it gives you |
|-----|-------------------|
| [Concepts](concepts.md) | The long-form explanation of specs, changes, artifacts, schemas, and archive |
| [OPSX Workflow](opsx.md) | Why the workflow is fluid instead of phase-locked, plus an architecture deep dive |
| [Glossary](glossary.md) | Every term defined in one place |
3. Explore (in your AI chat) /opsx:explore ← optional, but a great habit
4. Propose (in your AI chat) /opsx:propose add-dark-mode
5. Build (in your AI chat) /opsx:apply
6. Archive (in your AI chat) /opsx:archive
```
Steps 1 and 2 happen in your terminal. The rest happen in your AI assistant's chat. That split is the one thing worth memorizing, and [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md) explains exactly why. Step 3 is optional, but starting with `/opsx:explore` when you're unsure is the habit most worth forming.
## Where else to get help
- **Discord:** [discord.gg/YctCnvvshC](https://discord.gg/YctCnvvshC) for questions, ideas, and help.
- **GitHub Issues:** [github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues) for bugs and feature requests.
- **`openspec feedback "your message"`** sends feedback straight from your terminal (it opens a GitHub issue).
Found something in these docs that's wrong, stale, or confusing? That's a bug. Open an issue or a PR. Documentation improvements are some of the most valuable contributions you can make.
Machine-readable surfaces of the `openspec` CLI, verified against `src/` (capstone audit, 2026-06-11). Every shape below is documented from the emitting code.
## 1. General conventions
- **One JSON document per invocation.** In `--json` mode, stdout carries exactly one JSON document (2-space pretty-printed). Human prose, spinners, and the store banner go to stderr.
- **Store banner.** In human mode, a store-selected root prints `Using OpenSpec root: <id> (<path>)` to stderr. Never printed in JSON mode.
- **Key casing is surface-dependent** (see Known inconsistencies): store/doctor/context payloads use `snake_case`; workflow payloads (`status`, `instructions`, `new change`, `validate`, `list`) use `camelCase`, except the embedded `root` object, which always uses `store_id`.
- **Optional keys are omitted, not null**, in most payloads (e.g. `root.store_id`, `member.path`). Exceptions that use explicit `null` are called out per shape (store doctor `git.*`, failure payloads).
## 2. The diagnostic envelope
One envelope shape is shared by every machine-readable diagnostic (`StoreDiagnostic`):
Diagnostics appear in two positions: **status arrays** (`status: StoreDiagnostic[]` at top level or per entry) for health findings, and **thrown errors** converted to a single-element `status` array on command failure.
## 3. Root selection and `RootOutput`
All root-resolving commands (`list`, `show`, `validate`, `status`, `instructions`, `instructions apply`, `new change`, `archive`, `doctor`, `context`) resolve one OpenSpec root with one precedence:
1.`--store <id>` → the registered store's root (`source: "store"`).
2. Otherwise, nearest ancestor with `openspec/`: planning shape → `source: "nearest"` (a `store:` pointer is ignored with a stderr warning); config-only dir with a valid `store:` pointer → that store, `source: "declared"`.
4. No root, no stores: scaffolding commands treat the cwd as `source: "implicit"`; diagnostic commands (`doctor`, `context`) fail with `no_openspec_root` instead — they inspect, never scaffold.
Successful JSON payloads embed the root:
```json
"root":{"path":"/abs/path","source":"store"|"declared"|"nearest"|"implicit","store_id":"id (only when store-selected)"}
```
**Root-failure contract**: in JSON mode a resolution failure prints `{ ...commandNullShape, "status": [diagnostic] }` on stdout and exits 1.
`openspec_store_root_missing`, `openspec_store_root_not_directory`, `openspec_root_missing`, `openspec_root_not_directory`, `openspec_config_missing`, `openspec_config_not_file`, `openspec_specs_not_directory`, `openspec_changes_not_directory`, `openspec_archive_not_directory`. During the stores beta, `openspec/specs/`, `openspec/changes/`, and `openspec/changes/archive/` may be absent in a healthy root; they are only health errors when present but not directories.
Recorded by the capstone audit; published-key renames are product decisions deferred past this release:
1.~~In `--json` mode, several failure paths printed stderr only with no JSON document.~~ Fixed in the capstone gauntlet round: `show`/`validate` unknown and ambiguous items emit `{status:[{code: unknown_item | ambiguous_item, ...}]}`; thrown errors in `status`/`instructions`/`list`/`show`/`validate` route through the JSON-aware failure helper (the command's null-shape + `status`); `store <unknown subcommand> --json` emits `{status:[{code: unknown_store_subcommand}]}`; `list` carries its `{changes|specs: [], root: null}` null-shape on resolution failures.
2.`store_root_missing` is emitted with two severities (warning in remove, error in store doctor) — context-dependent, documented above.
3. snake_case (store family) vs camelCase (workflow family) key casing; `root.store_id` is snake_case everywhere.
4. Four parallel envelope type declarations exist in src; archive diagnostics never carry `target`.
5.`list --json` reuses the `status` key as a string enum per change.
6. Only `validate` output carries a `version` field.
7.`schemas`/`templates` ignore root selection (cwd-based, no `--store`).
8. Deprecated noun forms (`change`/`spec` subcommands) emit unenveloped payloads without `root`/`status`.
This is the reference for OpenSpec's slash commands. These commands are invoked in your AI coding assistant's chat interface (e.g., Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf).
For workflow patterns and when to use each command, see [Workflows](workflows.md). For CLI commands, see [CLI](cli.md).
## Quick Reference
### Default Quick Path (`core` profile)
| Command | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| `/opsx:propose` | Create a change and generate planning artifacts in one step |
| `/opsx:explore` | Think through ideas before committing to a change |
| `/opsx:apply` | Implement tasks from the change |
| `/opsx:update` | Revise a change's planning artifacts and keep them coherent |
| `/opsx:sync` | Merge delta specs into main specs |
| `/opsx:bulk-archive` | Archive multiple changes at once |
| `/opsx:onboard` | Guided tutorial through the complete workflow |
The default global profile is `core`. To enable expanded workflow commands, run `openspec config profile`, select workflows, then run `openspec update` in your project.
---
## Command Reference
### `/opsx:propose`
Create a new change and generate planning artifacts in one step. This is the default start command in the `core` profile.
**Syntax:**
```text
/opsx:propose [change-name-or-description]
```
**Arguments:**
| Argument | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| `change-name-or-description` | No | Kebab-case name or plain-language change description |
- Stops when the change is ready for `/opsx:apply`
**Example:**
```text
You: /opsx:propose add-dark-mode
AI: Created openspec/changes/add-dark-mode/
✓ proposal.md
✓ specs/ui/spec.md
✓ design.md
✓ tasks.md
Ready for implementation. Run /opsx:apply.
```
**Tips:**
- Use this for the fastest end-to-end path
- If you want step-by-step artifact control, enable expanded workflows and use `/opsx:new` + `/opsx:continue`
---
### `/opsx:explore`
> **Start here when you're unsure.** Explore is a no-stakes thinking partner: it reads your codebase, compares options, and sharpens a fuzzy idea into a concrete plan before any change exists. It ships in the default profile. For the full case and more examples, see the [Explore First](explore.md) guide.
Think through ideas, investigate problems, and clarify requirements before committing to a change.
**Syntax:**
```
/opsx:explore [topic]
```
**Arguments:**
| Argument | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| `topic` | No | What you want to explore or investigate |
**What it does:**
- Opens an exploratory conversation with no structure required
- Investigates the codebase to answer questions
- Compares options and approaches
- Creates visual diagrams to clarify thinking
- Can transition to `/opsx:propose` (default) or `/opsx:new` (expanded workflow) when insights crystallize
**Example:**
```text
You: /opsx:explore
AI: What would you like to explore?
You: How should we handle authentication for the mobile app?
AI: Let me investigate your current auth setup...
[Analyzes codebase]
I see you're using session-based auth for the web app.
For mobile, we have three main options:
1. JWT tokens (stateless, works offline)
2. OAuth2 (if you need third-party login)
3. Extend current sessions (simpler, but requires connectivity)
Your API already has CORS configured. Which direction interests you?
You: Let's go with JWT. Can we start a change for that?
AI: Ready when you are. Run /opsx:propose add-jwt-auth to begin.
```
**Tips:**
- Use when requirements are unclear or you need to investigate
- No artifacts are created during exploration
- Good for comparing multiple approaches before deciding
- Can read files and search the codebase
---
### `/opsx:new`
Start a new change scaffold. Creates the change folder and waits for you to generate artifacts with `/opsx:continue` or `/opsx:ff`.
This command is part of the expanded workflow set (not included in the default `core` profile).
**Syntax:**
```
/opsx:new [change-name] [--schema <schema-name>]
```
**Arguments:**
| Argument | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| `change-name` | No | Name for the change folder (prompted if not provided) |
| `--schema` | No | Workflow schema to use (default: from config or `spec-driven`) |
- Creates `.openspec.yaml` metadata file in the change folder
- Shows the first artifact template ready for creation
- Prompts for change name and schema if not provided
**What it creates:**
```
openspec/changes/<change-name>/
└── .openspec.yaml # Change metadata (schema, created date)
```
**Example:**
```
You: /opsx:new add-dark-mode
AI: Created openspec/changes/add-dark-mode/
Schema: spec-driven
Ready to create: proposal
Use /opsx:continue to create it, or /opsx:ff to create all artifacts.
```
**Tips:**
- Use descriptive names: `add-feature`, `fix-bug`, `refactor-module`
- Avoid generic names like `update`, `changes`, `wip`
- Schema can also be set in project config (`openspec/config.yaml`)
---
### `/opsx:continue`
Create the next artifact in the dependency chain. Creates one artifact at a time for incremental progress.
**Syntax:**
```
/opsx:continue [change-name]
```
**Arguments:**
| Argument | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| `change-name` | No | Which change to continue (inferred from context if not provided) |
**What it does:**
- Queries the artifact dependency graph
- Shows which artifacts are ready vs blocked
- Creates the first ready artifact
- Reads dependency files for context
- Shows what becomes available after creation
**Example:**
```
You: /opsx:continue
AI: Change: add-dark-mode
Artifact status:
✓ proposal (done)
◆ specs (ready)
◆ design (ready)
○ tasks (blocked - needs: specs)
Creating specs...
[Reads proposal.md, creates specs based on requirements]
✓ Created openspec/changes/add-dark-mode/specs/ui/spec.md
Now available: tasks
Run /opsx:continue to create the next artifact.
```
**Tips:**
- Use when you want to review each artifact before proceeding
- Good for complex changes where you want control
- Multiple artifacts may become ready simultaneously
- You can edit created artifacts before continuing
---
### `/opsx:ff`
Fast-forward through artifact creation. Creates all planning artifacts at once.
**Syntax:**
```
/opsx:ff [change-name]
```
**Arguments:**
| Argument | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| `change-name` | No | Which change to fast-forward (inferred from context if not provided) |
**What it does:**
- Creates all artifacts in dependency order
- Tracks progress via todo list
- Stops when all `apply-required` artifacts are complete
- Reads each dependency before creating the next artifact
**Example:**
```
You: /opsx:ff add-dark-mode
AI: Fast-forwarding add-dark-mode...
✓ Creating proposal.md
✓ Creating specs/ui/spec.md
✓ Creating design.md
✓ Creating tasks.md
All planning artifacts complete!
Ready for implementation. Run /opsx:apply to begin.
```
**Tips:**
- Use when you have a clear picture of what you're building
- Faster than `/opsx:continue` for straightforward changes
- You can still edit artifacts afterward
- Good for small to medium features
---
### `/opsx:apply`
Implement tasks from the change. Works through the task list, writing code and checking off items.
**Syntax:**
```
/opsx:apply [change-name]
```
**Arguments:**
| Argument | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| `change-name` | No | Which change to implement (inferred from context if not provided) |
**What it does:**
- Reads `tasks.md` and identifies incomplete tasks
- Works through tasks one by one
- Writes code, creates files, runs tests as needed
- Marks tasks complete with checkboxes `[x]`
**Example:**
```
You: /opsx:apply
AI: Implementing add-dark-mode...
Reading tasks.md:
- [ ] 1.1 Create ThemeContext
- [ ] 1.2 Add CSS custom properties
- [ ] 1.3 Implement localStorage persistence
Working on 1.1: Create ThemeContext...
[Creates src/context/ThemeContext.tsx]
✓ 1.1 Complete
Working on 1.2: Add CSS custom properties...
[Updates src/styles/globals.css]
✓ 1.2 Complete
...
```
**Tips:**
- Can resume where you left off if interrupted
- Use for parallel changes by specifying the change name
- Completion state is tracked in `tasks.md` checkboxes
---
### `/opsx:update`
Revise a change's existing planning artifacts and keep them coherent with one another. Planning artifacts only - it never edits code.
**Syntax:**
```text
/opsx:update [change-name]
```
**Arguments:**
| Argument | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| `change-name` | No | Which change to update (inferred from context if not provided) |
**What it does:**
- Reads the change's artifacts via `openspec status --change <name> --json`
- Applies your requested revision, or reviews the artifacts for contradictions if you didn't name one
- Reconciles the other existing artifacts in any direction (a design edit may ripple back to the proposal)
- Confirms every edit with you before writing, one artifact at a time
- Ends by recommending the next step: `/opsx:continue` (artifacts missing), `/opsx:apply` (carry a revised plan into code), or `/opsx:archive` (all done)
**Example:**
```text
You: /opsx:update add-dark-mode - we're storing the theme in a cookie now, not localStorage
AI: Reading add-dark-mode artifacts...
The design references localStorage in two places; tasks 1.3 covers
localStorage persistence; the proposal doesn't mention storage.
Proposed revisions:
1. design.md - swap localStorage decision for cookie storage
2. tasks.md - reword task 1.3 to cookie persistence
Apply revision 1? (design.md)
```
**Tips:**
- It won't create missing artifacts - that's `/opsx:continue`
- If the change was already implemented, follow up with `/opsx:apply` so the code matches the revised plan
- If your revision changes the *intent* of the change, start fresh with a new change instead (see [When to Update vs. Start Fresh](opsx.md#when-to-update-vs-start-fresh))
---
### `/opsx:verify`
Validate that implementation matches your change artifacts. Checks completeness, correctness, and coherence.
**Syntax:**
```
/opsx:verify [change-name]
```
**Arguments:**
| Argument | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| `change-name` | No | Which change to verify (inferred from context if not provided) |
**What it does:**
- Checks three dimensions of implementation quality
- Searches codebase for implementation evidence
- Reports issues categorized as CRITICAL, WARNING, or SUGGESTION
- Does not block archive, but surfaces issues
**Verification dimensions:**
| Dimension | What it validates |
|-----------|-------------------|
| **Completeness** | All tasks done, all requirements implemented, scenarios covered |
✓ All requirements in specs have corresponding code
⚠ Scenario "System preference detection" has no test coverage
CORRECTNESS
✓ Implementation matches spec intent
✓ Edge cases from scenarios are handled
✓ Error states match spec definitions
COHERENCE
✓ Design decisions reflected in code structure
✓ Naming conventions consistent with design.md
⚠ Design mentions "CSS variables" but implementation uses Tailwind classes
SUMMARY
─────────────────────────────
Critical issues: 0
Warnings: 2
Ready to archive: Yes (with warnings)
Recommendations:
1. Add test for system preference detection
2. Update design.md to reflect Tailwind usage, or refactor to use CSS variables
```
**Tips:**
- Run before archiving to catch mismatches early
- Warnings don't block archive but indicate potential issues
- Good for reviewing AI's work before committing
- Can reveal drift between artifacts and implementation
---
### `/opsx:sync`
**Optional command.** Merge delta specs from a change into main specs. Archive will prompt to sync if needed, so you typically don't need to run this manually.
**Syntax:**
```
/opsx:sync [change-name]
```
**Arguments:**
| Argument | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| `change-name` | No | Which change to sync (inferred from context if not provided) |
**What it does:**
- Reads delta specs from change folder
- Parses ADDED/MODIFIED/REMOVED/RENAMED sections
- Merges changes into main `openspec/specs/` directory
- Preserves existing content not mentioned in delta
| Kimi CLI | Skill-based invocations such as `/skill:openspec-propose`, `/skill:openspec-apply-change` (no generated `opsx-*` command files) |
| Trae | `/opsx-propose`, `/opsx-apply` |
The intent is the same across tools, but how commands are surfaced can differ by integration.
> **Note:** GitHub Copilot commands (`.github/prompts/*.prompt.md`) are only available in IDE extensions (VS Code, JetBrains, Visual Studio). GitHub Copilot CLI does not currently support custom prompt files — see [Supported Tools](supported-tools.md) for details and workarounds.
---
## Legacy Commands
These commands use the older "all-at-once" workflow. They still work but OPSX commands are recommended.
| Command | What it does |
|---------|--------------|
| `/openspec:proposal` | Create all artifacts at once (proposal, specs, design, tasks) |
| `/openspec:apply` | Implement the change |
| `/openspec:archive` | Archive the change |
**When to use legacy commands:**
- Existing projects using the old workflow
- Simple changes where you don't need incremental artifact creation
- Preference for the all-or-nothing approach
**Migrating to OPSX:**
Legacy changes can be continued with OPSX commands. The artifact structure is compatible.
---
## Troubleshooting
### "Change not found"
The command couldn't identify which change to work on.
**Solutions:**
- Specify the change name explicitly: `/opsx:apply add-dark-mode`
- Check that the change folder exists: `openspec list`
- Verify you're in the right project directory
### "No artifacts ready"
All artifacts are either complete or blocked by missing dependencies.
**Solutions:**
- Run `openspec status --change <name>` to see what's blocking
- Check if required artifacts exist
- Create missing dependency artifacts first
### "Schema not found"
The specified schema doesn't exist.
**Solutions:**
- List available schemas: `openspec schemas`
- Check spelling of schema name
- Create the schema if it's custom: `openspec schema init <name>`
### Commands not recognized
The AI tool doesn't recognize OpenSpec commands.
**Solutions:**
- Ensure OpenSpec is initialized: `openspec init`
- Regenerate skills: `openspec update`
- Check that `.claude/skills/` directory exists (for Claude Code)
- Restart your AI tool to pick up new skills
### Artifacts not generating properly
The AI creates incomplete or incorrect artifacts.
**Solutions:**
- Add project context in `openspec/config.yaml`
- Add per-artifact rules for specific guidance
- Provide more detail in your change description
- Use `/opsx:continue` instead of `/opsx:ff` for more control
---
## Next Steps
- [Workflows](workflows.md) - Common patterns and when to use each command
- [CLI](cli.md) - Terminal commands for management and validation
- [Customization](customization.md) - Create custom schemas and workflows
This guide explains the core ideas behind OpenSpec and how they fit together. For practical usage, see [Getting Started](getting-started.md) and [Workflows](workflows.md).
## Philosophy
OpenSpec is built around four principles:
```
fluid not rigid — no phase gates, work on what makes sense
iterative not waterfall — learn as you build, refine as you go
easy not complex — lightweight setup, minimal ceremony
brownfield-first — works with existing codebases, not just greenfield
```
### Why These Principles Matter
**Fluid not rigid.** Traditional spec systems lock you into phases: first you plan, then you implement, then you're done. OpenSpec is more flexible — you can create artifacts in any order that makes sense for your work.
**Iterative not waterfall.** Requirements change. Understanding deepens. What seemed like a good approach at the start might not hold up after you see the codebase. OpenSpec embraces this reality.
**Easy not complex.** Some spec frameworks require extensive setup, rigid formats, or heavyweight processes. OpenSpec stays out of your way. Initialize in seconds, start working immediately, customize only if you need to.
**Brownfield-first.** Most software work isn't building from scratch — it's modifying existing systems. OpenSpec's delta-based approach makes it easy to specify changes to existing behavior, not just describe new systems.
**Specs** are the source of truth — they describe how your system currently behaves.
**Changes** are proposed modifications — they live in separate folders until you're ready to merge them.
This separation is key. You can work on multiple changes in parallel without conflicts. You can review a change before it affects the main specs. And when you archive a change, its deltas merge cleanly into the source of truth.
## Specs
Specs describe your system's behavior using structured requirements and scenarios.
### Structure
```
openspec/specs/
├── auth/
│ └── spec.md # Authentication behavior
├── payments/
│ └── spec.md # Payment processing
├── notifications/
│ └── spec.md # Notification system
└── ui/
└── spec.md # UI behavior and themes
```
Organize specs by domain — logical groupings that make sense for your system. Common patterns:
- Changes where ambiguity is likely to cause expensive rework
Most changes should stay in Lite mode.
### Human + Agent Collaboration
In many teams, humans explore and agents draft artifacts. The intended loop is:
1. Human provides intent, context, and constraints.
2. Agent converts this into behavior-first requirements and scenarios.
3. Agent keeps implementation detail in `design.md` and `tasks.md`, not `spec.md`.
4. Validation confirms structure and clarity before implementation.
This keeps specs readable for humans and consistent for agents.
## Changes
A change is a proposed modification to your system, packaged as a folder with everything needed to understand and implement it.
### Change Structure
```
openspec/changes/add-dark-mode/
├── proposal.md # Why and what
├── design.md # How (technical approach)
├── tasks.md # Implementation checklist
├── .openspec.yaml # Change metadata (optional)
└── specs/ # Delta specs
└── ui/
└── spec.md # What's changing in ui/spec.md
```
Each change is self-contained. It has:
- **Artifacts** — documents that capture intent, design, and tasks
- **Delta specs** — specifications for what's being added, modified, or removed
- **Metadata** — optional configuration for this specific change
### Why Changes Are Folders
Packaging a change as a folder has several benefits:
1.**Everything together.** Proposal, design, tasks, and specs live in one place. No hunting through different locations.
2.**Parallel work.** Multiple changes can exist simultaneously without conflicting. Work on `add-dark-mode` while `fix-auth-bug` is also in progress.
3.**Clean history.** When archived, changes move to `changes/archive/` with their full context preserved. You can look back and understand not just what changed, but why.
4.**Review-friendly.** A change folder is easy to review — open it, read the proposal, check the design, see the spec deltas.
## Artifacts
Artifacts are the documents within a change that guide the work.
Artifacts build on each other. Each artifact provides context for the next.
### Artifact Types
#### Proposal (`proposal.md`)
The proposal captures **intent**, **scope**, and **approach** at a high level.
```markdown
# Proposal: Add Dark Mode
## Intent
Users have requested a dark mode option to reduce eye strain
during nighttime usage and match system preferences.
## Scope
In scope:
- Theme toggle in settings
- System preference detection
- Persist preference in localStorage
Out of scope:
- Custom color themes (future work)
- Per-page theme overrides
## Approach
Use CSS custom properties for theming with a React context
for state management. Detect system preference on first load,
allow manual override.
```
**When to update the proposal:**
- Scope changes (narrowing or expanding)
- Intent clarifies (better understanding of the problem)
- Approach fundamentally shifts
#### Specs (delta specs in `specs/`)
Delta specs describe **what's changing** relative to the current specs. See [Delta Specs](#delta-specs) below.
#### Design (`design.md`)
The design captures **technical approach** and **architecture decisions**.
````markdown
# Design: Add Dark Mode
## Technical Approach
Theme state managed via React Context to avoid prop drilling.
CSS custom properties enable runtime switching without class toggling.
## Architecture Decisions
### Decision: Context over Redux
Using React Context for theme state because:
- Simple binary state (light/dark)
- No complex state transitions
- Avoids adding Redux dependency
### Decision: CSS Custom Properties
Using CSS variables instead of CSS-in-JS because:
- Works with existing stylesheet
- No runtime overhead
- Browser-native solution
## Data Flow
```
ThemeProvider (context)
│
▼
ThemeToggle ◄──► localStorage
│
▼
CSS Variables (applied to :root)
```
## File Changes
- `src/contexts/ThemeContext.tsx` (new)
- `src/components/ThemeToggle.tsx` (new)
- `src/styles/globals.css` (modified)
````
**When to update the design:**
- Implementation reveals the approach won't work
- Better solution discovered
- Dependencies or constraints change
#### Tasks (`tasks.md`)
Tasks are the **implementation checklist** — concrete steps with checkboxes.
```markdown
# Tasks
## 1. Theme Infrastructure
- [ ] 1.1 Create ThemeContext with light/dark state
- [ ] 1.2 Add CSS custom properties for colors
- [ ] 1.3 Implement localStorage persistence
- [ ] 1.4 Add system preference detection
## 2. UI Components
- [ ] 2.1 Create ThemeToggle component
- [ ] 2.2 Add toggle to settings page
- [ ] 2.3 Update Header to include quick toggle
## 3. Styling
- [ ] 3.1 Define dark theme color palette
- [ ] 3.2 Update components to use CSS variables
- [ ] 3.3 Test contrast ratios for accessibility
```
**Task best practices:**
- Group related tasks under headings
- Use hierarchical numbering (1.1, 1.2, etc.)
- Keep tasks small enough to complete in one session
- Check tasks off as you complete them
## Delta Specs
Delta specs are the key concept that makes OpenSpec work for brownfield development. They describe **what's changing** rather than restating the entire spec.
### The Format
```markdown
# Delta for Auth
## ADDED Requirements
### Requirement: Two-Factor Authentication
The system MUST support TOTP-based two-factor authentication.
#### Scenario: 2FA enrollment
- GIVEN a user without 2FA enabled
- WHEN the user enables 2FA in settings
- THEN a QR code is displayed for authenticator app setup
- AND the user must verify with a code before activation
#### Scenario: 2FA login
- GIVEN a user with 2FA enabled
- WHEN the user submits valid credentials
- THEN an OTP challenge is presented
- AND login completes only after valid OTP
## MODIFIED Requirements
### Requirement: Session Expiration
The system MUST expire sessions after 15 minutes of inactivity.
(Previously: 30 minutes)
#### Scenario: Idle timeout
- GIVEN an authenticated session
- WHEN 15 minutes pass without activity
- THEN the session is invalidated
## REMOVED Requirements
### Requirement: Remember Me
(Deprecated in favor of 2FA. Users should re-authenticate each session.)
```
### Delta Sections
| Section | Meaning | What Happens on Archive |
|---------|---------|------------------------|
| `## ADDED Requirements` | New behavior | Appended to main spec |
| `## REMOVED Requirements` | Deprecated behavior | Deleted from main spec |
### Why Deltas Instead of Full Specs
**Clarity.** A delta shows exactly what's changing. Reading a full spec, you'd have to diff it mentally against the current version.
**Conflict avoidance.** Two changes can touch the same spec file without conflicting, as long as they modify different requirements.
**Review efficiency.** Reviewers see the change, not the unchanged context. Focus on what matters.
**Brownfield fit.** Most work modifies existing behavior. Deltas make modifications first-class, not an afterthought.
## Schemas
Schemas define the artifact types and their dependencies for a workflow.
### How Schemas Work
```yaml
# openspec/schemas/spec-driven/schema.yaml
name: spec-driven
artifacts:
- id: proposal
generates: proposal.md
requires: [] # No dependencies, can create first
- id: specs
generates: specs/**/*.md
requires: [proposal] # Needs proposal before creating
- id: design
generates: design.md
requires: [proposal] # Can create in parallel with specs
- id: tasks
generates: tasks.md
requires: [specs, design] # Needs both specs and design first
```
**Artifacts form a dependency graph:**
```
proposal
(root node)
│
┌─────────────┴─────────────┐
│ │
▼ ▼
specs design
(requires: (requires:
proposal) proposal)
│ │
└─────────────┬─────────────┘
│
▼
tasks
(requires:
specs, design)
```
**Dependencies are enablers, not gates.** They show what's possible to create, not what you must create next. You can skip design if you don't need it. You can create specs before or after design — both depend only on proposal.
### Built-in Schemas
**spec-driven** (default)
The standard workflow for spec-driven development:
```
proposal → specs → design → tasks → implement
```
Best for: Most feature work where you want to agree on specs before implementation.
### Custom Schemas
Create custom schemas for your team's workflow:
```bash
# Create from scratch
openspec schema init research-first
# Or fork an existing one
openspec schema fork spec-driven research-first
```
**Example custom schema:**
```yaml
# openspec/schemas/research-first/schema.yaml
name: research-first
artifacts:
- id: research
generates: research.md
requires: [] # Do research first
- id: proposal
generates: proposal.md
requires: [research] # Proposal informed by research
- id: tasks
generates: tasks.md
requires: [proposal] # Skip specs/design, go straight to tasks
```
See [Customization](customization.md) for full details on creating and using custom schemas.
## Archive
Archiving completes a change by merging its delta specs into the main specs and preserving the change for history.
### What Happens When You Archive
```
Before archive:
openspec/
├── specs/
│ └── auth/
│ └── spec.md ◄────────────────┐
└── changes/ │
└── add-2fa/ │
├── proposal.md │
├── design.md │ merge
├── tasks.md │
└── specs/ │
└── auth/ │
└── spec.md ─────────┘
After archive:
openspec/
├── specs/
│ └── auth/
│ └── spec.md # Now includes 2FA requirements
└── changes/
└── archive/
└── 2025-01-24-add-2fa/ # Preserved for history
├── proposal.md
├── design.md
├── tasks.md
└── specs/
└── auth/
└── spec.md
```
### The Archive Process
1. **Merge deltas.** Each delta spec section (ADDED/MODIFIED/REMOVED) is applied to the corresponding main spec.
2. **Move to archive.** The change folder moves to `changes/archive/` with a date prefix for chronological ordering.
3. **Preserve context.** All artifacts remain intact in the archive. You can always look back to understand why a change was made.
### Why Archive Matters
**Clean state.** Active changes (`changes/`) shows only work in progress. Completed work moves out of the way.
**Audit trail.** The archive preserves the full context of every change — not just what changed, but the proposal explaining why, the design explaining how, and the tasks showing the work done.
**Spec evolution.** Specs grow organically as changes are archived. Each archive merges its deltas, building up a comprehensive specification over time.
When OpenSpec needs a schema, it checks in this order:
1. CLI flag: `--schema <name>`
2. Change metadata (`.openspec.yaml` in the change folder)
3. Project config (`openspec/config.yaml`)
4. Default (`spec-driven`)
---
## Custom Schemas
When project config isn't enough, create your own schema with a completely custom workflow. Custom schemas live in your project's `openspec/schemas/` directory and are version-controlled with your code.
```text
your-project/
├── openspec/
│ ├── config.yaml # Project config
│ ├── schemas/ # Custom schemas live here
│ │ └── my-workflow/
│ │ ├── schema.yaml
│ │ └── templates/
│ └── changes/ # Your changes
└── src/
```
### Fork an Existing Schema
The fastest way to customize is to fork a built-in schema:
```bash
openspec schema fork spec-driven my-workflow
```
This copies the entire `spec-driven` schema to `openspec/schemas/my-workflow/` where you can edit it freely.
**What you get:**
```text
openspec/schemas/my-workflow/
├── schema.yaml # Workflow definition
└── templates/
├── proposal.md # Template for proposal artifact
├── spec.md # Template for specs
├── design.md # Template for design
└── tasks.md # Template for tasks
```
Now edit `schema.yaml` to change the workflow, or edit templates to change what AI generates.
### Create a Schema from Scratch
For a completely fresh workflow:
```bash
# Interactive
openspec schema init research-first
# Non-interactive
openspec schema init rapid \
--description "Rapid iteration workflow"\
--artifacts "proposal,tasks"\
--default
```
### Schema Structure
A schema defines the artifacts in your workflow and how they depend on each other:
```yaml
# openspec/schemas/my-workflow/schema.yaml
name:my-workflow
version:1
description:My team's custom workflow
artifacts:
- id:proposal
generates:proposal.md
description:Initial proposal document
template:proposal.md
instruction:|
Create a proposal that explains WHY this change is needed.
Focus on the problem, not the solution.
requires:[]
- id:design
generates:design.md
description:Technical design
template:design.md
instruction:|
Create a design document explaining HOW to implement.
requires:
- proposal # Can't create design until proposal exists
- id:tasks
generates:tasks.md
description:Implementation checklist
template:tasks.md
requires:
- design
apply:
requires:[tasks]
tracks:tasks.md
```
**Key fields:**
| Field | Purpose |
|-------|---------|
| `id` | Unique identifier, used in commands and rules |
| `generates` | Output filename (supports globs like `specs/**/*.md`) |
| `template` | Template file in `templates/` directory |
| `instruction` | AI instructions for creating this artifact |
| `requires` | Dependencies - which artifacts must exist first |
### Templates
Templates are markdown files that guide the AI. They're injected into the prompt when creating that artifact.
```markdown
<!-- templates/proposal.md -->
## Why
<!-- Explain the motivation for this change. What problem does this solve? -->
## What Changes
<!-- Describe what will change. Be specific about new capabilities or modifications. -->
## Impact
<!-- Affected code, APIs, dependencies, systems -->
```
Templates can include:
- Section headers the AI should fill in
- HTML comments with guidance for the AI
- Example formats showing expected structure
### Validate Your Schema
Before using a custom schema, validate it:
```bash
openspec schema validate my-workflow
```
This checks:
-`schema.yaml` syntax is correct
- All referenced templates exist
- No circular dependencies
- Artifact IDs are valid
### Use Your Custom Schema
Once created, use your schema with:
```bash
# Specify on command
openspec new change feature --schema my-workflow
# Or set as default in config.yaml
schema: my-workflow
```
### Debug Schema Resolution
Not sure which schema is being used? Check with:
```bash
# See where a specific schema resolves from
openspec schema which my-workflow
# List all available schemas
openspec schema which --all
```
Output shows whether it's from your project, user directory, or the package:
> **Note:** OpenSpec also supports user-level schemas at `~/.local/share/openspec/schemas/` for sharing across projects, but project-level schemas in `openspec/schemas/` are recommended since they're version-controlled with your code.
---
## Examples
### Rapid Iteration Workflow
A minimal workflow for quick iterations:
```yaml
# openspec/schemas/rapid/schema.yaml
name:rapid
version:1
description:Fast iteration with minimal overhead
artifacts:
- id:proposal
generates:proposal.md
description:Quick proposal
template:proposal.md
instruction:|
Create a brief proposal for this change.
Focus on what and why, skip detailed specs.
requires:[]
- id:tasks
generates:tasks.md
description:Implementation checklist
template:tasks.md
requires:[proposal]
apply:
requires:[tasks]
tracks:tasks.md
```
### Adding a Review Artifact
Fork the default and add a review step:
```bash
openspec schema fork spec-driven with-review
```
Then edit `schema.yaml` to add:
```yaml
- id:review
generates:review.md
description:Pre-implementation review checklist
template:review.md
instruction:|
Create a review checklist based on the design.
Include security, performance, and testing considerations.
requires:
- design
- id:tasks
# ... existing tasks config ...
requires:
- specs
- design
- review # Now tasks require review too
```
---
## Community Schemas
OpenSpec also supports community-maintained schemas distributed via standalone repositories. These provide opinionated workflows that integrate OpenSpec with other tools or systems, similar to how [github/spec-kit's community extension catalog](https://github.com/github/spec-kit/tree/main/extensions) works for spec-kit.
Community schemas are not vendored into OpenSpec core — they live in their own repositories with their own release cadence. To use one, copy the schema bundle into your project's `openspec/schemas/<schema-name>/` directory (each repo's README has install instructions).
**Every artifact in a change is just a Markdown file you can edit at any time.** There is no locked "planning phase," no approval gate, no special edit mode to enter. Want to change the proposal after you've started building? Open `proposal.md` and change it. Realized the design is wrong mid-implementation? Fix `design.md` and keep going. That's the whole answer, and it's by design.
This page is for the moment you think "wait, can I go back and change that?" Yes. Here's how, for each common case.
## Two ways to edit anything
You always have both:
1.**Edit the file directly.** Artifacts are plain Markdown in `openspec/changes/<name>/`. Open `proposal.md`, `design.md`, `tasks.md`, or a delta spec under `specs/` in your editor and change it. Nothing else is required.
2.**Ask your AI to revise it.** In chat, just say what you want: "Update the proposal to drop the caching idea and add a rate-limit section," or "the design should use a queue, not polling." The AI edits the artifact for you, using the rest of the change as context.
Use whichever fits the moment. Small wording tweak? Edit the file. Substantive rethink? Let the AI revise with full context.
## "How do I update the proposal (or specs) after I've started?"
Just update it. Same change, refined.
If you're using the expanded commands, the natural flow is: edit the artifact, then run `/opsx:continue` to pick up from the new state, or `/opsx:apply` to keep implementing against the updated plan. If you're on the default `core` commands, edit the artifact and run `/opsx:apply`; it reads the current files, so it builds against whatever the artifacts now say.
The mental model: artifacts are the live plan, not a signed contract. The AI always works from their current contents, so editing them steers the work.
```text
You: I want to change the approach in this change.
You: [edit design.md, or tell the AI:]
Update design.md to use a background job instead of a synchronous call.
AI: Updated design.md. The task list still fits; want me to continue applying?
You: /opsx:apply
```
This answers a very common question: there's no separate "update proposal" command because you don't need one. The file is the source of truth, and editing it (by hand or via the AI) is the update.
## "How do I go back to review after implementing?"
You don't have to "go back," because you never left. The workflow is fluid: review, edit, and implementation aren't sequential phases you're trapped in.
Concretely, after some `/opsx:apply` work:
- Want to re-examine the plan? Open the artifacts and read them, or run `openspec show <change>` in your terminal for a consolidated view.
- Found something to change? Edit the artifact (or ask the AI to), then continue.
- Want a structured check that the code matches the plan? Run `/opsx:verify` (expanded command). It reports completeness, correctness, and coherence without blocking anything. See [Workflows: Verify](workflows.md#verify-check-your-work).
There's no "review phase" to return to, because review is something you can do at any point, including after implementation.
## "I edited the code by hand. How do I reconcile that with OpenSpec?"
This happens constantly and it's fine. You tweaked something in your editor, and now the code and the artifacts disagree. Bring them back in sync in whichever direction is true:
- **The code is now correct, the spec is stale.** Update the delta spec (and tasks, if relevant) to describe the behavior you actually shipped. The spec should match reality before you archive, because archiving merges the spec into your source of truth.
- **The spec is correct, the code drifted.** Keep building or fixing until the code matches the spec.
A fast way to surface mismatches is `/opsx:verify`: it reads your artifacts and your code and tells you where they diverge. Treat its output as a to-do list for reconciliation, then archive once they agree.
The principle: at archive time, your specs become the truth of record. So before you archive, make the specs honest about what the code does. Manual edits are welcome; just don't let them quietly desync the spec.
## Refining a proposal you're not happy with
If a generated proposal misses the mark, you have three good moves:
- **Iterate in place.** Tell the AI what's off ("the scope is too broad, drop the admin features") and let it revise. Cheapest and usually right.
- **Explore first, then re-propose.** If the problem is that the idea itself is unclear, step back to `/opsx:explore`, think it through, and let a sharper proposal come out of that. See [Explore First](explore.md).
- **Start fresh.** If the intent has fundamentally changed, a new change can be clearer than patching the old one.
That last move has its own decision guide, next.
## When to update vs. start a new change
Short version: **update when it's the same work refined; start new when the intent fundamentally changed or the scope exploded into different work.**
- Same goal, better approach? Update.
- Scope narrowing (ship the MVP now, more later)? Update, then archive, then a new change for phase two.
- The problem itself changed ("add dark mode" became "build a full theming system")? New change.
There's a full flowchart and worked examples in [Workflows: When to Update vs Start Fresh](workflows.md#when-to-update-vs-start-fresh) and a deeper treatment in [OPSX: When to Update vs. Start Fresh](opsx.md#when-to-update-vs-start-fresh).
## A note on tasks
`tasks.md` is a living checklist, not a frozen plan. As you implement, you can add tasks you discover, remove ones that turned out unnecessary, or reorder them. The AI checks items off as it completes them during `/opsx:apply`, and it resumes from the first unchecked task if you come back later. Editing the list mid-flight is expected.
## Where to go next
- [Workflows](workflows.md) - patterns, plus the update-vs-new decision guide
- [Reviewing a Change](reviewing-changes.md) - the two-minute pass on a plan before you build it
- [Explore First](explore.md) - the place to step back to when an idea needs rethinking
- [Commands](commands.md) - `/opsx:continue`, `/opsx:apply`, and `/opsx:verify` in detail
- [Concepts: Artifacts](concepts.md#artifacts) - what each artifact is for
Real changes, start to finish. Each recipe shows the commands you'd type and what you'd see back, so you can match your situation to a pattern and copy it. These use the default **core** commands (`propose`, `explore`, `apply`, `sync`, `archive`); where the expanded set helps, it's noted.
A reminder before you start: slash commands like `/opsx:propose` go in your **AI assistant's chat**, and `openspec` commands go in your **terminal**. If that's new, read [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md) first. In the transcripts below, `You:` and `AI:` are the chat, and lines starting with `$` are the terminal.
> **Not sure what you're building yet?** Most of these recipes are sharper if you start with `/opsx:explore` to think it through first. [Recipe 3](#recipe-3-exploring-before-you-commit) shows it in action, and the [Explore First](explore.md) guide makes the full case.
## Recipe 1: A small feature, the fast path
**When to use it:** you know what you want, and it's a contained piece of work. This is the most common recipe.
The whole thing is three commands. Propose, build, archive.
```text
You: /opsx:propose add-logout-button
AI: Created openspec/changes/add-logout-button/
✓ proposal.md — why and what
✓ specs/ — the new requirement and its scenarios
✓ design.md — technical approach
✓ tasks.md — implementation checklist
Ready for implementation. Run /opsx:apply.
```
Now read the plan. Open the proposal and the delta spec. This is the moment OpenSpec is built for: catching a wrong assumption while it's still one paragraph, not 400 lines of code. Edit any artifact directly if something's off, then continue.
```text
You: /opsx:apply
AI: Working through tasks...
✓ 1.1 Add logout button to header
✓ 1.2 Clear session on click
✓ 1.3 Add confirmation dialog
All tasks complete!
You: /opsx:archive
AI: Archiving add-logout-button...
✓ Merged specs into openspec/specs/auth/spec.md
✓ Moved to openspec/changes/archive/2026-06-22-add-logout-button/
Done. Ready for the next change.
```
That's it. The logout behavior is now part of your specs, and the change is filed away with its full context.
## Recipe 2: A bug fix
**When to use it:** something is broken and you want the fix recorded as a deliberate change to behavior, not a mystery commit.
Bug fixes work exactly like features. The difference is in how you frame the proposal: describe the *correct* behavior, not just "fix the bug."
```text
You: /opsx:propose fix-login-redirect-loop
AI: Created openspec/changes/fix-login-redirect-loop/
The proposal captures the current broken behavior and the
intended behavior. The delta spec MODIFIES the redirect
requirement so it's now precise and testable.
Ready for implementation.
```
Because the fix lands as a `MODIFIED` requirement with a fresh scenario, the next person (or the next AI session) sees not just that you fixed it, but what "correct" means. Then `/opsx:apply` and `/opsx:archive` as usual.
Tip: for a fix, a good scenario is the regression test in prose. "GIVEN a logged-out user, WHEN they submit valid credentials, THEN they land on the dashboard and are not redirected again." Write that, and the implementation has a clear target.
## Recipe 3: Exploring before you commit
**When to use it:** you have a problem but not yet a plan. You're not sure what to build, or which approach is right.
Start with `/opsx:explore`. It's a thinking partner with no structure and no artifacts created. It reads your codebase and helps you decide.
```text
You: /opsx:explore
AI: What would you like to explore?
You: Page loads feel slow but I don't know where the time goes.
AI: Let me look... I found three likely culprits:
1. Large unoptimized images on the product list
2. Synchronous data fetching that blocks render
3. Re-renders triggered by context changes
Which should we tackle first?
You: The data fetching one.
You: /opsx:propose optimize-product-list-fetching
AI: Created the change, with a proposal informed by what we just
found. Ready for implementation.
```
Exploration clarifies your thinking *before* you spend a change on it. When the insight crystallizes, propose, and the AI carries the context forward.
## Recipe 4: Juggling two changes at once
**When to use it:** you're mid-feature and an urgent fix jumps the queue.
Changes are independent folders, so parallel work doesn't conflict. Start the fix, ship it, then return to the feature right where you left off.
```text
You: I'm partway through add-dark-mode, but I need to fix a login bug now.
You: /opsx:propose fix-login-redirect
AI: Created openspec/changes/fix-login-redirect/. Ready for implementation.
You: /opsx:apply
AI: Implemented the fix. All tasks complete.
You: /opsx:archive
AI: ✓ Archived fix-login-redirect.
You: Back to dark mode.
You: /opsx:apply add-dark-mode
AI: Resuming add-dark-mode. Picking up at task 2.3: Update Header...
```
Naming the change in `/opsx:apply add-dark-mode` is how you point the AI at a specific change when more than one is active. Because tasks track completion in `tasks.md`, the AI knows exactly where you stopped.
When several changes are done at once, the expanded `/opsx:bulk-archive` files them together and resolves spec conflicts by checking what's actually implemented. See [Workflows](workflows.md#parallel-changes).
## Recipe 5: A refactor with no behavior change
**When to use it:** you're restructuring code, and externally visible behavior should stay identical.
This is the interesting case, because a pure refactor has *nothing to add to your specs*. The behavior contract doesn't change; only the implementation does. So the work lives in the design and tasks, and the spec delta is empty or absent.
```text
You: /opsx:propose refactor-payment-module
AI: Created the change. The proposal states the goal (split the
payment module, no behavior change) and the design captures
the new structure. No spec changes, since behavior is identical.
Ready for implementation.
```
When you archive a change that doesn't touch specs, you can tell the terminal command to skip the spec step:
The same flag is handy for tooling, CI, and docs-only changes. The principle: specs describe behavior, so if behavior didn't change, the spec shouldn't either. See [Concepts](concepts.md#what-a-spec-is-and-is-not).
## Recipe 6: Step-by-step control (expanded commands)
**When to use it:** a complex or risky change where you want to review each artifact before moving on.
The core `/opsx:propose` drafts everything at once. When you'd rather go one step at a time, turn on the expanded commands:
```bash
$ openspec config profile # select the expanded workflows
$ openspec update # apply them to this project
```
Now you can scaffold and build incrementally:
```text
You: /opsx:new add-2fa
AI: Created openspec/changes/add-2fa/. Ready to create: proposal.
You: /opsx:continue
AI: Created proposal.md. Now available: specs, design.
You: /opsx:continue
AI: Created specs/auth/spec.md. Now available: design.
```
Review each artifact as it lands, edit freely, and continue when you're happy. When you want the rest drafted in one go, `/opsx:ff` fast-forwards through the remaining planning artifacts. Before archiving, `/opsx:verify` checks that the implementation actually matches the specs. See [Workflows](workflows.md#opsxff-vs-opsxcontinue).
## Recipe 7: Learning the whole loop hands-on
**When to use it:** you've installed OpenSpec and want to *feel* the workflow on your own code, not a toy example.
Turn on the expanded commands (see Recipe 6), then:
```text
You: /opsx:onboard
AI: Welcome to OpenSpec! I'll walk you through a complete change
using your actual codebase. Let me scan for a small, safe
improvement we can make together...
```
`/opsx:onboard` finds a real (small) improvement, creates a change for it, implements it, and archives it, narrating every step. It takes 15 to 30 minutes and leaves you with a real change you can keep or discard. It's the gentlest way to learn. See [Commands](commands.md#opsxonboard).
## Checking your work from the terminal
Any time, from your terminal, you can inspect the state of things:
```bash
$ openspec list # active changes
$ openspec show add-dark-mode # one change in detail
**You do not document your whole codebase to start. You write specs only for what you're about to change.** That's the single most important thing to know about adopting OpenSpec on an existing project, and it's why OpenSpec is built brownfield-first.
A common worry sounds like this: "My app is 80,000 lines old. Do I have to write specs for all of it before OpenSpec is useful?" No. You'd hate that, and so would we. OpenSpec grows your specs one change at a time. Your first change documents the slice it touches, the next change documents its slice, and over months your specs fill in naturally around the work you actually do.
This guide shows how to start on day one without boiling the ocean.
## The thirty-second version
```bash
$ cd your-existing-project
$ openspec init # adds openspec/ and your AI tool's commands
```
Then, in your AI chat:
```text
/opsx:explore # optional: have the AI read the area you'll touch
/opsx:propose <a real, small change you actually need>
/opsx:apply
/opsx:archive
```
Your specs now describe exactly the part of the system that change touched, and nothing more. That's correct. You're done worrying about the other 80,000 lines.
## Why delta-first is the whole trick
OpenSpec changes are written as **deltas**: `ADDED`, `MODIFIED`, `REMOVED`. A delta describes what's changing relative to current behavior, not the entire system.
This is exactly what brownfield work needs. You're rarely building from nothing. You're adding a field, fixing a redirect, tightening a timeout. A delta lets you specify that one change precisely without first writing a 40-page spec of everything around it.
So your `openspec/specs/` directory doesn't start full and complete. It starts nearly empty and accumulates. Each archived change merges its delta in. The spec for `auth/` becomes thorough only after you've made several auth changes, which is exactly when you want it thorough.
If you want the deeper mechanics, see [Concepts: Delta Specs](concepts.md#delta-specs).
## Your first change on a real codebase
Pick something small and real. Not a toy, not a rewrite. A change you were going to make this week anyway. Small first changes teach you the workflow with low stakes.
**Step 1: Let the AI read the relevant area.** This is where `/opsx:explore` earns its keep on an unfamiliar or large codebase. Point it at the part you're about to touch and let it map how things work before proposing anything.
```text
You: /opsx:explore
AI: What would you like to explore?
You: I need to add rate limiting to our public API, but I'm not sure
how requests currently flow through the middleware.
AI: Let me trace it... [reads the router, middleware stack, and config]
Requests hit Express, pass through auth middleware, then your
controllers. There's no rate-limiting layer today. The cleanest
insertion point is a middleware right after auth. Want me to scope it?
```
Notice the AI now understands your actual structure, so the proposal it writes will fit your code, not a generic template. On a big codebase, this single habit saves the most pain. See [Explore First](explore.md).
**Step 2: Propose the change.** The proposal and its delta spec capture just this change.
```text
You: /opsx:propose add-api-rate-limiting
```
**Step 3: Build and archive** with `/opsx:apply` and `/opsx:archive`, same as any change. After archiving, you have a real spec for your rate-limiting behavior, born from a change you needed anyway.
## Prefer a guided tour? Use onboard
If you'd rather watch the whole loop happen on your own code with narration, the expanded command `/opsx:onboard` does exactly that: it scans your codebase for a small, safe improvement, then walks you through proposing, building, and archiving it, explaining each step.
Turn on the expanded commands first:
```bash
$ openspec config profile # select the expanded workflows
$ openspec update # apply them to this project
```
Then in chat:
```text
/opsx:onboard
```
It's the gentlest possible introduction on a real project, and it leaves you with a genuine (small) change you can keep or discard. See [Commands: `/opsx:onboard`](commands.md#opsxonboard).
## "But I already have requirements docs"
Maybe you have a PRD, an SRS, a formal spec, even TLA+ models. Good. You don't import them wholesale, and you don't throw them away either.
Treat existing docs as **source material for exploration**, not as specs to convert. When you start a change, paste or point the AI at the relevant section, and let it shape a focused OpenSpec delta from it. The delta captures the behavior you're changing now, in OpenSpec's testable requirement-and-scenario form. Your original documents stay where they are as background.
The honest reason: OpenSpec specs are deliberately behavior-first and scoped to changes. A 40-page PRD is a different artifact with a different job. Forcing a one-time bulk conversion tends to produce a large, stale spec nobody trusts. Letting specs grow from real changes keeps them accurate.
```text
You: /opsx:explore
You: Here's the section of our PRD about checkout. I'm implementing the
"guest checkout" requirement next.
[paste the relevant requirement]
AI: [reads it, asks clarifying questions, then helps scope a change]
You: /opsx:propose add-guest-checkout
```
## Organizing specs in a big codebase
Specs live under `openspec/specs/`, grouped by **domain**: a logical area that matches how your team thinks about the system. You don't have to design the whole taxonomy up front. Create a domain folder when your first change in that area needs one.
Pick whatever makes a newcomer nod. You can refine later. See [Concepts: Specs](concepts.md#specs).
## Monorepos and work that spans repos
For a monorepo, the simplest model is one `openspec/` directory at the repo root, with domains that map to your packages or services. That covers most teams.
If your work genuinely spans **multiple repositories** (or several packages you treat as separate), OpenSpec has a beta **stores** feature: planning lives in its own standalone repo that any of your code repos can reference, so the plan does not have to live inside one repo's `openspec/` folder. It's beta, so treat its commands and state as evolving. Start with the [Stores User Guide](stores-beta/user-guide.md) for the mental model and the smallest useful path.
## A few honest cautions
- **Resist the urge to back-fill everything.** Writing specs for code you aren't changing feels productive and usually isn't. Those specs go stale, because nothing forces them to track reality. Let real changes drive your specs.
- **Keep early changes small.** Your first few changes are as much about learning the rhythm as shipping. A tight scope makes the loop fast and the lessons cheap.
- **Commit `openspec/` to git.** Your specs and archive belong in version control alongside the code they describe.
- **Give the AI context.** On a large codebase with strong conventions, fill in `openspec/config.yaml`'s `context:` so every proposal respects your stack and patterns. See [Customization](customization.md#project-configuration).
## Where to go next
- [Explore First](explore.md) - the key habit for understanding code before you change it
- [Getting Started](getting-started.md) - the full first-change walkthrough
- [Editing & Iterating on a Change](editing-changes.md) - adjusting a change as you learn
- [Concepts: Delta Specs](concepts.md#delta-specs) - why deltas make brownfield work clean
- [Customization](customization.md) - teach OpenSpec your project's conventions
**`/opsx:explore` is your thinking partner. Reach for it whenever you have a problem but not yet a plan.** It investigates your codebase, weighs options with you, and clarifies what you actually want, all before a single artifact or line of code is created. When the picture is clear, it hands off to `/opsx:propose`.
If you take one habit from these docs, take this one: **when you're not sure, explore before you propose.**
Here's why that matters. AI coding assistants are eager. Ask vaguely and they'll confidently build *something*, just maybe not the thing you needed. Explore is the cure. It's a no-stakes conversation where you and the AI figure out the right move together, so that by the time you propose, you're proposing the right thing.
## When to explore
Explore is the right first step more often than people expect. Use it when any of these is true:
- You know the *problem* but not the *solution*. ("Pages feel slow." "Auth is a mess." "We keep getting duplicate orders.")
- You're choosing between approaches and want the tradeoffs laid out against your actual code.
- You're new to a codebase and need to understand how something works before you change it.
- The requirements are fuzzy and you want to sharpen them before committing.
- You suspect the work is bigger or smaller than it looks and want to scope it honestly.
Skip explore only when you already know exactly what you want and how. In that case go straight to [`/opsx:propose`](commands.md#opsxpropose).
## What it does (and doesn't)
Explore is a **conversation**, not a generator.
**It does:**
- Read and search your codebase to answer real questions.
- Compare options and name the tradeoffs of each.
- Draw diagrams to make a design legible.
- Help you narrow a vague idea into a concrete, buildable scope.
- Transition to `/opsx:propose` when you're ready.
**It does not:**
- Create a change folder.
- Write any artifacts (no proposal, specs, design, or tasks).
- Write or modify code.
That's the point. Exploring costs you nothing and commits you to nothing. You can explore three dead ends, learn something from each, and only then propose the path that survived.
## It's already installed
Good news: `/opsx:explore` ships in the default **core** profile, right alongside `propose`, `apply`, `sync`, and `archive`. You don't need to enable anything. If OpenSpec is set up in your project, explore is ready in your AI chat. (As with all `/opsx:*` commands, you type it in your assistant's chat, not the terminal. See [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md).)
## A full example
Watch how a vague worry becomes a sharp, buildable change.
```text
You: /opsx:explore
AI: What would you like to explore?
You: Our checkout sometimes creates duplicate orders. I don't know why
and I don't know how to fix it safely.
AI: Let me dig into the checkout path...
[reads the order service, the payment webhook handler, and the
client submit logic]
Here's what I found. There are two ways a duplicate can happen:
1. The client can submit twice (double-click, retry on slow network).
Nothing debounces it.
2. The payment webhook can fire more than once, and the handler
creates an order each time. There's no idempotency key.
Cause #2 is the dangerous one: it can charge and fulfill twice.
Three ways to fix it, roughly in order of robustness:
- Idempotency key on the order-creation endpoint (handles both causes)
- Dedup on the webhook by payment-intent id (handles #2 only)
- Client-side debounce (handles #1 only, papers over the real bug)
Given your code already stores the payment-intent id, the
idempotency-key approach is a small change with the biggest payoff.
Want me to scope that?
You: Yes, let's do the idempotency key.
You: /opsx:propose add-order-idempotency-key
AI: Created openspec/changes/add-order-idempotency-key/, with a proposal
and delta spec grounded in what we just found. Ready for implementation.
```
Notice what happened. The starting point was "something is wrong and I'm scared to touch it." Twenty seconds of exploration turned that into a named root cause, three ranked options, a recommendation tied to the existing code, and a precise change. The proposal that follows is sharp because the thinking happened first.
## Handing off to propose
Explore doesn't archive into anything. When you're ready, you simply start a change, and the AI carries the context from your conversation into the artifacts.
```text
explore ──► propose ──► apply ──► archive
(think) (agree) (build) (record)
```
You can say it in plain language ("let's turn this into a change") or run `/opsx:propose <name>` directly. Either way, the exploration you just did becomes the foundation of the proposal, not throwaway chat.
If you use the expanded command set, explore can hand off to `/opsx:new` instead, for step-by-step artifact creation. See [Workflows](workflows.md).
## Tips for a good exploration
- **Bring the problem, not the solution.** "Logins feel slow" gives the AI room to investigate. "Add a Redis cache" pre-commits you to an answer you haven't tested yet.
- **Ask for the tradeoffs out loud.** "What are the downsides of each option?" gets you a more honest comparison.
- **Let it read first.** The best explorations start with the AI actually looking at your code, not guessing. Point it at the relevant area if it helps.
- **It's okay to bail.** If exploration reveals the idea isn't worth it, that's a win. You learned it cheaply.
- **Explore again mid-change.** Stuck during `/opsx:apply`? You can step back and explore a sub-problem, then return.
## The honest tradeoffs
**What you gain:** explore catches wrong turns at the cheapest possible moment, before any artifact exists. It's especially powerful in unfamiliar code, where the AI's ability to read and summarize the system saves you an afternoon of spelunking.
**What it costs:** a little patience. Explore is a conversation, so it's slower than firing off `/opsx:propose` and hoping. For work you genuinely understand already, that extra step is pure overhead, and you should skip it.
The rule of thumb: the fuzzier the task, the more explore pays off. The clearer the task, the more you can skip straight to proposing.
## Where to go next
- [Commands: `/opsx:explore`](commands.md#opsxexplore): the precise reference
- [Workflows](workflows.md): explore as part of the everyday loop
- [Examples & Recipes](examples.md#recipe-3-exploring-before-you-commit): explore in a full walkthrough
- [Getting Started](getting-started.md): the first-change guide, exploration included
Quick answers to the questions people ask most. If your question is really a "something is broken" question, [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting.md) is the better page. If you want a term defined, see the [Glossary](glossary.md).
## The basics
### What is OpenSpec, in one sentence?
A lightweight layer that gets you and your AI coding assistant to agree on what to build, in writing, before any code is written.
### Why would I want that?
Because AI assistants are confident even when they're wrong. When the requirements live only in a chat thread, the AI fills gaps with guesses, and you find out after the code exists. OpenSpec moves the agreement earlier, where mistakes are cheap to fix. See [Core Concepts at a Glance](overview.md) for the full case.
### Do I have to use it for everything?
No. Use it where agreement matters, which is most non-trivial work. For a one-character typo fix, the ceremony probably isn't worth it, and that's fine.
### Can I use it on a big existing codebase, or only new projects?
Existing codebases are the main event. OpenSpec is brownfield-first: you do not document your whole app up front. You write specs only for what each change touches, and your specs fill in over time around the work you actually do. There's a dedicated guide: [Using OpenSpec in an Existing Project](existing-projects.md).
### Is it tied to one AI tool?
No. OpenSpec works with 25+ assistants, including Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Codex, and more. The full list and per-tool details are in [Supported Tools](supported-tools.md).
## Running commands
### Where do I type `/opsx:propose`?
In your AI assistant's chat, not your terminal. This is the single most common point of confusion, so it has its own page: [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md). Short version: `openspec ...` runs in the terminal, `/opsx:...` runs in chat.
### How do I "start interactive mode"?
There isn't a separate mode to start. You open your AI assistant like normal and type a slash command into its chat. The slash command is how you "enter" OpenSpec. (The one genuinely interactive terminal feature is `openspec view`, a dashboard for browsing specs and changes.) Full explanation in [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md).
### I typed a slash command and nothing happened. Why?
Most likely you typed it in the terminal instead of your AI chat, or the commands aren't installed yet. Run `openspec update` in your project, restart your assistant, then try typing `/opsx` in chat and watch for autocomplete. [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting.md#commands-dont-show-up) has the full checklist.
### Why is the syntax `/opsx:propose` in one tool and `/opsx-propose` in another?
Each AI tool surfaces custom commands a little differently. The intent is identical; only the punctuation changes. Type a slash in your chat and the autocomplete shows you the form your tool expects. The per-tool table is in [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md#slash-command-syntax-by-tool).
### What's the difference between a skill and a command?
Both are files OpenSpec writes so your assistant can run the workflow. Skills (`.../skills/openspec-*/SKILL.md`) are the newer cross-tool standard; commands (`.../commands/opsx-*`) are the older per-tool slash files. You don't need to pick. You just type the slash command, and OpenSpec installs whichever your tool uses.
## The workflow
### Where should I start if I'm not sure what to build?
With `/opsx:explore`. It's a no-stakes thinking partner that reads your codebase, lays out options, and turns a fuzzy problem into a concrete plan, all before any change or code exists. It's in the default profile, so it's always available. When the plan is clear, it hands off to `/opsx:propose`. This is the single best habit to form, because it stops an eager AI from confidently building the wrong thing. See [Explore First](explore.md).
### What's the simplest possible flow?
```text
/opsx:explore (optional) then /opsx:propose <what you want> then /opsx:apply then /opsx:archive
```
Explore to think it through, propose to draft the plan, apply to build it, archive to file it away. Skip explore when you already know exactly what you want.
### What's the difference between `/opsx:propose` and `/opsx:new`?
`/opsx:propose` is the default one-step command: it creates the change and drafts all the planning artifacts at once. `/opsx:new` is part of the expanded command set and only scaffolds an empty change, leaving you to create artifacts one at a time with `/opsx:continue` (or all at once with `/opsx:ff`). Use propose unless you want step-by-step control. See [Commands](commands.md).
### What are `core` and expanded profiles?
A profile decides which slash commands get installed. **Core** (the default) gives you `propose`, `explore`, `apply`, `sync`, `archive`. The **expanded** set adds `new`, `continue`, `ff`, `verify`, `bulk-archive`, and `onboard` for finer control. Switch with `openspec config profile`, then apply with `openspec update`.
### Do I need to run `/opsx:sync`?
Usually not. Sync merges a change's delta specs into your main specs, and `/opsx:archive` will offer to do it for you. Run sync manually only when you want the specs merged before archiving, for example on a long-running change. See [Commands](commands.md#opsxsync).
### How do I edit a proposal, spec, or task after I've started?
Just edit the file. Every artifact is plain Markdown in `openspec/changes/<name>/`, and there's no locked phase or special edit mode. Change it by hand, or ask your AI to revise it ("update the design to use a queue"), then keep going. The AI always works from the current file contents. Full guide: [Editing & Iterating on a Change](editing-changes.md).
### Can I go back and change the plan after implementing some of it?
Yes, at any time. The workflow is fluid, so review and editing aren't phases you get locked out of. Edit the artifact, then continue. If you want a structured check that the code still matches the plan, run `/opsx:verify`. See [Editing & Iterating on a Change](editing-changes.md#how-do-i-go-back-to-review-after-implementing).
### I edited the code by hand. How do I reconcile it with the spec?
Bring them back in sync before you archive, since archiving makes your specs the record of truth. If the code is now correct, update the delta spec to match what you shipped; if the spec is correct, keep building until the code agrees. `/opsx:verify` surfaces the mismatches. See [Editing & Iterating on a Change](editing-changes.md#i-edited-the-code-by-hand-how-do-i-reconcile-that-with-openspec).
### When should I update an existing change versus start a new one?
Update when it's the same work, refined. Start fresh when the intent fundamentally changed or the scope exploded into different work. There's a decision flowchart and examples in [Workflows](workflows.md#when-to-update-vs-start-fresh).
### What if my session runs out of context, or requirements change mid-implementation?
This is where specs earn their keep. Because the plan lives in files (not only in chat history), you can clear your context, start a fresh AI session, and pick up with `/opsx:apply`; it reads the artifacts and resumes from the first unchecked task. If requirements change, edit the artifacts to match the new reality and continue. Keeping a clean context window also produces better results; clear it before implementation.
### Should I commit the `openspec/` folder to git?
Yes. Your specs, active changes, and archive are part of your project's history. Commit them like any other source. The archive in particular becomes a durable record of why your system works the way it does.
## Specs and changes
### What goes in a spec versus a design?
A spec describes observable behavior: what the system does, its inputs, outputs, and error conditions. A design describes how you'll build it: the technical approach, architecture decisions, file changes. If implementation could change without changing externally visible behavior, it belongs in the design, not the spec. [Concepts](concepts.md#what-a-spec-is-and-is-not) goes deeper.
### What's a delta spec?
A spec that describes only what's changing, using `ADDED`, `MODIFIED`, and `REMOVED` sections, rather than restating the whole spec. It's how OpenSpec handles edits to existing systems cleanly. See [Concepts](concepts.md#delta-specs).
### Where do archived changes go?
To `openspec/changes/archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<name>/`, with all artifacts preserved. Nothing is deleted; the change just moves out of your active list.
## Configuration and customization
### How do I tell the AI about my tech stack?
Put it in `openspec/config.yaml` under `context:`. That text is injected into every planning request, so the AI always knows your stack and conventions. See [Customization](customization.md#project-configuration).
### Can I generate specs in a language other than English?
Yes. Add a language instruction to your config's `context:`. [Multi-Language](multi-language.md) has copy-paste snippets for several languages.
### Can I change the workflow itself?
Yes, with custom schemas. A schema defines which artifacts exist and how they depend on each other. Fork the default with `openspec schema fork spec-driven my-workflow`, then edit it. See [Customization](customization.md#custom-schemas).
## Models, privacy, and upgrades
### Which AI model should I use?
OpenSpec works best with high-reasoning models. The README recommends models like Codex 5.5 and Opus 4.7 for both planning and implementation. Also keep your context window clean: clear it before implementation for best results.
### Does OpenSpec collect data?
It collects anonymous usage stats: command names and version only. No arguments, paths, content, or personal data, and it's off automatically in CI. Opt out with `export OPENSPEC_TELEMETRY=0` or `export DO_NOT_TRACK=1`.
### How do I upgrade?
Two steps. Upgrade the package (`npm install -g @fission-ai/openspec@latest`), then run `openspec update` inside each project to refresh the generated skills and commands.
### How do I uninstall OpenSpec?
There's no uninstall command, because it's just a global package plus files in your project. Remove the package (`npm uninstall -g @fission-ai/openspec`), and optionally delete the `openspec/` directory and the generated tool files. Step-by-step, including what's safe to keep, is in [Installation: Uninstalling](installation.md#uninstalling).
This guide explains how OpenSpec works after you've installed and initialized it. For installation instructions, see the [main README](../README.md#quick-start) or the [Installation guide](installation.md). New to the whole docs set? The [documentation home](README.md) maps everything.
> **Where do I type these commands?** Two places, and mixing them up is the most common early stumble.
>
> - `openspec ...` commands (like `openspec init`) run in your **terminal**.
> - `/opsx:...` commands (like `/opsx:propose`) run in your **AI assistant's chat**, the same box where you'd ask it to write code.
>
> There's no separate "interactive mode" to start. You just type the slash command in chat and your assistant takes it from there. Full explanation: [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md).
## Your First Five Minutes
The whole loop, with each step labeled by where it happens:
AI CHAT /opsx:explore (optional: think it through first)
AI CHAT /opsx:propose add-dark-mode (AI drafts the plan; you review it)
AI CHAT /opsx:apply (AI builds it)
AI CHAT /opsx:archive (specs updated, change filed away)
```
Two terminal steps to set up, then you live in chat. The rest of this guide unpacks what each step does and what you'll see.
> **Not sure what to build yet? Start with `/opsx:explore`.** It's a no-stakes thinking partner that reads your codebase, weighs options, and sharpens a fuzzy idea into a concrete plan, all before any artifact or code exists. When the picture is clear, it hands off to `/opsx:propose`. This is the single best habit for working with an AI that will otherwise confidently build the wrong thing. See the [Explore guide](explore.md).
## How It Works
OpenSpec helps you and your AI coding assistant agree on what to build before any code is written.
Start with `/opsx:explore` when you're figuring out what to do, or jump straight to `/opsx:propose` when you already know. Explore is in the default profile, so it's always there when you want it.
The default global profile is `core`, which includes `propose`, `explore`, `apply`, `sync`, and `archive`. You can enable the expanded workflow commands with `openspec config profile` and then `openspec update`.
## What OpenSpec Creates
After running `openspec init`, your project has this structure:
```
openspec/
├── specs/ # Source of truth (your system's behavior)
│ └── <domain>/
│ └── spec.md
├── changes/ # Proposed updates (one folder per change)
- **`specs/`** - The source of truth. These specs describe how your system currently behaves. Organized by domain (e.g., `specs/auth/`, `specs/payments/`).
- **`changes/`** - Proposed modifications. Each change gets its own folder with all related artifacts. When a change is complete, its specs merge into the main `specs/` directory.
## Understanding Artifacts
Each change folder contains artifacts that guide the work:
| Artifact | Purpose |
|----------|---------|
| `proposal.md` | The "why" and "what" - captures intent, scope, and approach |
Every OpenSpec term in one place, defined in plain language. Skim it once and the rest of the docs read faster.
Terms are grouped by topic, then alphabetized within each group.
## The core nouns
**Spec.** A document describing how part of your system behaves. Specs live in `openspec/specs/`, are organized by domain, and are made of requirements and scenarios. The spec is the agreed-upon answer to "what does this software do?" See [Concepts](concepts.md#specs).
**Source of truth.** The `openspec/specs/` directory as a whole. It holds the current, agreed-upon behavior of your system. Changes propose edits to it; archiving applies them.
**Change.** One unit of work, packaged as a folder under `openspec/changes/<name>/`. A change holds everything about that work: its proposal, design, tasks, and the spec edits it introduces. One change, one feature or fix.
**Artifact.** A document inside a change. The standard artifacts are the proposal, the delta specs, the design, and the tasks. They're created in dependency order and feed into each other.
**Delta spec.** A spec inside a change that describes only what's changing, using `ADDED`, `MODIFIED`, and `REMOVED` sections, rather than restating the entire spec. This is what lets OpenSpec edit existing systems cleanly. See [Concepts](concepts.md#delta-specs).
**Domain.** A logical grouping for specs, like `auth/`, `payments/`, or `ui/`. You choose domains that match how you think about your system.
## Inside a spec
**Requirement.** A single behavior the system must have, usually written with an RFC 2119 keyword: "The system SHALL expire sessions after 30 minutes." Requirements state the *what*, not the *how*.
**Scenario.** A concrete, testable example of a requirement in action, typically in Given/When/Then form. Scenarios make a requirement verifiable: you could write an automated test from one.
**RFC 2119 keywords.** The words MUST, SHALL, SHOULD, and MAY, which carry standardized meaning about how strict a requirement is. MUST and SHALL are absolute. SHOULD is recommended with room for exceptions. MAY is optional. The name comes from the internet standards document that defined them.
## The artifacts
**Proposal (`proposal.md`).** The *why* and *what* of a change: its intent, scope, and high-level approach. The first artifact you create.
**Design (`design.md`).** The *how*: technical approach, architecture decisions, and the files you expect to touch. Optional for simple changes.
**Tasks (`tasks.md`).** The implementation checklist, with checkboxes. The AI works through it during `/opsx:apply` and checks items off as it goes.
## The lifecycle
**Archive.** The act of finishing a change. Its delta specs merge into the main specs, and the change folder moves to `openspec/changes/archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<name>/`. After archiving, your specs describe the new reality. See [Concepts](concepts.md#archive).
**Sync.** Merging a change's delta specs into the main specs *without* archiving the change. Usually automatic (archive offers to do it), but available on its own as `/opsx:sync` for long-running changes. See [Commands](commands.md#opsxsync).
## Workflow and commands
**OPSX.** The current standard OpenSpec workflow, built around fluid actions instead of rigid phases. Its slash commands all start with `/opsx:`. See [OPSX Workflow](opsx.md).
**Slash command.** A command you type into your AI assistant's chat, like `/opsx:propose`. Slash commands drive the workflow. They are not terminal commands. See [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md).
**Explore (`/opsx:explore`).** The thinking-partner command. It reads your codebase, compares options, and clarifies a fuzzy idea into a concrete plan, creating no artifacts and writing no code. The recommended starting point whenever you have a problem but not yet a plan. See [Explore First](explore.md).
**CLI.** The `openspec` program you run in your terminal. It sets up projects, lists and validates changes, opens the dashboard, and archives. The terminal half of OpenSpec. See [CLI](cli.md).
**Skill.** A folder of instructions (`.../skills/openspec-*/SKILL.md`) that your AI assistant auto-detects and follows. Skills are the emerging cross-tool standard for delivering the OpenSpec workflow to your assistant.
**Command file.** A per-tool slash command file (`.../commands/opsx-*`). The older delivery mechanism, still supported alongside skills. You rarely touch these directly.
**Profile.** The set of slash commands installed in your project. **Core** (the default) is `propose`, `explore`, `apply`, `sync`, `archive`. The **expanded** set adds `new`, `continue`, `ff`, `verify`, `bulk-archive`, `onboard`. Change it with `openspec config profile`.
**Delivery.** Whether OpenSpec installs skills, command files, or both for your tools. Configured globally and applied with `openspec update`.
## Customization
**Schema.** The definition of which artifacts a workflow has and how they depend on one another. The built-in default is `spec-driven` (proposal → specs → design → tasks). You can fork it or write your own. See [Customization](customization.md#custom-schemas).
**Template.** A Markdown file inside a schema that shapes what the AI generates for a given artifact. Editing a template changes the AI's output immediately, with no rebuild.
**Project config (`openspec/config.yaml`).** Per-project settings: the default schema, the `context:` injected into every planning request, and per-artifact `rules:`. The easiest way to teach OpenSpec about your stack and conventions. See [Customization](customization.md#project-configuration).
**Context injection.** Putting project background in `config.yaml`'s `context:` field so it's automatically added to every artifact the AI generates. More reliable than hoping the AI reads a separate file.
**Dependency graph.** The directed graph formed by artifact `requires:` relationships. It's a DAG (directed acyclic graph: arrows only point forward, never in a loop), and OpenSpec uses it to know what you can create next.
**Enablers, not gates.** The principle that artifact dependencies show what becomes *possible* next, not what's *required* next. You can revisit and edit any artifact at any time. See [Core Concepts at a Glance](overview.md#enablers-not-gates).
## Coordination across repos (beta)
These terms apply only if your planning spans more than one repo. They're in beta. Most users can ignore them. See the [Stores User Guide](stores-beta/user-guide.md).
**Store.** A standalone repo whose whole job is planning. It has the same `openspec/` shape you already know (specs and changes) plus a small identity file. You register it on your machine once, by name, and then any OpenSpec command can work in it from anywhere.
**Reference.** A declaration, in a code repo's `openspec/config.yaml`, of a store that repo draws on. References are read-only: the repo keeps its own root, and `openspec instructions` gains an index of the referenced store's specs, each with the exact command to fetch it.
**Working context.** What `openspec context` assembles for the current repo: its OpenSpec root plus every store it references, each with how to fetch it. The answer to "what am I working with?"
**Workset.** A personal, machine-local set of folders you open together (a store alongside the code repos you work on). Created explicitly with `openspec workset create`; nothing about those local paths is committed to the shared planning repo.
## See also
- [Core Concepts at a Glance](overview.md): the five ideas, on one page
- [Concepts](concepts.md): the long-form explanation
- [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md): slash commands versus the CLI
**The one thing to know: OpenSpec has two kinds of commands, and they run in two different places.**
-`openspec ...` commands run in your **terminal**. (Example: `openspec init`.)
-`/opsx:...` commands run in your **AI assistant's chat**. (Example: `/opsx:propose`.)
If you ever type `/opsx:propose` into your terminal and nothing happens, this page is why. You are talking to the wrong half of OpenSpec. Slash commands are not terminal commands. They are instructions you give to your AI coding assistant, in the same chat box where you'd normally type "add a login form."
That single distinction is the most common stumbling block for new users, so let's make it crystal clear.
## The two halves
OpenSpec is one project wearing two hats.
**The CLI (terminal half).** A program named `openspec` that you install and run from your shell. It sets up your project, lists and validates changes, shows a dashboard, and archives finished work. You type these into iTerm, the VS Code terminal, PowerShell, anywhere you'd run `git` or `npm`.
```bash
openspec init # set up OpenSpec in this project
openspec list # see active changes
openspec view # open the interactive dashboard
```
**The slash commands (chat half).** Short commands like `/opsx:propose` and `/opsx:apply` that you type into your AI assistant. These tell the AI to follow the OpenSpec workflow: draft a proposal, write specs, build from the task list, archive when done. You type these into Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Copilot, or whichever assistant you use.
```text
/opsx:propose add-dark-mode (typed in your AI chat)
Notice the arrow. Running `openspec init` in your terminal is what *installs* the slash commands into your AI tool. The terminal half sets up the chat half. After that, day-to-day driving mostly happens in chat.
## "How do I start interactive mode?"
**There is no separate interactive mode to start.** This question comes up a lot, so it deserves a plain answer.
You don't enter a special OpenSpec mode. You just open your AI coding assistant like you always do, and type a slash command into the chat. The slash command *is* how you "enter" OpenSpec. Your assistant recognizes it, loads the matching OpenSpec skill, and starts following the workflow.
So the real instructions are:
1. Open your AI coding assistant (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and so on) in your project.
2. Type `/opsx:propose` in its chat, the same place you type any other request.
3. Watch the autocomplete: if OpenSpec is installed, you'll see `/opsx:propose`, `/opsx:apply`, and friends appear as you type the slash.
That's it. No mode to toggle, no daemon to launch, no separate window.
One thing that *is* genuinely interactive lives in the terminal: `openspec view`. It opens a dashboard for browsing your specs and changes. But that's a viewer, not the thing you propose and build with. The building happens through slash commands in chat.
## Why this split exists
It's worth understanding, because it explains why OpenSpec works with 25+ different AI tools.
The CLI is the **engine**. It knows the rules: what a change folder looks like, which artifacts depend on which, how to merge a delta spec into your source of truth. It's the same everywhere.
The slash commands are the **steering wheel**, and every AI tool has a slightly different one. Claude Code calls them commands. Cursor and Windsurf have their own formats. Some tools call them skills. When you run `openspec init`, OpenSpec generates the right kind of file for each tool you selected, so the same `/opsx:propose` intent works no matter which assistant you prefer.
The strength of this design: you learn the workflow once and carry it across tools. The tradeoff: the exact syntax of a command can differ slightly between tools, which is the next section.
## Slash command syntax by tool
The intent is identical everywhere. The punctuation differs. Use the form that matches your assistant.
| Kimi CLI | skill-style, e.g. `/skill:openspec-propose` |
| Trae | `/opsx-propose`, `/opsx-apply` |
Most tools use either the colon form (`/opsx:propose`) or the dash form (`/opsx-propose`). A few tools surface OpenSpec as named skills instead of slash commands; for those you invoke the skill by name. The full per-tool list, including exactly which files get written where, lives in [Supported Tools](supported-tools.md).
When in doubt, type a slash in your AI chat and look at the autocomplete. Your tool will show you the form it expects.
## How the commands got there: skills and commands
When you run `openspec init` (or `openspec update`), OpenSpec writes small files into your project so your AI tool can find the workflow. Depending on your tool and settings, these are **skills**, **commands**, or both.
- **Skills** live in places like `.claude/skills/openspec-*/SKILL.md`. They're the emerging cross-tool standard: a folder of instructions your assistant auto-detects.
- **Commands** live in places like `.claude/commands/opsx/<id>.md`. They're the older per-tool slash command files.
You don't have to care which one your tool uses. You just type the slash command and it works. But knowing these files exist helps when something goes wrong: if your commands vanish, it usually means these files are missing or stale, and `openspec update` regenerates them.
See [Supported Tools](supported-tools.md) for the exact paths per tool, and [Migration Guide](migration-guide.md) for how skills replaced the older command-only approach.
## Confirming it's installed
Quick checks, fastest first:
1.**Type a slash in your AI chat.** Start typing `/opsx` and watch for autocomplete suggestions. If they appear, you're set.
2.**Look for the files.** For Claude Code, check that `.claude/skills/` contains `openspec-*` folders. Other tools use their own directories ([Supported Tools](supported-tools.md) lists them).
3.**Re-run setup.** From your project root, run `openspec update`. This regenerates the skill and command files for whatever tools you configured.
4.**Restart your assistant.** Many tools scan for skills and commands at startup, so a fresh window can be the missing step.
## Which commands do I even have?
By default, OpenSpec installs the **core** set of slash commands:
-`/opsx:explore`: think through an idea with the AI before committing to a change (great first step when you're unsure)
-`/opsx:propose`: create a change and draft all its planning artifacts in one step
-`/opsx:apply`: build the change by working through its task list
-`/opsx:sync`: merge a change's spec updates into your main specs (usually automatic)
-`/opsx:archive`: finish a change and file it away
A good default rhythm: `explore` when you're figuring out what to do, then `propose`, `apply`, `archive`. The [Explore First](explore.md) guide explains why that opening step pays off.
There's also an **expanded** set for people who want finer control (`/opsx:new`, `/opsx:continue`, `/opsx:ff`, `/opsx:verify`, `/opsx:bulk-archive`, `/opsx:onboard`). You turn it on with `openspec config profile`, then apply it with `openspec update`.
New to all of this? `/opsx:onboard` (in the expanded set) walks you through a complete change on your own codebase, narrating each step. It's the friendliest possible introduction.
For what each command does in detail, see [Commands](commands.md). For when to reach for which, see [Workflows](workflows.md).
## A clean first run
Putting it together, here is the whole sequence with each step labeled by where it happens.
Upgrade the package, then refresh each project's generated files:
```bash
npm install -g @fission-ai/openspec@latest # or pnpm/yarn/bun equivalent
openspec update # run inside each project
```
`openspec update` regenerates the skill and command files for the tools you've configured, so your slash commands stay current with the installed version.
## Uninstalling
There's no `openspec uninstall` command, because OpenSpec is just a global package plus some files in your project. Removing it is a few manual steps, and nothing here touches your source code.
**1. Remove the global package:**
```bash
npm uninstall -g @fission-ai/openspec # or: pnpm rm -g / yarn global remove / bun rm -g
```
**2. Remove OpenSpec from a project (optional).** Delete the `openspec/` directory if you no longer want its specs and changes:
```bash
rm -rf openspec/
```
Think before you do this: `openspec/specs/` and `openspec/changes/archive/` are your record of how the system behaves and why it changed. If you might want that history, keep the folder (or keep it in git) even after uninstalling.
**3. Remove generated AI tool files (optional).** OpenSpec writes skill and command files into per-tool directories like `.claude/skills/openspec-*/`, `.cursor/commands/opsx-*`, and so on. Delete the `openspec-*` skills and `opsx-*` commands for whichever tools you configured. The exact paths per tool are listed in [Supported Tools](supported-tools.md).
If you also have OpenSpec marker blocks in files like `CLAUDE.md` or `AGENTS.md`, remove those blocks by hand; your own content in those files is yours to keep.
## Next Steps
After installing, initialize OpenSpec in your project:
```bash
cd your-project
openspec init
```
See [Getting Started](getting-started.md) for a full walkthrough.
This guide helps you transition from the legacy OpenSpec workflow to OPSX. The migration is designed to be smooth—your existing work is preserved, and the new system offers more flexibility.
## What's Changing?
OPSX replaces the old phase-locked workflow with a fluid, action-based approach. Here's the key shift:
| OpenSpec markers in `CLAUDE.md`, `AGENTS.md`, etc. | No longer needed |
**Legacy command locations by tool** (examples—your tool may vary):
- Claude Code: `.claude/commands/openspec/`
- Cursor: `.cursor/commands/openspec-*.md`
- Windsurf: `.windsurf/workflows/openspec-*.md`
- Cline: `.clinerules/workflows/openspec-*.md`
- Roo: `.roo/commands/openspec-*.md`
- GitHub Copilot: `.github/prompts/openspec-*.prompt.md` (IDE extensions only; not supported in Copilot CLI)
- And others (Augment, Continue, Amazon Q, etc.)
The migration detects whichever tools you have configured and cleans up their legacy files.
The removal list may seem long, but these are all files that OpenSpec originally created. Your own content is never deleted.
### What Needs Your Attention
One file requires manual migration:
**`openspec/project.md`** — This file isn't deleted automatically because it may contain project context you've written. You'll need to:
1. Review its contents
2. Move useful context to `openspec/config.yaml` (see guidance below)
3. Delete the file when ready
**Why we made this change:**
The old `project.md` was passive—agents might read it, might not, might forget what they read. We found reliability was inconsistent.
The new `config.yaml` context is **actively injected into every OpenSpec planning request**. This means your project conventions, tech stack, and rules are always present when the AI is creating artifacts. Higher reliability.
**The tradeoff:**
Because context is injected into every request, you'll want to be concise. Focus on what really matters:
- Tech stack and key conventions
- Non-obvious constraints the AI needs to know
- Rules that frequently got ignored before
Don't worry about getting it perfect. We're still learning what works best here, and we'll be improving how context injection works as we experiment.
---
## Running the Migration
Both `openspec init` and `openspec update` detect legacy files and guide you through the same cleanup process. Use whichever fits your situation:
- New installs default to profile `core` (`propose`, `explore`, `apply`, `sync`, `archive`).
- Migrated installs preserve your previously installed workflows by writing a `custom` profile when needed.
### Using `openspec init`
Run this if you want to add new tools or reconfigure which tools are set up:
```bash
openspec init
```
The init command detects legacy files and guides you through cleanup:
```
Upgrading to the new OpenSpec
OpenSpec now uses agent skills, the emerging standard across coding
agents. This simplifies your setup while keeping everything working
as before.
Files to remove
No user content to preserve:
• .claude/commands/openspec/
• openspec/AGENTS.md
Files to update
OpenSpec markers will be removed, your content preserved:
• CLAUDE.md
• AGENTS.md
Needs your attention
• openspec/project.md
We won't delete this file. It may contain useful project context.
The new openspec/config.yaml has a "context:" section for planning
context. This is included in every OpenSpec request and works more
reliably than the old project.md approach.
Review project.md, move any useful content to config.yaml's context
section, then delete the file when ready.
? Upgrade and clean up legacy files? (Y/n)
```
**What happens when you say yes:**
1. Legacy slash command directories are removed
2. OpenSpec markers are stripped from `CLAUDE.md`, `AGENTS.md`, etc. (your content stays)
3.`openspec/AGENTS.md` is deleted
4. New skills are installed in `.claude/skills/`
5.`openspec/config.yaml` is created with a default schema
### Using `openspec update`
Run this if you just want to migrate and refresh your existing tools to the latest version:
```bash
openspec update
```
The update command also detects and cleans up legacy artifacts, then refreshes generated skills/commands to match your current profile and delivery settings.
### Non-Interactive / CI Environments
For scripted migrations:
```bash
openspec init --force --tools claude
```
The `--force` flag skips prompts and auto-accepts cleanup.
---
## Migrating project.md to config.yaml
The old `openspec/project.md` was a freeform markdown file for project context. The new `openspec/config.yaml` is structured and—critically—**injected into every planning request** so your conventions are always present when the AI works.
### Before (project.md)
```markdown
# Project Context
This is a TypeScript monorepo using React and Node.js.
We use Jest for testing and follow strict ESLint rules.
Our API is RESTful and documented in docs/api.md.
## Conventions
- All public APIs must maintain backwards compatibility
- New features should include tests
- Use Given/When/Then format for specifications
```
### After (config.yaml)
```yaml
schema:spec-driven
context:|
Tech stack: TypeScript, React, Node.js
Testing: Jest with React Testing Library
API: RESTful, documented in docs/api.md
We maintain backwards compatibility for all public APIs
rules:
proposal:
- Include rollback plan for risky changes
specs:
- Use Given/When/Then format for scenarios
- Reference existing patterns before inventing new ones
design:
- Include sequence diagrams for complex flows
```
### Key Differences
| project.md | config.yaml |
|------------|-------------|
| Freeform markdown | Structured YAML |
| One blob of text | Separate context and per-artifact rules |
| Unclear when it's used | Context appears in ALL artifacts; rules appear in matching artifacts only |
| No schema selection | Explicit `schema:` field sets default workflow |
### What to Keep, What to Drop
When migrating, be selective. Ask yourself: "Does the AI need this for *every* planning request?"
- Non-obvious constraints ("we can't use library X because...")
- Critical conventions that often get ignored
**Move to `rules:` instead**
- Artifact-specific formatting ("use Given/When/Then in specs")
- Review criteria ("proposals must include rollback plans")
- These only appear for the matching artifact, keeping other requests lighter
**Leave out entirely**
- General best practices the AI already knows
- Verbose explanations that could be summarized
- Historical context that doesn't affect current work
### Migration Steps
1.**Create config.yaml** (if not already created by init):
```yaml
schema: spec-driven
```
2. **Add your context** (be concise—this goes into every request):
```yaml
context: |
Your project background goes here.
Focus on what the AI genuinely needs to know.
```
3. **Add per-artifact rules** (optional):
```yaml
rules:
proposal:
- Your proposal-specific guidance
specs:
- Your spec-writing rules
```
4. **Delete project.md** once you've moved everything useful.
**Don't overthink it.** Start with the essentials and iterate. If you notice the AI missing something important, add it. If context feels bloated, trim it. This is a living document.
### Need Help? Use This Prompt
If you're unsure how to distill your project.md, ask your AI assistant:
```
I'm migrating from OpenSpec's old project.md to the new config.yaml format.
Here's my current project.md:
[paste your project.md content]
Please help me create a config.yaml with:
1. A concise `context:` section (this gets injected into every planning request, so keep it tight—focus on tech stack, key constraints, and conventions that often get ignored)
2. `rules:` for specific artifacts if any content is artifact-specific (e.g., "use Given/When/Then" belongs in specs rules, not global context)
Leave out anything generic that AI models already know. Be ruthless about brevity.
```
The AI will help you identify what's essential vs. what can be trimmed.
---
## The New Commands
Command availability is profile-dependent:
**Default (`core` profile):**
| Command | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| `/opsx:propose` | Create a change and generate planning artifacts in one step |
| `/opsx:explore` | Think through ideas with no structure |
| `/opsx:apply` | Implement tasks from tasks.md |
| `/opsx:archive` | Finalize and archive the change |
**Expanded workflow (custom selection):**
| Command | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| `/opsx:new` | Start a new change scaffold |
| `/opsx:continue` | Create the next artifact (one at a time) |
| `/opsx:ff` | Fast-forward—create planning artifacts at once |
1. Ensure the file is at `openspec/config.yaml` (not `.yml`)
2. Validate YAML syntax
3. Config changes take effect immediately—no restart needed
### project.md not migrated
The system intentionally preserves `project.md` because it may contain your custom content. Review it manually, move useful parts to `config.yaml`, then delete it.
### Want to see what would be cleaned up?
Run init and decline the cleanup prompt—you'll see the full detection summary without any changes being made.
- **Teams** — create workflows that match how you actually work
- **Power users** — tweak prompts to get better AI outputs for your codebase
- **OpenSpec contributors** — experiment with new approaches without releases
We're all still learning what works best. OPSX lets us learn together.
## The User Experience
**The problem with linear workflows:**
You're "in planning phase", then "in implementation phase", then "done". But real work doesn't work that way. You implement something, realize your design was wrong, need to update specs, continue implementing. Linear phases fight against how work actually happens.
**OPSX approach:**
- **Actions, not phases** — create, implement, update, archive — do any of them anytime
- **Dependencies are enablers** — they show what's possible, not what's required next
# Make sure you have openspec installed — skills are automatically generated
openspec init
```
This creates skills in `.claude/skills/` (or equivalent) that AI coding assistants auto-detect.
By default, OpenSpec uses the `core` workflow profile (`propose`, `explore`, `apply`, `sync`, `archive`). If you want the expanded workflow commands (`new`, `continue`, `ff`, `verify`, `bulk-archive`, `onboard`), configure them with `openspec config profile` and apply with `openspec update`.
During setup, you'll be prompted to create a **project config** (`openspec/config.yaml`). This is optional but recommended.
## Project Configuration
Project config lets you set defaults and inject project-specific context into all artifacts.
### Creating Config
Config is created during `openspec init`, or manually:
```yaml
# openspec/config.yaml
schema:spec-driven
context:|
Tech stack: TypeScript, React, Node.js
API conventions: RESTful, JSON responses
Testing: Vitest for unit tests, Playwright for e2e
Style: ESLint with Prettier, strict TypeScript
rules:
proposal:
- Include rollback plan
- Identify affected teams
specs:
- Use Given/When/Then format for scenarios
design:
- Include sequence diagrams for complex flows
```
### Config Fields
| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `schema` | string | Default schema for new changes (e.g., `spec-driven`) |
| `context` | string | Project context injected into all artifact instructions |
| `rules` | object | Per-artifact rules, keyed by artifact ID |
### How It Works
**Schema precedence** (highest to lowest):
1. CLI flag (`--schema <name>`)
2. Change metadata (`.openspec.yaml` in change directory)
3. Project config (`openspec/config.yaml`)
4. Default (`spec-driven`)
**Context injection:**
- Context is prepended to every artifact's instructions
- Wrapped in `<context>...</context>` tags
- Helps AI understand your project's conventions
**Rules injection:**
- Rules are only injected for matching artifacts
- Wrapped in `<rules>...</rules>` tags
- Appear after context, before the template
### Artifact IDs by Schema
**spec-driven** (default):
-`proposal` — Change proposal
-`specs` — Specifications
-`design` — Technical design
-`tasks` — Implementation tasks
### Config Validation
- Unknown artifact IDs in `rules` generate warnings
- Schema names are validated against available schemas
- Context has a 50KB size limit
- Invalid YAML is reported with line numbers
### Troubleshooting
**"Unknown artifact ID in rules: X"**
- Check artifact IDs match your schema (see list above)
- Run `openspec schemas --json` to see artifact IDs for each schema
**Config not being applied:**
- Ensure file is at `openspec/config.yaml` (not `.yml`)
- Check YAML syntax with a validator
- Config changes take effect immediately (no restart needed)
**Context too large:**
- Context is limited to 50KB
- Summarize or link to external docs instead
## Commands
| Command | What it does |
|---------|--------------|
| `/opsx:propose` | Create a change and generate planning artifacts in one step (default quick path) |
| `/opsx:onboard` | Guided walkthrough of an end-to-end change (expanded workflow) |
## Usage
### Explore an idea
```
/opsx:explore
```
Think through ideas, investigate problems, compare options. No structure required - just a thinking partner. When insights crystallize, transition to `/opsx:propose` (default) or `/opsx:new`/`/opsx:ff` (expanded).
### Start a new change
```
/opsx:propose
```
Creates the change and generates planning artifacts needed before implementation.
If you've enabled expanded workflows, you can instead use:
```text
/opsx:new # scaffold only
/opsx:continue # create one artifact at a time
/opsx:ff # create all planning artifacts at once
```
### Create artifacts
```
/opsx:continue
```
Shows what's ready to create based on dependencies, then creates one artifact. Use repeatedly to build up your change incrementally.
```
/opsx:ff add-dark-mode
```
Creates all planning artifacts at once. Use when you have a clear picture of what you're building.
### Implement (the fluid part)
```
/opsx:apply
```
Works through tasks, checking them off as you go. If you're juggling multiple changes, you can run `/opsx:apply <name>`; otherwise it should infer from the conversation and prompt you to choose if it can't tell.
### Updating a change
```
/opsx:update add-dark-mode - we're storing the theme in a cookie now
```
Revises the change's existing planning artifacts and keeps them coherent - in any direction (a design edit may ripple back to the proposal). Planning artifacts only: it never edits code, and it never creates missing artifacts (that's `/opsx:continue`). Every edit is confirmed with you first. If the change was already implemented, it recommends `/opsx:apply` so the code catches up with the revised plan. If your revision changes the change's *intent*, start fresh instead - see [When to Update vs. Start Fresh](#when-to-update-vs-start-fresh).
### Finish up
```
/opsx:archive # Move to archive when done (prompts to sync specs if needed)
```
## When to Update vs. Start Fresh
You can always edit your proposal or specs before implementation. But when does refining become "this is different work"?
### What a Proposal Captures
A proposal defines three things:
1.**Intent** — What problem are you solving?
2.**Scope** — What's in/out of bounds?
3.**Approach** — How will you solve it?
The question is: which changed, and by how much?
### Update the Existing Change When:
**Same intent, refined execution**
- You discover edge cases you didn't consider
- The approach needs tweaking but the goal is unchanged
- Implementation reveals the design was slightly off
**Scope narrows**
- You realize full scope is too big, want to ship MVP first
- "Add dark mode" → "Add dark mode toggle (system preference in v2)"
| **Structure** | One big proposal document | Discrete artifacts with dependencies |
| **Workflow** | Linear phases: plan → implement → archive | Fluid actions — do anything anytime |
| **Iteration** | Awkward to go back | Update artifacts as you learn |
| **Customization** | Fixed structure | Schema-driven (define your own artifacts) |
**The key insight:** work isn't linear. OPSX stops pretending it is.
## Architecture Deep Dive
This section explains how OPSX works under the hood and how it compares to the legacy workflow.
Examples in this section use the expanded command set (`new`, `continue`, etc.); default `core` users can map the same flow to `propose → apply → sync → archive`.
- Use `/opsx:explore` to think through an idea before committing to a change
-`/opsx:ff` when you know what you want, `/opsx:continue` when exploring
- During `/opsx:apply`, if something's wrong — fix the artifact, then continue
- Tasks track progress via checkboxes in `tasks.md`
- Check status anytime: `openspec status --change "name"`
## Feedback
This is rough. That's intentional — we're learning what works.
Found a bug? Have ideas? Join us on [Discord](https://discord.gg/YctCnvvshC) or open an issue on [GitHub](https://github.com/Fission-AI/openspec/issues).
**OpenSpec is a lightweight agreement layer between you and your AI.** You write down what a change should do, the AI drafts the details, you both look at the same plan, and only then does code get written. This page is the whole mental model on one screen. When you want the long version, [Concepts](concepts.md) has it.
Here's the entire idea in five words: **agree first, then build confidently.**
## The five ideas
Everything in OpenSpec is built from five concepts. Learn these and the rest is detail.
**1. Specs are the truth.** A spec describes how your system behaves *right now*. It lives in `openspec/specs/`, organized by domain (`auth/`, `payments/`, `ui/`). Specs are made of requirements ("the system SHALL expire sessions after 30 minutes") and scenarios (concrete given/when/then examples). Think of specs as the single agreed-upon answer to "what does this software do?"
**2. A change is one unit of work.** When you want to add, modify, or remove behavior, you create a change: a folder in `openspec/changes/` holding everything about that work in one place. A proposal, a design, a task list, and the spec edits. One change, one folder, one feature.
**3. Delta specs describe what's changing, not the whole world.** Inside a change, you don't rewrite the entire spec. You write a small delta: `ADDED` this requirement, `MODIFIED` that one, `REMOVED` this other one. This is the trick that makes OpenSpec good at editing existing systems, not just green-field ones. You describe the diff, not the destination.
**4. Artifacts build on each other.** A change contains a few documents, created in a natural order, each feeding the next:
You can revisit any of them at any time. They're enablers, not gates. (More on that below.)
**5. Archiving folds the change back into the truth.** When the work is done, you archive the change. Its delta specs merge into your main specs, and the change folder moves to `changes/archive/` with a date stamp. Now your specs describe the new reality, and you're ready for the next change. The cycle closes.
Two folders. `specs/` is what's true. `changes/` is what you're proposing. Archiving moves a proposal into truth.
## The loop you'll actually run
In the default setup, your day looks like this. Optionally think it through first; then one command drafts the plan, you read it, the next builds it, and the last files it away.
```text
/opsx:explore → (optional) think it through with the AI first
/opsx:propose add-dark-mode → AI drafts proposal, specs, design, tasks
(you read and adjust the plan)
/opsx:apply → AI builds it, checking off tasks
/opsx:archive → specs updated, change archived
```
**When in doubt, start by exploring.**`/opsx:explore` is a no-stakes thinking partner: it reads your code, lays out options, and turns a fuzzy idea into a concrete plan before any artifact exists. It's the best antidote to an AI that will otherwise build *something* from a vague prompt. Already know exactly what you want? Skip straight to `/opsx:propose`. Either way, explore ships in the default profile, so it's always there. See the [Explore guide](explore.md).
Those are slash commands, typed in your AI assistant's chat. Setup (`openspec init`) happens in your terminal. If that split is new to you, read [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md) first; it's the most common point of confusion.
## "Enablers, not gates"
This phrase shows up everywhere in OpenSpec, so here's what it means in plain terms.
Old-school spec processes are waterfalls: finish planning, *then* you're allowed to implement, and going back is painful. OpenSpec refuses that. The order `proposal → specs → design → tasks` shows what becomes *possible* next, not what you're *forced* to do next.
Discover during implementation that the design was wrong? Edit `design.md` and keep going. Realize the scope should shrink? Update the proposal. Nothing locks. The dependencies exist only so the AI has the context it needs (you can't write good tasks without specs to base them on), not to box you in.
The strength here is honesty: real work is messy and iterative, and OpenSpec lets it be. The tradeoff is discipline: because nothing forces you forward, it's on you to keep a change focused rather than letting it sprawl. The [Workflows](workflows.md) guide has good habits for that.
## Why this is worth the small overhead
Plain truth: OpenSpec adds a step. You write a short plan before building. So what do you get for it?
- **You catch wrong turns before they cost you.** Fixing a misunderstanding in a one-paragraph proposal is free. Fixing it after the AI wrote 400 lines is not.
- **The plan and the code stay in the same repo.** Six months later, the spec tells you (and the next AI session) why the system works the way it does.
- **Changes are reviewable.** A change folder is a tidy package: read the proposal, skim the deltas, check the tasks. No archaeology through chat history.
- **It fits existing codebases.** Deltas mean you can specify a change to a 50,000-line app without first documenting the whole thing.
And the honest tradeoff: for a truly trivial one-line fix, the ceremony may not pay off, and that's fine. OpenSpec is designed to be lightweight, but it isn't free. Use it where agreement matters, which turns out to be most of the time once you're working with an AI that will confidently build whatever you vaguely asked for.
## Where to go next
- New here? [Getting Started](getting-started.md) walks the first change in full.
- Not sure what to build yet? [Explore First](explore.md) is the place to start.
- Confused about where commands run? [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md).
- Want the deep version of everything above? [Concepts](concepts.md).
- Learn by example? [Examples & Recipes](examples.md).
OpenSpec's whole promise is that you and your AI **agree on what to build before any code is written.** That agreement only means something if you actually read what the AI drafted. This page is about the two minutes where you do that — what to open, in what order, and what to look for.
The bet is simple: catching a wrong turn in a one-paragraph plan is nearly free. Catching the same wrong turn in 300 lines of code is not. Review is where you collect on that bet.
## The two moments you review
There are exactly two:
```
/opsx:propose ──► REVIEW THE PLAN ──► /opsx:apply ──► REVIEW THE CODE ──► /opsx:archive
(before any code) (/opsx:verify)
```
1.**After `/opsx:propose`** (or `/opsx:ff`), before `/opsx:apply` — read the plan while it's still just words.
2.**After building**, with `/opsx:verify` — check that the code actually did what the plan said.
The first review is the one that saves you the most, and the one people skip. This page spends most of its time there.
## Read it in this order
A change is a folder of plain Markdown in `openspec/changes/<name>/`. Read the files in the order that lets you quit earliest if something's wrong:
```
openspec/changes/add-dark-mode/
├── proposal.md 1. the intent and scope ← if this is wrong, stop here
├── specs/…/spec.md 2. the requirements ← the heart of the review
├── design.md (only for bigger changes) — the technical approach
└── tasks.md 3. the plan of work
```
You don't need to read every line. You need to answer three questions, one per file.
## The proposal: is this the right problem?
Open `proposal.md` first. It captures the "why" and "what" — the intent, the scope, the approach in a paragraph or two.
**What good looks like:** one clear intent, a scope you recognize, and a reason this is worth doing now.
**Red flags:**
- It solves a slightly *different* problem than the one you asked for.
- The scope has grown — you asked for a theme toggle and the proposal also touches auth "while we're in there."
- It's vague. "Improve the settings page" is not a scope; "add a dark-mode toggle that respects the OS preference" is.
**The question to answer:***Does this match what I actually asked for, and is anything sneaking in?* If the answer is no, stop — don't read further, fix the proposal (see [Pushing back](#pushing-back-is-cheap)).
## The spec deltas: is "done" defined correctly?
This is the heart of the review. The delta specs under `specs/` say what will be *true* when the change ships — as requirements and the scenarios that prove them:
```markdown
## ADDED Requirements
### Requirement: Dark Mode Toggle
The system SHALL let a user switch between light and dark themes.
#### Scenario: Respects the OS preference on first load
- GIVEN a user who has never set a theme
- WHEN they open the app on a device set to dark mode
- THEN the app renders in dark mode
```
**What a good requirement looks like:** one clear `SHALL`/`MUST` statement you could hand to a tester, and at least one scenario whose GIVEN/WHEN/THEN actually exercises that statement.
**Red flags:**
- **A vague requirement.** "The system SHALL be fast" can't be built or tested. What's fast?
- **A requirement with no scenario**, or a scenario that doesn't test the requirement it sits under.
- **The most valuable catch of all: what's missing.** The AI faithfully writes down what you *said*. Your job is to notice what you *forgot* to say. If you cared most about the OS-preference case and no scenario mentions it, that's the review paying for itself.
Read the deltas asking *would I be happy if the system did exactly — and only — this?* Nothing here is about code yet, so it stays cheap to change.
## The tasks: is the plan of work sane?
Open `tasks.md` last. It's the implementation checklist the AI will work through.
**What good looks like:** ordered steps, each traceable to a requirement, nothing mysterious.
**Red flags:**
- A task with no matching requirement (where did that come from?).
- One giant "implement the feature" task that hides all the real decisions.
- A task that touches something outside the scope you just approved.
You're not estimating or micromanaging here — you're checking that the plan matches the requirements you already accepted.
## Pushing back is cheap
If any of the three questions came back wrong, say so. There are no phases and nothing is locked — you fix it and move on. Two ways, exactly as in [Editing a change](editing-changes.md):
- **Edit the file yourself.** It's plain Markdown; change the scope line, tighten a requirement, delete a task.
- **Tell the AI what's wrong** and let it revise: *"drop the auth changes — out of scope,"**"add a scenario for when the user has already picked a theme,"**"split task 3 into schema and UI."*
Then re-read the part you changed. Re-draft until it's a plan you'd sign your name to. That back-and-forth *is* the product working.
## After the code: verify
Once the work is built, `/opsx:verify` is your second review. It re-reads the artifacts and the code and reports mismatches across three dimensions:
| Dimension | What it checks |
|-----------|----------------|
| **Completeness** | Every task done, every requirement implemented, scenarios covered |
| **Correctness** | The implementation matches the spec's intent, edge cases handled |
| **Coherence** | Design decisions actually show up in the code |
```
You: /opsx:verify
AI: Verifying add-dark-mode...
COMPLETENESS
✓ All 8 tasks in tasks.md are checked
✓ All requirements in specs have corresponding code
⚠ Scenario "Respects the OS preference on first load" has no test coverage
```
It flags issues as CRITICAL, WARNING, or SUGGESTION, and it does **not** block archiving — it surfaces the gaps and leaves the call to you. This is the difference between "did the AI write code" and "did it build what we agreed."
`/opsx:verify` is in the expanded profile. If you don't have it, turn it on with `openspec config profile` (then `openspec update`), or just re-read the change and the diff yourself.
## Right-size the review
Not every change earns the full pass. A one-file typo fix deserves a twenty-second skim. A change that touches auth, payments, or data you can't recover deserves every question above. The point was never ceremony — it's spending your attention where a mistake would be expensive, and skimming where it wouldn't.
## The two-minute checklist
- [ ] The proposal's intent matches what I asked for.
- [ ] Nothing extra has crept into the scope.
- [ ] Every requirement is specific enough to test.
- [ ] Every requirement has a scenario that actually exercises it.
- [ ] The case I care about most is covered.
- [ ] Tasks map to requirements; nothing is mysterious or out of scope.
- [ ] I'd be comfortable if the AI built exactly this and nothing more.
If all seven pass, run `/opsx:apply` with confidence. If any fail, that's not a setback — it's the two minutes doing its job.
## Where to go next
- [Writing Good Specs](writing-specs.md) — the flip side: how to draft requirements and scenarios worth approving.
- [Editing & Iterating on a Change](editing-changes.md) — the mechanics of changing a plan after you've started.
- [Workflows](workflows.md) — where review fits in the larger loop.
OpenSpec works with many AI coding assistants. When you run `openspec init`, OpenSpec configures selected tools using your active profile/workflow selection and delivery mode.
## How It Works
For each selected tool, OpenSpec can install:
1.**Skills** (if delivery includes skills): `.../skills/openspec-*/SKILL.md`
2.**Commands** (if delivery includes commands): tool-specific `opsx-*` command files
By default, OpenSpec uses the `core` profile, which includes:
-`propose`
-`explore`
-`apply`
-`sync`
-`archive`
You can enable expanded workflows (`new`, `continue`, `ff`, `verify`, `bulk-archive`, `onboard`) via `openspec config profile`, then run `openspec update`.
\* Codex commands are installed in the global Codex home (`$CODEX_HOME/prompts/` if set, otherwise `~/.codex/prompts/`), not your project directory.
\*\* GitHub Copilot prompt files are recognized as custom slash commands in IDE extensions (VS Code, JetBrains, Visual Studio). Copilot CLI does not currently consume `.github/prompts/*.prompt.md` directly.
## Non-Interactive Setup
For CI/CD or scripted setup, use `--tools` (and optionally `--profile`):
Everything in the other guides works the same whether you're solo or on a team of twenty. What changes on a team is the questions around the edges: where do the specs live, how do teammates review a plan, and how does any of this fit the pull-request flow we already have?
The short answer: a change is just files, and OpenSpec never touches git. So it fits your existing workflow instead of replacing it. This page spells out the conventions that work well.
## One rule: OpenSpec doesn't touch git
OpenSpec reads and writes plain Markdown under `openspec/`. It never commits, branches, pushes, or pulls in your project — and it never clones or syncs a [store](stores-beta/user-guide.md) on its own. That means:
- **You commit `openspec/` like any source.** Specs, active changes, and the archive are part of your project's history. (Yes, commit the whole folder — see the [FAQ](faq.md#should-i-commit-the-openspec-folder-to-git).)
- **A change is a folder you version like code.** `openspec/changes/add-dark-mode/` is just files on a branch.
- **Everything below is convention, not enforcement.** OpenSpec won't make you do it this way; it just fits cleanly.
## The everyday loop
The workflow that works well maps a change onto a branch and a pull request:
```
git switch -c add-dark-mode start a branch, as usual
│
/opsx:propose add-dark-mode draft the plan (proposal + specs + tasks)
│
REVIEW THE PLAN you read it before any code — see Reviewing a Change
│
/opsx:apply build it; artifacts + code change together
│
git commit && open a PR the PR contains the spec delta AND the code
│
teammate reviews, merges
│
/opsx:archive fold the delta into specs/, move the change to archive/
```
The plan and the code live side by side in the same branch, so your teammates review both together, and six months later the archived spec still explains why the code looks the way it does.
## Reviewing specs in a pull request
This is where a team feels the payoff. When a PR includes the change's delta spec, the reviewer gets something a raw diff never gives them: **a plain-language statement of what this change is supposed to do**, before they read a single line of code.
A good review order for the reviewer:
1.**Read `proposal.md`** — is this the right problem and scope?
2.**Read the delta under `specs/`** — is "done" defined correctly? (This is the [Reviewing a Change](reviewing-changes.md) two-minute pass, now happening in the PR.)
3.**Then read the code diff** — does it deliver exactly those requirements?
A reviewer who disagrees with the *approach* can say so against the proposal, cheaply, instead of relitigating it across 300 lines of code. Put the delta spec near the top of the PR description, or point reviewers at the change folder, so they start there.
## When to archive
Archiving folds a change's deltas into your main `openspec/specs/` and moves the change folder to `openspec/changes/archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<name>/`. Because `specs/` is the **shared source of truth**, the timing matters on a team. Two workable conventions:
- **Archive after the PR merges (recommended).** The branch carries the active change; once it's merged to your main branch, archive there (often a tiny follow-up commit or a scheduled cleanup). This keeps the shared `specs/` moving forward only with work that actually shipped.
- **Archive inside the PR.** Simpler for small teams: the same PR that adds the code also syncs and archives. The tradeoff is that your `specs/` diff and your code diff land together, which can make the PR noisier.
Pick one and be consistent. Either way, `/opsx:archive` checks that tasks are complete and offers to sync first, so nothing merges half-finished by accident.
## Two people, parallel changes
Because changes are separate folders, they don't collide:
- **Different changes, different people — no problem.** `add-dark-mode` and `rate-limit-login` are different folders on different branches; they never touch each other until they both archive.
- **One change, one owner.** Two people editing the same change folder conflict exactly like two people editing the same file. Keep a change to a single author, or split it into two changes (another reason to [right-size](writing-specs.md#right-size-the-change)).
- **The one place conflicts show up is `specs/`.** If two changes both modify the *same* requirement, archiving the second one will conflict in `openspec/specs/…/spec.md` — resolve it like any merge conflict, keeping the requirement that reflects reality. This is rare, and it's a feature: it's git telling you two changes disagreed about how the system should behave.
## When planning outgrows one repo
Everything above assumes the plan lives in the code repo's own `openspec/` folder, which is the right default. When your planning genuinely spans several repos or teams — one feature touching three services, or requirements one team owns and others consume — that's what the beta **stores** feature is for: planning gets its own repo that any code repo can point at. Start with the [Stores User Guide](stores-beta/user-guide.md).
## Where to go next
- [Reviewing a Change](reviewing-changes.md) — the review pass, now inside your PR.
- [Writing Good Specs](writing-specs.md) — including how to right-size a change so it fits one branch.
- [Stores User Guide](stores-beta/user-guide.md) — planning that spans repos and teams.
Concrete fixes for concrete problems. Each entry names a symptom, explains the likely cause in a sentence, and gives you the fix. If you don't see your issue here, the [FAQ](faq.md) may help, and the [Discord](https://discord.gg/YctCnvvshC) definitely will.
## Installation and setup
### `openspec: command not found`
The CLI isn't installed, or your shell can't find it. Install it globally and check:
```bash
npm install -g @fission-ai/openspec@latest
openspec --version
```
If it installed but still isn't found, your global npm bin directory probably isn't on your `PATH`. Run `npm bin -g` to see where global binaries live, and make sure that path is in your shell profile.
### "Requires Node.js 20.19.0 or higher"
OpenSpec runs on Node 20.19.0+. Check your version and upgrade if needed:
```bash
node --version
```
If you use bun to install OpenSpec, note that OpenSpec still *runs* on Node, so you need Node 20.19.0+ available on your `PATH` regardless. See [Installation](installation.md).
### `openspec init` didn't configure my AI tool
Init asks which tools to set up. If you skipped your tool or want to add another, just run it again, or use the non-interactive form:
```bash
openspec init --tools claude,cursor
```
The full list of tool IDs is in [Supported Tools](supported-tools.md). Use `--tools all` for everything, `--tools none` to skip tool setup.
## Commands don't show up
If `/opsx:propose` (or your tool's equivalent) doesn't appear or doesn't do anything, work down this list. They're ordered fastest-to-check first.
1.**You may be in the wrong place.** Slash commands go in your AI assistant's chat, not your terminal. If you typed `/opsx:propose` into your shell, that's the issue. See [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md).
2.**Regenerate the files.** From your project root:
```bash
openspec update
```
This rewrites the skill and command files for every tool you've configured.
3. **Restart your assistant.** Most tools scan for skills and commands at startup. A fresh window often does it.
4. **Confirm the files exist.** For Claude Code, check that `.claude/skills/` contains `openspec-*` folders. Other tools use their own directories, all listed in [Supported Tools](supported-tools.md).
5. **Check you initialized this project.** Skills are written per project. If you cloned a repo or switched folders, run `openspec init` (or `openspec update`) there.
6. **Confirm your tool supports command files.** A few tools (Kimi CLI, ForgeCode, Mistral Vibe) don't get generated `opsx-*` command files; they use skill-based invocations instead. The forms differ per tool: see [Supported Tools](supported-tools.md) and [How Commands Work](how-commands-work.md#slash-command-syntax-by-tool).
## Working with changes
### "Change not found"
The command couldn't tell which change you meant. Name it explicitly, or check what exists:
```bash
openspec list # see active changes
/opsx:apply add-dark-mode # name the change in chat
```
Also confirm you're in the right project directory.
### "No artifacts ready"
Every artifact is either already created or blocked waiting on a dependency. See what's blocking:
```bash
openspec status --change <name>
```
Then create the missing dependency first. Remember the order: proposal enables specs and design; specs and design together enable tasks.
### `openspec validate` reports warnings or errors
Validation checks your specs and changes for structural problems. Read the message: it names the file and the issue.
```bash
openspec validate <name> # validate one item
openspec validate --all # validate everything
openspec validate --all --strict # stricter checks, good for CI
```
Common causes are a missing required section (like a spec with no scenarios) or a malformed delta header. Fix the file and re-run. The [CLI reference](cli.md#openspec-validate) documents the output format.
### The AI created incomplete or wrong artifacts
The AI didn't have enough context. A few levers help:
- Add project context in `openspec/config.yaml` so your stack and conventions are injected into every request. See [Customization](customization.md#project-configuration).
- Add per-artifact `rules:` for guidance that only applies to, say, specs.
- Give a more detailed description when you propose.
- Use the expanded `/opsx:continue` to create one artifact at a time and review each, instead of `/opsx:ff` doing them all at once.
### Archive won't finish, or warns about incomplete tasks
Archive won't *block* on incomplete tasks, but it warns you, because archiving usually means the work is done. If tasks remain on purpose (you're filing a partial change), proceed. Otherwise finish the tasks first. Archive will also offer to sync your delta specs into the main specs if you haven't synced yet; say yes unless you have a reason not to.
## Configuration
### My `config.yaml` isn't being applied
Three usual suspects:
1. **Wrong filename.** It must be `openspec/config.yaml`, not `.yml`.
2. **Invalid YAML.** Run it through any YAML validator; the CLI also reports syntax errors with line numbers.
3. **You expected a restart.** You don't need one. Config changes take effect immediately.
### "Unknown artifact ID in rules: X"
A key under `rules:` doesn't match any artifact in your schema. For the default `spec-driven` schema the valid IDs are `proposal`, `specs`, `design`, `tasks`. To see the IDs for any schema:
```bash
openspec schemas --json
```
### "Context too large"
The `context:` field is capped at 50KB, on purpose, because it's injected into every request. Summarize it, or link out to longer docs instead of pasting them. Lean context also produces better, faster results.
### "Schema not found"
The schema name you referenced doesn't exist. List what's available and check spelling:
```bash
openspec schemas # list available schemas
openspec schema which <name> # see where a schema resolves from
openspec schema init <name> # create a custom one
```
See [Customization](customization.md#custom-schemas).
## Migration from the legacy workflow
### "Legacy files detected in non-interactive mode"
You're in CI or a non-interactive shell, and OpenSpec found old files to clean up but can't prompt you. Approve automatically:
```bash
openspec init --force
```
### Commands didn't appear after migrating
Restart your IDE. Skills are detected at startup. If they still don't appear, run `openspec update` and check the file locations in [Supported Tools](supported-tools.md).
### My old `project.md` wasn't migrated
That's intentional. OpenSpec never deletes `project.md` automatically because it may hold context you wrote. Move the useful parts into `config.yaml`'s `context:` section, then delete it yourself. The [Migration Guide](migration-guide.md#migrating-projectmd-to-configyaml) walks through this, including a prompt you can hand to your AI to do the distilling.
- **From your terminal:** `openspec feedback "what went wrong"` opens an issue for you.
When you report a problem, include your OpenSpec version (`openspec --version`), your Node version (`node --version`), your AI tool, and the exact command and output. It makes help much faster.
This guide covers common workflow patterns for OpenSpec and when to use each one. For basic setup, see [Getting Started](getting-started.md). For command reference, see [Commands](commands.md).
## Philosophy: Actions, Not Phases
Traditional workflows force you through phases: planning, then implementation, then done. But real work doesn't fit neatly into boxes.
- **Actions, not phases** - Commands are things you can do, not stages you're stuck in
- **Dependencies are enablers** - They show what's possible, not what's required next
> **Customization:** OPSX workflows are driven by schemas that define artifact sequences. See [Customization](customization.md) for details on creating custom schemas.
`/opsx:explore` is part of the default profile, not an advanced add-on. It's the move to make whenever you have a problem but not yet a plan, which, with an AI assistant, is most of the time.
```text
You: /opsx:explore
AI: What would you like to explore?
You: Our search results feel stale. I'm not sure if it's caching,
indexing, or the query itself.
AI: Let me look... [reads the search service and cache layer]
It's the index: it only rebuilds nightly, so edits don't show
up until the next day. Two options: rebuild on write (simple,
more load) or a short-TTL cache invalidation (more moving parts,
less load). Given your write volume is low, rebuild-on-write is
the cleaner fix. Want to scope it?
You: Yes.
You: /opsx:propose rebuild-search-index-on-write
```
Explore creates no artifacts and writes no code. It's a free, no-stakes conversation that turns a vague worry into a precise change, so the proposal that follows is sharp. Already know exactly what you want? Skip it and go straight to `/opsx:propose`. Full guide: [Explore First](explore.md).
### Expanded/Full Workflow (custom selection)
If you want explicit scaffold-and-build commands (`/opsx:new`, `/opsx:continue`, `/opsx:ff`, `/opsx:verify`, `/opsx:bulk-archive`, `/opsx:onboard`), enable them with:
```bash
openspec config profile
openspec update
```
## Workflow Patterns (Expanded Mode)
### Quick Feature
When you know what you want to build and just need to execute:
You rarely write a spec from a blank page. You describe a change in plain language, `/opsx:propose` drafts the requirements and scenarios, and then you make them good. This page is about that last part — what "good" looks like, and how to steer the AI toward it.
It's the companion to [Reviewing a Change](reviewing-changes.md): reviewing is catching the weak spots in a draft, writing is knowing what a strong one is made of.
## A spec is behavior, not code
A spec says what your system *does*, in terms anyone could check — not how it's built. It's made of **requirements** (statements of behavior) and **scenarios** (concrete examples that prove them).
```markdown
### Requirement: Session Timeout
The system SHALL expire a session after 30 minutes of inactivity.
#### Scenario: Idle timeout
- GIVEN an authenticated session
- WHEN 30 minutes pass with no activity
- THEN the session is invalidated and the user must re-authenticate
```
Keep the *how* — the queue, the library, the table schema — in `design.md` or the code. When behavior and implementation get mixed into one requirement, the requirement stops being testable and starts going stale the moment the code changes.
## What makes a good requirement
A good requirement is one behavior, stated so plainly you could hand it to someone else to test.
- **One statement, one `SHALL`/`MUST`.** If a requirement has three "and also" clauses, it's really three requirements. Split them.
- **Observable.** Someone outside the code should be able to tell whether it holds. "The system SHALL show an error banner when the upload exceeds 10 MB" is observable. "The system SHALL handle large uploads gracefully" is not.
- **The right strength.** OpenSpec uses the RFC 2119 keywords, and they mean different things:
| Keyword | Meaning |
|---------|---------|
| `MUST` / `SHALL` | A hard requirement. Non-negotiable. |
| `SHOULD` | A strong recommendation, with room for a justified exception. |
| `MAY` | Genuinely optional. |
Reach for `MUST`/`SHALL` by default. Use `SHOULD` only when you truly mean "unless there's a good reason not to."
The test for a requirement: *could a tester who's never seen the code tell whether it passed?* If not, it needs sharpening.
## What makes a good scenario
Scenarios are where a requirement earns its keep. Each one is a concrete GIVEN / WHEN / THEN that could become an automated test.
- **It exercises its requirement.** A scenario that just restates the requirement in other words tests nothing. Make it a specific situation with a specific outcome.
- **Cover the cases that matter, not just the happy path.** The valid login is easy. The empty input, the expired token, the second click, the thing that goes wrong — those are where bugs live, and where a scenario is worth the most.
- **Name the case in the title.** "Scenario: Rejects an expired token" tells a reviewer what's covered at a glance; "Scenario: Test 2" doesn't.
A useful habit: before approving, ask *what's the one case I'd be upset to see broken?* — and make sure a scenario names it.
## Pick the right kind of delta
A change describes its edits to the specs with three section types. Using the right one keeps your archived specs honest:
- **`## MODIFIED Requirements`** — behavior that already existed and is changing. Include the full new version; a short note on what changed helps a reviewer.
- **`## REMOVED Requirements`** — behavior going away, with a line on why.
On archive, ADDED gets appended to the main spec, MODIFIED replaces the old version, and REMOVED is deleted. If you mark a real change as ADDED, you end up with two competing requirements; if you describe new behavior as MODIFIED, there's nothing to replace. When in doubt, open the current spec and see whether the requirement is already there.
## Right-size the change
The single most common authoring mistake isn't a badly worded requirement — it's a change that's trying to be three changes.
**A good change has one intent you can say in a sentence.** "Add a dark-mode toggle." "Rate-limit the login endpoint." "Migrate sessions off cookies." If describing the change needs a lot of "and also," that's the signal to split it.
Signs a change is too big:
- The proposal's scope reads like a list of unrelated features.
- Reviewing it would take an afternoon, so nobody will.
- Two people couldn't work on it without colliding.
- Half the tasks could ship on their own.
Smaller changes are easier to review, easier to build in one focused session, and easier to reason about six months later when the archive is all that's left. You can always run several changes in parallel — see [Editing & iterating](editing-changes.md) and [Workflows](workflows.md).
The opposite also happens: a one-line typo fix doesn't need three requirements and a design doc. Match the ceremony to the stakes.
## How to steer the AI toward a good draft
Because `/opsx:propose` does the first draft, the quality of what you get back tracks the quality of what you give it. You don't have to write requirements by hand — you have to aim the AI well:
- **State the intent and the boundary.** *"Add a dark-mode toggle that follows the OS setting on first load — don't touch the existing theme API."* The out-of-scope half matters as much as the in-scope half.
- **Name the cases you care about.** *"Make sure there's a scenario for a user who already picked a theme manually."* The AI covers what you point at.
- **Then edit.** It's plain Markdown. Tighten a vague `SHALL`, delete a scenario that tests nothing, add the case it missed — or ask the AI to: *"the timeout requirement is vague, pin it to 30 minutes."*
Draft, sharpen, repeat. A few rounds of that produces a spec you'd trust, which is the whole point.
## A quick checklist
- [ ] Each requirement is one observable behavior with a `SHALL`/`MUST`.
- [ ] No implementation details are baked into the requirements.
- [ ] Every requirement has at least one scenario that actually exercises it.
- [ ] The important edge and error cases have scenarios, not just the happy path.
- [ ] Deltas use ADDED / MODIFIED / REMOVED correctly against the current spec.
- [ ] The whole change has one intent you can state in a sentence.
## Where to go next
- [Reviewing a Change](reviewing-changes.md) — the two-minute pass that catches what slipped through.
- [Concepts](concepts.md) — the deeper model behind specs, changes, and deltas.
- [Examples & Recipes](examples.md) — real changes from start to finish.
- Active changes apply requirement-level replacements when archiving. When two changes touch the same requirement, the second archive overwrites the first and silently drops scenarios (e.g., Windsurf vs. Kilo Code slash command updates).
- The archive workflow (`src/core/archive.ts:191` and `src/core/archive.ts:501`) rebuilds main specs by replacing entire requirement blocks with the content contained in the change delta. The delta format (`src/core/parsers/requirement-blocks.ts:113`) has no notion of base versions or scenario-level operations.
- The tooling cannot detect divergence between the change author’s starting point and the live spec, so parallel development corrupts the source of truth without warning.
## Observed Failure Mode
- Change A (`add-windsurf-workflows`) adds a Windsurf scenario under `Slash Command Configuration`.
- Change B (`add-kilocode-workflows`) adds a Kilo Code scenario to the same requirement, starting from the pre-Windsurf spec.
- After Change A archives, the main spec contains both scenarios.
- When Change B archives, `buildUpdatedSpec` sees a `MODIFIED` block for `Slash Command Configuration` and replaces the requirement with the four-scenario variant shipped in that change. Because that file never learned about Windsurf, the Windsurf scenario disappears.
- There is no warning, diff, or conflict indicator—the archive completes successfully, and the source-of-truth spec now omits a shipped scenario.
## Root Causes
1.**Replace-only semantics.**`buildUpdatedSpec` performs hash-map substitution of requirement blocks and cannot merge or compare individual scenarios (`src/core/archive.ts:455`-`src/core/archive.ts:526`).
2.**Missing base fingerprint.** Changes do not persist the requirement content they were authored against, so the archive step cannot tell if the live spec diverged.
3.**Single-level granularity.** The delta language only understands requirements. Even if we introduced scenario-level parsing, we would still lose sibling edits without an accompanying merge strategy.
4.**Lack of conflict UX.** The CLI never forces contributors to reconcile parallel updates. There is no equivalent of `git merge`, `git rebase`, or conflict markers.
## Design Objectives
- Preserve every approved scenario regardless of archive order.
- Detect and block speculative archives when the live spec diverges from the author’s base.
- Provide a deterministic, reviewable conflict resolution flow that mirrors source-control best practices.
- Keep the authoring experience ergonomic: deltas should remain human-editable markdown.
- Support incremental adoption so existing repositories can roll forward without breaking active work.
## Proposed Fix: Layered Remediation
### Phase 0 – Stop the Bleeding (Detection & Guardrails)
1.**Persist requirement fingerprints alongside each change.**
- When scaffolding or validating a change, capture the current requirement body for every `MODIFIED`/`REMOVED`/`RENAMED` entry and write it to `changes/<id>/meta.json`.
- Store a stable hash (e.g., SHA-256) of the base requirement content and the raw text itself for later merges.
2.**Validate fingerprints during archive.**
- Before `buildUpdatedSpec` mutates specs, recompute the requirement hash from the live spec.
- If the hash differs from the stored base, abort and instruct the user to rebase. This makes the destructive path impossible.
3.**Surface intent in CLI output.**
- Show which requirements are stale, when they diverged, and which change last touched them.
4.**Document interim manual mitigation.**
- Update `openspec/AGENTS.md` and docs so contributors know to rerun `openspec change sync` (see Phase 1) whenever another change lands.
_Outcome:_ We prevent data loss immediately while we work on a richer merge story.
### Phase 1 – Add a Rebase Workflow (Author-Side Merge)
- Reads the stored base snapshot, the current spec, and the author’s delta.
- Performs a 3-way merge per requirement. A naive diff3 on markdown lines is acceptable initially because we already operate on requirement-sized chunks.
- If the merge is clean, rewrite the `MODIFIED` block with the merged text and refresh the stored fingerprint.
- On conflict, write conflict markers inside the change delta (similar to Git) and require the author to hand-edit before re-running validation.
2.**Enrich validator messages.**
-`openspec validate` should flag unresolved conflict markers or fingerprint mismatches so errors appear early in the workflow.
3.**Optional:** Offer a `--rewrite-scenarios` helper that merges bullet lists of scenarios to reduce manual editing noise.
_Outcome:_ Contributors can safely reconcile their work with the latest spec before archiving, restoring true parallel development.
### Phase 2 – Increase Delta Granularity
1.**Extend the delta language with scenario-level directives.**
- Allow `## MODIFIED Requirements` + `## ADDED Scenarios` / `## MODIFIED Scenarios` sections nested under the requirement header.
- Backed by stable scenario identifiers (explicit IDs or generated hashes) stored in `meta.json`. This lets the system reason about individual scenarios.
2.**Teach the parser to understand nested operations.**
- Update `parseDeltaSpec` to emit scenario-level operations in addition to requirement blocks.
- Update `buildUpdatedSpec` (or its replacement) to merge scenario lists, preserving order while inserting new entries in a deterministic fashion.
3.**Automate migration.**
- Provide a one-time command that inspects each existing spec, injects scenario IDs, and rewrites in-flight change deltas into the richer format.
4.**Continue to rely on the Phase 1 rebase flow for conflicts when two changes edit the same scenario body or description.**
_Outcome:_ Most concurrent updates become commutative, drastically reducing the odds of human merges.
### Phase 3 – Structured Spec Graph (Long-Term)
1.**Define stable requirement IDs.**
- Embed `Requirement ID: <uuid>` markers in specs so renames and moves are trackable.
- This enables future features like cross-capability references and better diff visualizations.
2.**Model spec edits as operations over an AST.**
- Build an intermediate representation (IR) for requirements/scenarios/metadata.
- Use operational transforms or CRDT-like techniques to guarantee merge associativity.
3.**Integrate with Git directly.**
- Offer optional `openspec branch` scaffolding that aligns spec changes with Git branches, letting teams leverage Git’s conflict editor for the markdown IR.
_Outcome:_ OpenSpec graduates from replace-based updates to a resilient, intent-preserving spec management platform.
## Migration & Product Impacts
- **Backfill metadata:** add hashes for all active changes and the current main specs during the initial rollout.
- **CLI UX:** new commands (`change sync`, enhanced `archive`) require documentation, help text, and release notes.
- **Docs & AGENTS updates:** reinforce the rebase workflow and explain conflict resolution to AI assistants.
- **Telemetry (optional):** log fingerprint mismatches so we can see how often teams hit conflicts after the rollout.
## Open Questions / Risks
- How should we order scenarios when multiple changes insert at different points? (Consider optional `position` metadata or deterministic alphabetical fallbacks.)
- What is the graceful failure mode if contributors delete the `meta.json` file? (CLI should recreate fingerprints on demand.)
- Do we need to support offline authors who cannot easily re-run the sync command before archiving? (Potential `--accept-outdated` escape hatch for emergencies.)
- How will archived historical changes be handled? We may need a migration script to embed fingerprints retroactively so re-validation succeeds.
## Immediate Next Steps
1. Prototype fingerprint capture during `openspec change validate` and block archive on mismatches.
2. Ship `openspec change sync` with line-based diff3 merging and conflict markers.
3. Update contributor docs and AI instructions to mandate running `sync` before archiving.
4. Plan the scenario-level delta extension and migration path as a follow-up RFC.
This document provides instructions for AI coding assistants on how to use OpenSpec conventions for spec-driven development. Follow these rules precisely when working on OpenSpec-enabled projects.
## Core Principle
OpenSpec is an AI-native system for change-driven development where:
- **Specs** (`specs/`) reflect what IS currently built and deployed
- **Changes** (`changes/`) contain proposals for what SHOULD be changed
- **AI drives the process** - You generate proposals, humans review and approve
- **Specs are living documentation** - Always kept in sync with deployed code
## Start Simple
**Default to minimal implementations:**
- New features should be <100 lines of code initially
- Use the simplest solution that works
- Avoid premature optimization (no caching, parallelization, or complex patterns without proven need)
- Choose boring technology over cutting-edge solutions
**Complexity triggers** - Only add complexity when you have:
- **Performance data** showing current solution is too slow
- **Scale requirements** with specific numbers (>1000 users, >100MB data)
- **Multiple use cases** requiring the same abstraction
- **Regulatory compliance** mandating specific patterns
- **Security threats** that simple solutions cannot address
When triggered, document the specific justification in your change proposal.
- **Never archive in implementation PRs** - changes aren't done until deployed
- **Always update tasks.md** - shows accurate progress
- **One archive PR per change** - clear completion boundary
- **Archive PR includes spec updates** - keeps specs current
## Capability Organization Best Practices
### Naming Capabilities
- Use **verb-noun** patterns: `user-auth`, `payment-capture`, `order-checkout`
- Be specific: `payment-capture` not just `payments`
- Keep flat: Avoid nesting capabilities within capabilities
- Singular focus: If you need "AND" to describe it, split it
### When to Split Capabilities
Split when you have:
- Multiple unrelated API endpoints
- Different user personas or actors
- Separate deployment considerations
- Independent evolution paths
#### Capability Boundary Guidelines
- Would you import these separately? → Separate capabilities
- Different deployment cadence? → Separate capabilities
- Different teams own them? → Separate capabilities
- Shared data models are OK, shared business logic means combine
Examples:
- user-auth (login/logout) vs user-sessions (token management) → SEPARATE
- payment-capture vs payment-refunds → SEPARATE (different workflows)
- user-profile vs user-settings → COMBINE (same data model, same owner)
### Cross-Cutting Concerns
For system-wide policies (rate limiting, error handling, security), document them in:
-`project.md` for project-wide conventions
- Within relevant capability specs where they apply
- Or create a dedicated capability if complex enough (e.g., `api-rate-limiting/`)
### Examples of Well-Organized Capabilities
```
specs/
├── user-auth/ # Login, logout, password reset
├── user-sessions/ # Token management, refresh
├── user-profile/ # Profile CRUD operations
├── payment-capture/ # Processing payments
├── payment-refunds/ # Handling refunds
└── order-checkout/ # Checkout workflow
```
For detailed guidance, see the [Capability Organization Guide](../docs/capability-organization.md).
## Common Scenarios and Clarifications
### Decision Ambiguity: Bug vs Behavior Change
When specs are missing or ambiguous:
- If NO spec exists → Treat current code behavior as implicit spec, require proposal
- If spec is VAGUE → Require proposal to clarify spec alongside fix
- If code and spec DISAGREE → Spec is truth, code is buggy (fix without proposal)
- If unsure → Default to creating a proposal (safer option)
Example:
```
User: "The API returns 404 for missing users but should return 400"
AI: Is this a bug (spec says 400) or behavior change (spec says 404)?
```
### When You Don't Know the Scope
It's OK to explore first! Tell the user you need to investigate, then create an informed proposal.
### Exploration Phase (When Needed)
BEFORE creating proposal, you may need exploration when:
- User request is vague or high-level
- Multiple implementation approaches exist
- Scope is unclear without seeing code
Exploration checklist:
1. Tell user you need to explore first
2. Use Grep/Read to understand current state
3. Create initial proposal based on findings
4. Refine with user feedback
Example:
```
User: "Add caching to improve performance"
AI: "Let me explore the codebase to understand the current architecture and identify caching opportunities."
[After exploration]
AI: "Based on my analysis, I've identified three areas where caching would help. Here's my proposal..."
```
### When No Specs Exist
Treat current code as implicit spec. Your proposal should document current state AND proposed changes.
### When in Doubt
Default to creating a proposal. It's easier to skip an unnecessary proposal than fix an undocumented change.
### AI Workflow Adaptations
Task tracking with OpenSpec:
- Track exploration tasks separately from implementation
- Document proposal creation steps as you go
- Keep implementation tasks separate until proposal approved
Parallel operations encouraged:
- Read multiple specs simultaneously
- Check multiple pending changes at once
- Batch related searches for efficiency
Progress communication:
- "Exploring codebase to understand scope..."
- "Creating proposal based on findings..."
- "Implementing approved changes..."
### For AI Assistants
- **Bias toward simplicity** - Propose the minimal solution that works
- Use your exploration tools liberally before proposing
- Batch operations for efficiency
- Communicate your progress
- It's OK to revise proposals based on discoveries
- **Question complexity** - If your solution feels complex, simplify first
## Edge Case Handling
### Multi-Capability Changes
Create ONE proposal that:
- Lists all affected capabilities
- Shows changes per capability
- Has unified task list
- Gets approved as a whole
### Outdated Specs
If specs clearly outdated:
1. Create proposal to update specs to match reality
2. Implement new feature in separate proposal
3. OR combine both in one proposal with clear sections
### Emergency Hotfixes
For critical production issues:
1. Announce: "This is an emergency fix"
2. Implement fix immediately
3. Create retroactive proposal
4. Update specs after deployment
5. Tag with [EMERGENCY] in archive
### Pure Refactoring
No proposal needed for:
- Code formatting/style
- Internal refactoring (same API)
- Performance optimization (same behavior)
- Adding types to untyped code
Proposal REQUIRED for:
- API changes (even if compatible)
- Database schema changes
- Architecture changes
- New dependencies
### Observability Additions
No proposal needed for:
- Adding log statements
- New metrics/traces
- Debugging additions
- Error tracking
Proposal REQUIRED if:
- Changes log format/structure
- Adds new monitoring service
- Changes what's logged (privacy)
## Remember
- You are the process driver - automate documentation burden
- Specs must always reflect deployed reality
- Changes are proposed, not imposed
- Impact analysis prevents surprises
- Simplicity is the power - just markdown files, minimal solutions
- Start simple, add complexity only when justified
By following these conventions, you enable true spec-driven development where documentation stays current, changes are traceable, and evolution is intentional.
Parallel changes often touch the same capabilities and `cli-init`/`cli-update` behavior, but today there is no machine-readable way to express sequencing, dependencies, or expected merge order.
This creates three recurring problems:
- teams cannot tell which change should land first
- large changes are hard to split into safe mergeable slices
- parallel work can accidentally reintroduce assumptions already removed by another change
We need lightweight planning metadata and CLI guidance so contributors can safely stack plans on top of each other.
## What Changes
### 1. Add lightweight stack metadata for changes
Extend change metadata to support sequencing and decomposition context, for example:
-`dependsOn`: changes that must land first
-`provides`: capability markers exposed by this change
-`requires`: capability markers needed by this change
-`touches`: capability/spec areas likely affected (advisory only; warning signal, not a hard dependency)
-`parent`: optional parent change for split work
Metadata is optional and backward compatible for existing changes.
Ordering semantics:
-`dependsOn` is the source of truth for execution/archive ordering
-`provides`/`requires` are capability contracts for validation and planning visibility
-`provides`/`requires` do not create implicit dependency edges; authors must still declare required ordering via `dependsOn`
### 2. Add stack-aware validation
Enhance change validation to detect planning issues early:
- missing dependencies
- dependency cycles
- archive ordering violations (for example, attempting to archive a change before all `dependsOn` predecessors are archived)
- unmatched capability markers (for example, `requires` marker with no provider in active history emits non-blocking warning)
- overlap warnings when active changes touch the same capability
Validation should fail only for deterministic blockers (for example cycles or missing required dependencies), and keep overlap checks as actionable warnings.
### 3. Add sequencing visibility commands
Add lightweight CLI support to inspect and execute plan order:
-`openspec change graph` to show dependency DAG/order
-`openspec change graph` validates for cycles first; when cycles are present it fails with the same deterministic cycle error as stack-aware validation
-`openspec change next` to suggest unblocked changes ready to implement/archive
### 4. Add split scaffolding for large changes
Add helper workflow to decompose large proposals into stackable slices:
The system SHALL support optional metadata on active changes to express sequencing and decomposition relationships.
#### Scenario: Optional stack metadata is present
- **WHEN** a change includes stack metadata fields
- **THEN** the system SHALL parse and expose `dependsOn`, `provides`, `requires`, `touches`, and `parent`
- **AND** validation SHALL enforce normalized field shapes and value types (`dependsOn`/`provides`/`requires`/`touches` as string arrays, `parent` as string when present)
#### Scenario: Backward compatibility without stack metadata
- **WHEN** a change does not include stack metadata
- **THEN** existing behavior SHALL continue without migration steps
- **AND** validation SHALL not fail solely because stack metadata is absent
### Requirement: Change Dependency Graph
The system SHALL provide dependency-aware ordering for active changes.
#### Scenario: Build dependency order
- **WHEN** users request stack planning output
- **THEN** the system SHALL compute a dependency graph across active changes
- **AND** SHALL return a deterministic topological order for unblocked changes
#### Scenario: Tie-breaking within the same dependency depth
- **WHEN** multiple unblocked changes share the same topological dependency depth
- **THEN** ordering SHALL break ties lexicographically by change ID
- **AND** repeated runs over the same input SHALL return the same order
#### Scenario: Dependency cycle detection
- **WHEN** active changes contain a dependency cycle
- **THEN** validation SHALL fail with cycle details before archive or sequencing actions proceed
- **AND** output SHALL include actionable guidance to break the cycle
### Requirement: Capability marker and overlap semantics
The system SHALL treat capability markers as validation contracts and `touches` as advisory overlap signals.
#### Scenario: Required capability provided by an active change
- **WHEN** change B declares `requires` marker `X`
- **AND** active change A declares `provides` marker `X`
- **THEN** validation SHALL require B to declare an explicit ordering edge in `dependsOn` to at least one active provider of `X`
- **AND** validation SHALL fail if no explicit dependency is declared
#### Scenario: Requires marker without active provider
- **WHEN** a change declares a `requires` marker
- **AND** no active change declares the corresponding `provides` marker
- **THEN** validation SHALL NOT infer an implicit dependency edge
- **AND** ordering SHALL continue to be determined solely by explicit `dependsOn` relationships
#### Scenario: Requires marker satisfied by archived history
- **WHEN** a change declares a `requires` marker
- **AND** no active change provides that marker
- **AND** at least one archived change in history provides that marker
- **THEN** validation SHALL NOT warn solely about missing provider
- **AND** SHALL continue to use explicit `dependsOn` for active ordering
#### Scenario: Requires marker missing in full history
- **WHEN** a change declares a `requires` marker
- **AND** no active or archived change in history provides that marker
- **THEN** validation SHALL emit a non-blocking warning naming the change and missing marker
- **AND** SHALL NOT infer an implicit dependency edge
#### Scenario: Overlap warning for shared touches
- **WHEN** multiple active changes declare overlapping `touches` values
- **THEN** validation SHALL emit a warning listing the overlapping changes and touched areas
- **AND** validation SHALL NOT fail solely on overlap
- [ ] 1.2 Keep metadata backward compatible for existing changes without new fields
- [ ] 1.3 Add tests for valid/invalid metadata and schema evolution behavior
## 2. Stack-Aware Validation
- [ ] 2.1 Detect dependency cycles and fail validation with deterministic errors
- [ ] 2.2 Detect missing `dependsOn` targets (referenced change ID does not exist) and detect changes transitively blocked by unresolved/cyclic dependency paths
- [ ] 2.3 Add overlap warnings for active changes that touch the same capability/spec areas
- [ ] 2.4 Emit advisory warnings for unmatched `requires` markers when no provider exists in active history
- [ ] 2.5 Add tests for cycle, missing dependency, overlap warning, and unmatched `requires` cases
## 3. Sequencing Commands
- [ ] 3.1 Add `openspec change graph` to display dependency order for active changes
- [ ] 3.2 Add `openspec change next` to suggest unblocked changes in recommended order
- [ ] 3.3 Add tests for topological ordering and deterministic tie-breaking (lexicographic by change ID at equal depth)
- [ ] 4.2 Ensure generated children include parent/dependency metadata and stub proposal/tasks files
- [ ] 4.3 Convert the source change into a parent planning container as part of split (no duplicate child implementation tasks)
- [ ] 4.4 Add tests for split output structure, source-change parent conversion, and deterministic re-split error behavior when overwrite mode is not requested
- [ ] 4.5 Implement and test explicit overwrite mode for `openspec change split` (`--overwrite` / `--force`) for controlled re-splitting
## 5. Documentation
- [ ] 5.1 Document stack metadata and sequencing workflow in `docs/concepts.md`
- [ ] 5.2 Document new change commands and usage examples in `docs/cli.md`
- [ ] 5.3 Add guidance for breaking large changes into independently mergeable slices
- [ ] 5.4 Document migration guidance for `openspec/changes/IMPLEMENTATION_ORDER.md` as optional narrative, not dependency source of truth
## 6. Verification
- [ ] 6.1 Run targeted tests for change parsing, validation, and CLI commands
- [ ] 6.2 Run full test suite (`pnpm test`) and resolve regressions
OpenSpec today assumes project-local installation for most generated artifacts, with Codex command prompts as the main global exception. This mixed model works, but it is implicit and not user-configurable.
The requested change is to support user-selectable install scope (`global` or `project`) for tool skills/commands, defaulting to `global` for new configurations while preserving legacy project-local behavior until explicit migration.
## Goals / Non-Goals
**Goals:**
- Provide a single scope preference that users can set globally and override per run
- Default new users to `global` scope
- Make install path resolution deterministic and explicit across tools/surfaces
- Preserve current behavior for users with older config files that do not yet define `installScope`
- Implementing project-local config file support for global settings
- Defining global install paths for tools where upstream location conventions are unknown
- Changing workflow/profile semantics (`core`, `custom`, `delivery`) in this change
## Decisions
### 1. Scope model in global config
Add install scope preference to global config:
```ts
typeInstallScope='global'|'project';
interfaceGlobalConfig{
// existing fields...
installScope?: InstallScope;
}
```
Defaults:
- New configs SHOULD write `installScope: global` explicitly.
- Existing configs without this field continue to load safely through schema evolution and SHALL resolve effective default as `project` until users explicitly set `installScope`.
### 2. Explicit tool scope support metadata
Extend `AI_TOOLS` metadata with optional scope support declarations per surface:
```ts
interfaceToolInstallScopeSupport{
skills?: InstallScope[];
commands?: InstallScope[];
}
```
Resolution rules:
1. If scope support metadata is absent for a tool surface, treat it as project-only support for conservative backward compatibility.
2. Try preferred scope.
3. If unsupported, use alternate scope when supported.
4. If neither is supported, fail with actionable error.
This enables default-global behavior while remaining safe for tools that only support project-local paths.
### 3. Scope-aware install target resolver
Introduce shared resolver utilities to compute effective target paths for:
- skills root directory
- command output files
Resolver input:
- tool id
- requested scope
- project root
- environment context (`CODEX_HOME`, etc.)
Resolver output:
- effective scope per surface
- concrete target paths
- optional fallback reasons for user-facing output
Platform behavior:
- Resolver outputs are OS-aware and normalized for the current platform.
- Windows global targets MUST use Windows path conventions (for example `%USERPROFILE%\.codex\prompts` fallback for Codex when `CODEX_HOME` is unset), not POSIX defaults.
### 4. Context-aware command adapter paths
Update command generation contract so adapters receive install context for path resolution. This avoids hardcoded absolute/relative assumptions and centralizes scope decisions.
- Uses configured install scope by default; if absent in a legacy config, uses migration-safe effective default (`project`).
- Supports explicit override flag (`--scope global|project`).
- In interactive mode, displays chosen scope and any per-tool fallback decisions before writing files.
`update`:
- Applies current scope preference (or override); if absent in a legacy config, uses migration-safe effective default (`project`).
- Performs drift detection using effective scoped paths and last-applied scope state.
- Reports effective scope decisions in summary output.
`config`:
-`openspec config profile` interactive flow includes install scope selection.
-`openspec config list` shows `installScope` with source annotation (`explicit`, `new-default`, or `legacy-default`).
### 6. Cleanup safety during scope changes
When scope changes:
- Writes occur in the new effective targets.
- Cleanup/removal is limited to OpenSpec-managed files for the relevant tool/workflow IDs.
- Output explicitly states which scope locations were updated and which were cleaned.
### 7. Scope drift state tracking
Track last successful effective scope per tool/surface in project-managed state.
Rules:
1. Drift is detected when current resolved scope differs from last successful scope for a configured tool/surface.
2. Scope support MUST be validated for all configured tools/surfaces before any write starts.
3. Update writes to newly resolved targets first, verifies completeness, then removes managed files at previous targets.
4. If new-target writes are partial or verification fails, command SHALL abort old-target cleanup and report actionable failure with incomplete/new and preserved/old paths.
5. Cleanup failures do not rollback new writes; command returns actionable failure with leftover paths to resolve.
### 8. Coordination with command-surface capability changes
If `add-tool-command-surface-capabilities` lands, planning logic must evaluate scope resolution and delivery/capability behavior together (scope × delivery × command surface).
## Risks / Trade-offs
**Risk: Cross-project shared global state**
Global installs are shared across projects. Updating global artifacts from one project affects all projects using that tool scope.
→ Mitigation: make scope explicit in output; keep profile/delivery global and deterministic.
**Risk: Tool-specific unknown global conventions**
Not all tools document a stable global install location.
→ Mitigation: use explicit scope support metadata; fallback or fail instead of guessing.
**Risk: Adapter API churn**
Changing adapter path contracts touches many files/tests.
→ Mitigation: migrate in one pass with adapter contract tests and existing end-to-end generation tests.
## Rollout Plan
1. Add config schema + defaults for install scope.
2. Add tool scope capability metadata and resolver utilities.
3. Upgrade command adapter contract and generator path plumbing.
4. Integrate scope-aware behavior into init/update.
OpenSpec installation paths are currently inconsistent:
- Most skills and commands are written to project-local directories.
- Codex commands are already global (`$CODEX_HOME/prompts` or `~/.codex/prompts`).
- Users cannot choose a consistent install scope strategy across tools.
This creates friction for users who prefer user-level setup and expect tool artifacts to be managed globally by default.
## What Changes
### 1. Add install scope preference with legacy-safe defaults
Introduce a global install scope setting with two modes:
-`global` (default for newly created configs)
-`project`
The setting is stored in global config and can be overridden per command run.
For schema-evolved legacy configs where `installScope` is absent, effective default remains `project` until users opt in to global scope.
### 2. Add scope-aware path resolution for skills and commands
Refactor path resolution so both `init` and `update` compute install targets from:
- selected scope preference (`global` or `project`)
- tool capability metadata (which scopes each tool/surface supports)
- runtime context (project root, home directories, env overrides)
### 3. Add per-tool capability metadata for scope support
Extend tool metadata to explicitly declare scope support per surface:
- skills scope support
- commands scope support
When preferred scope is unsupported for a tool/surface, the system uses deterministic fallback rules and reports the effective scope in output.
### 4. Make command generation context-aware
Extend command adapter path resolution so adapters receive install context (scope + environment context), instead of only command ID. This removes special-case handling and allows consistent scope behavior across tools.
### 5. Update init/update UX and behavior
-`openspec init`:
- accepts scope override flag
- uses configured scope or migration-aware default (new configs default global; legacy configs preserve project until migration)
- applies scope-aware generation and cleanup planning
-`openspec update`:
- applies current scope preference
- syncs artifacts in effective scope per tool/surface
- tracks last successful effective scope per tool/surface for deterministic scope-drift detection
- reports effective scope decisions clearly
### 6. Extend config UX and docs
- Add install scope control in `openspec config profile` interactive flow.
This proposal remains focused on scope resolution, but implementation and test coverage should include mixed-tool cases to avoid regressions when combined with `add-tool-command-surface-capabilities`.
## Capabilities
### New Capabilities
-`installation-scope`: Scope preference model and effective scope resolution for tool artifact installation.
### Modified Capabilities
-`global-config`: Persist install scope preference with schema evolution defaults.
-`cli-config`: Configure and inspect install scope preferences.
-`ai-tool-paths`: Add tool-level scope support metadata and path strategy.
-`command-generation`: Scope-aware adapter path resolution via install context.
-`cli-init`: Scope-aware initialization planning and output.
-`cli-update`: Scope-aware update sync, drift detection, and output.
-`migration`: Scope-aware migration scanning with install-scope-aware workflow lookup.
## Impact
-`src/core/global-config.ts` - new install scope fields and defaults
-`src/core/config-schema.ts` - validation support for install scope config keys
-`src/commands/config.ts` - interactive profile/config UX additions for install scope
Define the install scope model for OpenSpec-generated skills and commands, including scope preference, effective scope resolution, and fallback/error semantics.
## ADDED Requirements
### Requirement: Install scope preference model
The system SHALL support a user-level install scope preference with values `global` and `project`.
#### Scenario: Default install scope
- **WHEN** install scope is not explicitly configured
- **THEN** the system SHALL resolve a migration-aware default:
- **AND** use `global` for newly created configs
- **AND** use `project` for legacy schema-evolved configs until explicit migration
#### Scenario: Explicit install scope
- **WHEN** user configures install scope to `project`
- **THEN** generation and update flows SHALL use `project` as the preferred scope
### Requirement: Effective scope resolution by tool surface
The system SHALL compute effective scope per tool surface (skills, commands) based on preferred scope and tool capability support.
#### Scenario: Preferred scope is supported
- **WHEN** preferred scope is supported for a tool surface
- **THEN** the system SHALL use that scope as the effective scope
#### Scenario: Preferred scope is unsupported but alternate is supported
- **WHEN** preferred scope is not supported for a tool surface
- **AND** the alternate scope is supported
- **THEN** the system SHALL use the alternate scope as effective scope
- **AND** SHALL record a fallback note for user-facing output
#### Scenario: No supported scope
- **WHEN** neither `global` nor `project` is supported for a tool surface
- **THEN** the command SHALL fail before writing files
- **AND** SHALL display actionable remediation
### Requirement: Effective scope reporting
The system SHALL report effective scope decisions in command output when they differ from the preferred scope.
#### Scenario: Fallback reporting
- **WHEN** fallback resolution occurs for any selected/configured tool surface
- **THEN** init/update summaries SHALL include effective scope notes per affected tool
### Requirement: Cross-platform path behavior
Install scope resolution SHALL produce platform-correct target paths.
#### Scenario: Global scope path on Windows
- **WHEN** effective scope is `global`
- **AND** the command runs on Windows
- **THEN** resolved target paths SHALL use Windows path conventions and separators
- **AND** SHALL NOT reuse POSIX-style home-relative defaults directly
### Requirement: Cleanup safety for scope transitions
Scope transitions SHALL update new targets first and clean old managed targets safely.
#### Scenario: Automatic cleanup for managed files on scope change
- **WHEN** update or init applies a scope transition for a configured tool/surface
- **THEN** the system SHALL write new artifacts in the new effective scope before cleanup
- **AND** SHALL automatically remove only OpenSpec-managed files in the previous effective scope
#### Scenario: Cleanup scope boundaries
- **WHEN** cleanup runs after a scope transition
- **THEN** the system SHALL leave non-managed files untouched
- **AND** SHALL limit removal scope to the affected tool/workflow-managed paths
#### Scenario: Cleanup failure after successful writes
- **WHEN** new artifacts were written successfully in the new scope
- **AND** cleanup of old managed targets fails
- **THEN** the command SHALL report failure with leftover cleanup paths
- **AND** SHALL NOT rollback successfully written new-scope artifacts
- [ ] 1.1 Add `installScope` (`global` | `project`) to `GlobalConfig` with explicit `global` default for newly created configs
- [ ] 1.2 Update config schema validation and known-key checks to include install scope
- [ ] 1.3 Add schema-evolution tests ensuring missing `installScope` in legacy configs resolves to effective `project` until explicit migration
- [ ] 1.4 Extend `openspec config list` output to show install scope and source (`explicit`, `new-default`, `legacy-default`)
## 2. Tool Capability Metadata + Resolvers
- [ ] 2.1 Extend `AI_TOOLS` metadata to declare scope support per surface (skills/commands)
- [ ] 2.2 Add shared install-target resolver for skills and commands using requested scope + tool support
- [ ] 2.3 Implement deterministic fallback/error behavior when preferred scope is unsupported, including default behavior when scope support metadata is absent
- [ ] 2.4 Add unit tests for scope resolution (preferred, fallback, and hard-fail paths)
We need a faster, more reliable way to manually validate CLI behavior changes like profile/delivery sync, migration behavior, and tool-detection UX.
Today, manual review is mostly ad hoc: each developer sets up state differently, runs a different command order, and checks outputs informally. This makes regressions easy to miss and slows iteration on CLI UX work.
An 80/20 solution is to add a lightweight smoke harness for deterministic non-interactive flows, plus a short manual checklist for interactive prompt behavior.
## What Changes
- Add a lightweight QA smoke harness for OpenSpec CLI behavior with isolated per-run sandbox state
- Use `Makefile` targets as the primary entrypoint:
Every generated OpenSpec skill drives the `openspec` CLI (`openspec list`, `status`, `instructions`, …). Today the skill frontmatter never pre-approves those calls, so agents that gate Bash on permission prompt the user on every single `openspec` invocation. The workflow stalls on approvals for a first-party, read-mostly CLI the user already opted into by installing OpenSpec.
The Agent Skills standard already solves this: an `allowed-tools` frontmatter field pre-approves listed tools while a skill is active. We just aren't emitting it.
## What Changes
- Every generated `SKILL.md` gains `allowed-tools: Bash(openspec:*)` in its YAML frontmatter, so agents run `openspec` commands from the skill without prompting. Emitted centrally in `generateSkillContent`, so `init`, `update`, every tool's skills directory, and every current and future skill get it uniformly.
- Claude Code slash commands (`.claude/commands/opsx/*.md`) gain the same field — commands share the skill frontmatter contract, so the same pre-approval applies when a user runs `/opsx:*`.
- Scope is deliberately narrow: only the `openspec` CLI is pre-approved. Per the standard, `allowed-tools` pre-approves rather than restricts — so any other tool a skill or command uses (Read, Write, or arbitrary Bash for builds/tests in `apply`/`onboard`) stays available under the user's normal permission settings, still prompting as before.
- Cross-tool: skills go to every supported tool's skills directory, and `allowed-tools` is an Agent Skills standard field — tools that implement the standard honor it; tools that don't ignore the unknown key. Only the Claude command adapter changes, because no other tool's slash-command format defines a per-command pre-approval field.
## Capabilities
### Modified Capabilities
-`cli-init`: the Skill Generation requirement now specifies the `allowed-tools` pre-approval in generated skill frontmatter.
-`command-generation`: the Claude adapter frontmatter now includes the `allowed-tools` field.
## Impact
-`src/core/shared/allowed-tools.ts` — the shared `OPENSPEC_CLI_ALLOWED_TOOLS` constant (single source for both surfaces).
-`src/core/shared/skill-generation.ts` — emit `allowed-tools` in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
-`src/core/command-generation/adapters/claude.ts` — emit `allowed-tools` in the slash-command frontmatter.
- Tests: regenerated golden skill-content hashes; new assertions that every deployed skill and the Claude command format pre-approve the CLI.
- No behavior change for agents that ignore `allowed-tools`; pure upside for agents that honor it.
The command SHALL generate Agent Skills for selected AI tools.
#### Scenario: Generating skills for a tool
- **WHEN** a tool is selected during initialization
- **THEN** create 9 skill directories under `.<tool>/skills/`:
-`openspec-explore/SKILL.md`
-`openspec-new-change/SKILL.md`
-`openspec-continue-change/SKILL.md`
-`openspec-apply-change/SKILL.md`
-`openspec-ff-change/SKILL.md`
-`openspec-verify-change/SKILL.md`
-`openspec-sync-specs/SKILL.md`
-`openspec-archive-change/SKILL.md`
-`openspec-bulk-archive-change/SKILL.md`
- **AND** each SKILL.md SHALL contain YAML frontmatter with name and description
- **AND** each SKILL.md SHALL contain the skill instructions
#### Scenario: Pre-approving the OpenSpec CLI in skill frontmatter
- **WHEN** generating a skill's YAML frontmatter
- **THEN** the frontmatter SHALL include an `allowed-tools` field with the value `Bash(openspec:*)`
- **AND** an agent that honors `allowed-tools` SHALL run `openspec` commands from the skill without prompting for approval
- **AND** because `allowed-tools` pre-approves rather than restricts, any other tool the skill uses SHALL remain available under the user's existing permission settings
-`getFilePath(commandId: string)`: returns file path for command (relative from project root, or absolute for global-scoped tools like Codex)
-`formatFile(content: CommandContent)`: returns complete file content with frontmatter
#### Scenario: Claude adapter formatting
- **WHEN** formatting a command for Claude Code
- **THEN** the adapter SHALL output YAML frontmatter with `name`, `description`, `allowed-tools`, `category`, `tags` fields
- **AND** the `allowed-tools` field SHALL have the value `Bash(openspec:*)` so Claude Code runs `openspec` commands from the slash command without prompting for approval
- [x] 1.1 Add the shared `OPENSPEC_CLI_ALLOWED_TOOLS = 'Bash(openspec:*)'` constant (`src/core/shared/allowed-tools.ts`) and emit `allowed-tools` in the frontmatter built by `generateSkillContent`
- [x] 1.2 Emit the same `allowed-tools` field in the Claude command adapter's frontmatter (`src/core/command-generation/adapters/claude.ts`); other adapters unchanged — no other tool defines a per-command pre-approval field
## 2. Tests
- [x] 2.1 Regenerate the golden generated-content hashes in `skill-templates-parity.test.ts`
- [x] 2.2 Add a test asserting every deployed skill's generated content contains `allowed-tools: Bash(openspec:*)` (iterates the registry so new skills are covered)
- [x] 2.3 Assert the Claude adapter output contains the field (`adapters.test.ts`)
- [x] 2.4 Verify end-to-end: `openspec init --tools claude` emits the field in both SKILL.md and `.claude/commands/opsx/*.md`, and it parses as the YAML string `Bash(openspec:*)`
## 3. Release
- [x] 3.1 Add a changeset describing the auto-approval
OpenSpec currently assumes command delivery maps directly to command adapters. That assumption does not hold for all tools.
Some tools expose OpenSpec workflows via skill entries rather than adapter-generated command files. Kimi CLI is a concrete example: it invokes skills with forms such as `/skill:openspec-new-change`. In this model, skills are the command surface.
Today, this creates a behavior gap:
-`delivery=commands` can remove skills
- tools without adapters skip command generation
- result: selected tools like Kimi CLI, ForgeCode, or Mistral Vibe can end up with no invocable workflow artifacts
This is more than a prompt UX issue because non-interactive and CI flows bypass interactive guidance. We need a capability-aware model in core generation logic.
Add an optional field in tool metadata to describe how a tool exposes commands:
-`adapter`: command files are generated through a command adapter
-`skills-invocable`: skills are directly invocable as commands
-`none`: no OpenSpec command surface
Field should be optional. Default behavior is inferred from adapter registry presence: tools with a registered adapter resolve to `adapter`; tools with no adapter registration and no explicit annotation resolve to `none`.
Capability values use kebab-case string tokens for consistency with serialized metadata conventions.
Initial explicit overrides:
- ForgeCode -> `skills-invocable`
- Kimi CLI -> `skills-invocable`
- Mistral Vibe -> `skills-invocable`
Trae no longer belongs in this override set once its `.trae/commands/opsx-<id>.md` adapter is available; it should resolve to `adapter` like other file-backed command integrations.
### 2. Make delivery behavior capability-aware
Update `init` and `update` to compute effective artifact actions per tool from:
- global delivery (`both | skills | commands`)
- tool command surface capability
Behavior matrix:
-`both`:
- generate skills for all tools with `skillsDir` (including `skills-invocable`)
- generate command files only for `adapter` tools
-`none`: no artifact action; MAY emit compatibility warning
-`skills`:
- generate skills for all tools with `skillsDir` (including `skills-invocable`)
- remove adapter-generated command files
-`none`: no artifact action; MAY emit compatibility warning
-`commands`:
-`adapter`: generate commands, remove skills
-`skills-invocable`: generate (or keep if up-to-date) skills as command surface; do not remove them
-`none`: fail fast with clear error
### 3. Add preflight validation and clearer output
Before writing/removing artifacts, validate selected/configured tools against delivery mode:
- interactive flow: show clear compatibility note before confirmation
- non-interactive flow: fail with deterministic error listing incompatible tools and supported alternatives
Update summaries to show effective delivery outcomes per tool (for example, when commands mode still installs skills for skills-invocable tools).
### 4. Update docs and tests
- document capability model and skills-invocable behavior under delivery modes
- ensure CLI docs and supported-tools docs reflect effective behavior
- add test coverage for:
-`init --tools kimi` with `delivery=commands`
-`update` with Kimi CLI configured under `delivery=commands`
- mixed selections (`claude + kimi`) across all delivery modes
- explicit error path for tools with no command surface under `delivery=commands`
### 5. Coordinate with install-scope behavior
When combined with `add-global-install-scope`, init/update planning must compose:
-`src/core/shared/tool-detection.ts` - include capability-aware detection so `skills-invocable` tools remain detectable under `delivery=commands`, and `none` tools are excluded from command-surface artifact detection
-`docs/supported-tools.md` and `docs/cli.md` - document delivery behavior and compatibility notes
-`test/core/init.test.ts` and `test/core/update.test.ts` - add coverage for skills-invocable behavior and mixed-tool delivery scenarios
## Sequencing Notes
- This change is intended to stack safely with `simplify-skill-installation` by introducing additive, capability-specific requirements for init/update.
- If `simplify-skill-installation` merges first, this change should be rebased and keep the capability-aware rule as the source of truth for `delivery=commands` behavior on `skills-invocable` tools.
- If this change merges first, the `simplify-skill-installation` branch should be rebased to avoid re-introducing a global "commands-only means no skills for all tools" assumption.
- If `add-global-install-scope` merges first, this change should be rebased to compose capability-aware behavior on top of scope-resolved path decisions from that change.
- If this change merges first, `add-global-install-scope` should be rebased to preserve Section 5 composition rules (`install scope` + `delivery mode` + `command surface capability`) without overriding capability-aware command-surface outcomes.
The init command SHALL resolve each selected tool's command surface using explicit metadata first, then deterministic inference.
#### Scenario: Explicit command surface override
- **WHEN** a tool declares an explicit command-surface capability
- **THEN** init SHALL use that explicit capability
- **AND** SHALL NOT override it based on adapter presence
#### Scenario: Inferred command surface from adapter presence
- **WHEN** a tool does not declare an explicit command-surface capability
- **AND** a command adapter is registered for the tool
- **THEN** init SHALL infer `adapter` as the command surface
#### Scenario: Inferred command surface for skills-only tool
- **WHEN** a tool does not declare an explicit command-surface capability
- **AND** no command adapter is registered for the tool
- **AND** the tool has a configured `skillsDir`
- **THEN** init SHALL infer `skills-invocable` as the command surface
#### Scenario: Inferred command surface without adapter or skills
- **WHEN** a tool does not declare an explicit command-surface capability
- **AND** no command adapter is registered for the tool
- **AND** the tool has no `skillsDir`
- **THEN** init SHALL infer `none` as the command surface
### Requirement: Delivery compatibility by tool command surface
The init command SHALL apply delivery settings using each tool's command surface capability, not adapter presence alone.
#### Scenario: Both delivery for adapter-backed tool
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec init` with a selected tool that has a command adapter
- **AND** delivery is set to `both`
- **THEN** the system SHALL generate command files for active workflows using that adapter
- **AND** SHALL generate or refresh managed skills when the tool has `skillsDir`
#### Scenario: Both delivery for skills-invocable tool
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec init` with a selected tool whose command surface is `skills-invocable`
- **AND** delivery is set to `both`
- **THEN** the system SHALL generate or refresh managed skill directories when the tool has `skillsDir`
- **AND** SHALL NOT require adapter-generated command files for that tool
#### Scenario: Both delivery for none command surface
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec init` with a selected tool whose command surface is `none`
- **AND** delivery is set to `both`
- **THEN** the system SHALL perform no command-surface artifact action for that tool
- **AND** MAY emit a compatibility note indicating no command surface is available
#### Scenario: Skills delivery for adapter-backed tool
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec init` with a selected tool that has a command adapter
- **AND** delivery is set to `skills`
- **THEN** the system SHALL generate or refresh managed skill directories when the tool has `skillsDir`
- **AND** SHALL remove managed adapter-generated command files for that tool
#### Scenario: Skills delivery for skills-invocable tool
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec init` with a selected tool whose command surface is `skills-invocable`
- **AND** delivery is set to `skills`
- **THEN** the system SHALL generate or refresh managed skill directories when the tool has `skillsDir`
- **AND** SHALL NOT require adapter-generated command files for that tool
#### Scenario: Skills delivery for none command surface
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec init` with a selected tool whose command surface is `none`
- **AND** delivery is set to `skills`
- **THEN** the system SHALL perform no command-surface artifact action for that tool
- **AND** MAY emit a compatibility note indicating no command surface is available
#### Scenario: Commands delivery for adapter-backed tool
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec init` with a selected tool that has a command adapter
- **AND** delivery is set to `commands`
- **THEN** the system SHALL generate command files for active workflows using that adapter
- **AND** the system SHALL remove managed skill directories for that tool
#### Scenario: Commands delivery for skills-invocable tool
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec init` with a selected tool whose command surface is `skills-invocable`
- **AND** delivery is set to `commands`
- **THEN** the system SHALL generate or refresh managed skill directories for active workflows
- **AND** the system SHALL NOT remove those managed skill directories as part of commands-only cleanup
- **AND** the system SHALL NOT require a command adapter for that tool
#### Scenario: Commands delivery for mixed tool selection
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec init` with multiple tools
- **AND** selected tools include both adapter-backed and skills-invocable command surfaces
- **AND** delivery is set to `commands`
- **THEN** the system SHALL apply commands-only behavior per tool capability
- **AND** the resulting install SHALL include command files for adapter-backed tools and skills for skills-invocable tools
#### Scenario: Commands delivery for unsupported command surface
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec init` with a selected tool that has no command surface capability
- **AND** delivery is set to `commands`
- **THEN** the system SHALL fail before generating or deleting artifacts
- **AND** the error SHALL list incompatible tool IDs and explain supported alternatives (`both` or `skills`)
#### Scenario: Interactive handling for unsupported command surface
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec init` interactively
- **AND** delivery is set to `commands`
- **AND** selected tools include one or more tools with command surface `none`
- **THEN** the CLI SHALL show a compatibility error and return to the interactive selection flow for correction
- **AND** SHALL not perform artifact writes until a valid selection is confirmed
### Requirement: Init compatibility signaling
The init command SHALL clearly signal command-surface compatibility outcomes in both interactive and non-interactive flows.
#### Scenario: Interactive compatibility note
- **WHEN** init runs interactively
- **AND** delivery is `commands`
- **AND** selected tools include skills-invocable command surfaces
- **THEN** the system SHALL display a compatibility note before the confirmation prompt indicating those tools will use skills as their command surface
#### Scenario: Non-interactive compatibility summary for skills-invocable tools
- **AND** selected tools include one or more `skills-invocable` command surfaces
- **THEN** the command SHALL proceed with exit code 0
- **AND** the command SHALL write deterministic compatibility summary lines to stdout indicating those tools will use managed skills as their command surface
### Requirement: Delivery sync by command surface capability
The update command SHALL synchronize artifacts using each configured tool's command surface capability.
#### Scenario: Commands delivery for adapter-backed configured tool
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec update`
- **AND** delivery is set to `commands`
- **AND** a configured tool has an adapter-backed command surface
- **THEN** the system SHALL generate or refresh command files for active workflows
- **AND** the system SHALL remove managed skill directories for that tool
#### Scenario: Commands delivery for skills-invocable configured tool
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec update`
- **AND** delivery is set to `commands`
- **AND** a configured tool has `skills-invocable` command surface capability
- **THEN** the system SHALL generate or refresh managed skill directories for active workflows
- **AND** the system SHALL NOT remove those managed skill directories as part of commands-only cleanup
- **AND** the system SHALL NOT attempt to require adapter-generated command files for that tool
#### Scenario: Commands delivery with unsupported command surface
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec update`
- **AND** delivery is set to `commands`
- **AND** a configured tool has no command surface capability
- **THEN** the system SHALL fail with exit code 1 before applying partial updates
- **AND** the output SHALL identify incompatible tools and recommended remediation
### Requirement: Configured-tool detection for skills-invocable command surfaces
The update command SHALL treat tools with skills-invocable command surfaces as configured when managed skill artifacts are present, including under commands delivery.
#### Scenario: Skills-invocable tool under commands delivery
- **WHEN** user runs `openspec update`
- **AND** delivery is set to `commands`
- **AND** a tool has no adapter-generated command files
- **AND** that tool is marked `skills-invocable` and has managed skills installed
- **THEN** the system SHALL include the tool in configured-tool detection
- **AND** the system SHALL apply normal version/profile/delivery sync to that tool
- [ ] 1.3 Mark known skills-invocable tools such as ForgeCode, Kimi CLI, and Mistral Vibe as `skills-invocable`
- [ ] 1.4 Add a shared capability resolver (explicit metadata override first, inferred fallback from adapter presence second)
- [ ] 1.5 Add focused unit tests for capability resolution (explicit override, inferred adapter, inferred none)
## 2. Init: Capability-Aware Delivery Planning
- [ ] 2.1 Refactor init generation logic to compute per-tool effective actions (generate/remove skills and commands) instead of using only global booleans
- [ ] 2.2 In `delivery=commands`, keep/generate skills for `skills-invocable` tools and do not remove those managed skill directories
- [ ] 2.3 In `delivery=commands`, fail fast before writes when any selected tool resolves to `none`
- [ ] 2.4 Update init output to clearly report effective behavior for `skills-invocable` tools (skills used as command surface)
- [ ] 2.5 Ensure init no longer reports "no adapter" for tools intentionally using `skills-invocable`
- [ ] 2.6 Add/adjust init tests for `delivery=commands` + `kimi` (skills retained/generated, no adapter error), mixed tools (`claude,kimi`) with per-tool expected outputs, and deterministic failure path for unsupported command surface (`none`)
## 3. Update: Capability-Aware Sync and Drift Detection
- [ ] 3.1 Refactor update sync logic to apply delivery behavior per tool capability (not globally per run)
- [ ] 3.2 In `delivery=commands`, keep/generate managed skills for `skills-invocable` tools
- [ ] 3.3 In `delivery=commands`, fail before partial updates when configured tools include a `none` command surface
- [ ] 3.4 Update profile/delivery drift detection to avoid perpetual drift for `skills-invocable` tools under commands delivery
- [ ] 3.5 Ensure configured-tool detection still includes `skills-invocable` tools under commands delivery when managed skills exist
- [ ] 3.6 Update summary output so skills-invocable behavior is reported as expected behavior (not implicit skip/error)
- [ ] 3.7 Add/adjust update tests for `delivery=commands` + configured Kimi CLI (skills retained/generated), idempotent second update (no false drift loop), mixed configured tools (`claude` + `kimi`), and deterministic preflight failure for unsupported command surface (`none`)
## 4. UX and Error Messaging
- [ ] 4.1 Add interactive init compatibility note for `delivery=commands` when selected tools include `skills-invocable`
- [ ] 4.2 Add deterministic non-interactive error text with incompatible tool IDs and suggested alternatives (`both` or `skills`)
- [ ] 4.3 Align init and update wording so capability-related behavior/messages are consistent
## 5. Documentation Updates
- [ ] 5.1 Update `docs/supported-tools.md` to document command-surface semantics for skills-invocable tools and clarify delivery interactions
- [ ] 5.2 Update `docs/cli.md` delivery guidance to explain capability-aware behavior for `delivery=commands`
- [ ] 5.3 Add a short troubleshooting note for "commands-only + unsupported tool" failures
## 6. Verification
- [ ] 6.1 Run targeted tests: `test/core/init.test.ts` and `test/core/update.test.ts`
- [ ] 6.2 Run any new capability/unit test files added in this change
- [ ] 6.3 Run full test suite (`pnpm test`) and resolve regressions
OPSX models a change as a small DAG of planning artifacts. Each schema declares artifacts with `requires` edges ([schemas/spec-driven/schema.yaml](../../../schemas/spec-driven/schema.yaml)); `ArtifactGraph` ([src/core/artifact-graph/graph.ts](../../../src/core/artifact-graph/graph.ts)) topologically sorts them, and `openspec status --change <id> --json` already reports, per artifact: its `status` (`done`/`ready`/`blocked`), its `outputPath`, and — via the top-level `artifactPaths` map — its `resolvedOutputPath` and `existingOutputPaths`, plus the change's `schemaName` and `isComplete`. The two path fields differ in a way that matters for a write operation: `existingOutputPaths` is the concrete files that exist on disk (for a glob artifact such as `specs/**/*.md`, the glob already expanded to real files); `resolvedOutputPath` is the change-dir-joined declared path, which for a glob artifact is still the glob (`.../specs/**/*.md`) and is therefore **not** a write target. `/opsx:update` edits the files in `existingOutputPaths`. `openspec list --json` lists changes by recency.
That is everything an update skill needs. The artifacts are a handful of markdown files on disk; the agent can read them. So `/opsx:update` is built as a thin skill over the **existing** CLI, in the same shape as `continue-change.ts` (select change → `openspec status --json` → act).
This proposal began larger — a reverse-dependency graph API, content digests, a baseline ledger, a `reconcile` write op, a `status --impact` selector. Review feedback ([PR #1278](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/1278)) was that this over-builds: coding agents tend to over-complicate skills, and the feature should work off the existing `status` command with as little new code as possible. This design follows that steer.
## Goals / Non-Goals
**Goals**
- A `/opsx:update` action that revises a change's existing planning artifacts and keeps them coherent with one another.
- Drive it from the artifact set and paths the CLI already reports — zero hardcoded artifact names — so custom schemas work.
- Edit planning artifacts only; never touch code. Confirm every edit with the user.
- Add as little code as possible: one skill template, no changes to the graph engine, the `status` command, or the metadata schema.
**Non-Goals**
- A new top-level `openspec update*` CLI verb (name is taken; see Naming).
- Automatic, unattended regeneration (the user always confirms).
- Content digests, a drift/staleness signal, a baseline ledger, a `reconcile` op, or a `status --impact` selector (see "Why not the heavier machinery").
- Regenerating *code* from updated artifacts — that is `/opsx:apply`'s job; `/opsx:update` stops at the plan and hands off.
- Cross-change audit ([#247](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/247) in full) — a later proposal; this change is intra-change.
- Updating anything other than a change's planning artifacts. v1 is specific to change proposals; generalizing "update" to other graph types is deferred until such a graph exists (see Naming).
## The skill, written by hand
Working backwards from "what is the minimal instruction set," here is the skill body in sketch form. It is short on purpose — few tokens, few commands:
```
Revise a change's planning artifacts and keep them coherent. Never edit code.
1. Resolve the change.
- If named, use it. Else infer from context; if unclear, run `openspec list --json`
and ask the user to choose (most-recently-modified first). Never auto-select.
2. Get the artifacts.
- Run `openspec status --change "<id>" --json`.
- Read `artifacts[]` (ids + status) and the `artifactPaths` map. These come from the
active schema — do not assume the artifact ids or paths.
- The files to edit are `artifactPaths.<id>.existingOutputPaths` (already glob-expanded
for artifacts like `specs/**/*.md`). Do not write to `resolvedOutputPath`: for a glob
artifact it is still the glob pattern, not a real file.
3. Understand the request.
- If the user named a change ("the design now uses X"), that is the starting edit.
- If they only said "update" / "make this coherent," treat it as a coherence review.
4. Read and reconcile.
- Read the artifact(s) the request touches and the other existing artifacts in the change.
- Apply the requested edit. Then check every other existing artifact against it — in any
direction (an edit to design may require revising the proposal, not only the tasks) —
and note what is now inconsistent, missing, or contradictory.
- Do not invent artifacts that don't exist yet; point the user to `/opsx:continue` to create them.
5. Confirm and apply, one artifact at a time.
- Show each proposed revision and why. Write only after the user confirms.
- When a substantial rewrite is needed, `openspec instructions <artifact> --change "<id>" --json`
gives that artifact's rules/template to follow.
6. Point to the next step (guidance only — never act on it).
checked off / applied) → the code may no longer match the revised plan; suggest
`/opsx:apply` to carry the delta. Fully done and implemented → suggest `/opsx:archive`.
Guardrails:
- Planning artifacts only. If the plan now implies code changes, stop and point to `/opsx:apply`.
- Use artifact ids/paths from `openspec status`; never branch on literal proposal/specs/design/tasks names.
- If the request changes the change's *intent* rather than refining it, recommend `/opsx:new`
(the "Update vs. Start Fresh" heuristic, docs/opsx.md).
```
The `spec-driven` artifact names may appear once, as a worked *example* of how to apply step 4, exactly as `continue-change.ts` does today — but the control flow reads ids from the CLI, so the skill never branches on those names. A template test asserts there is no name-based branching (the anti-[#777](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/777) guard).
## Decisions
### 1. Bidirectional coherence, not downstream propagation
The artifact graph has a build *order*, but "what needs updating after an edit" is not strictly downstream. If `design` changes, the `proposal` it elaborates may need to change too; if `tasks` reveal a missing capability, the `specs` may need a new requirement. The skill therefore reads the change's artifacts and reconciles them in whatever direction the edit demands. Build order is still useful as a default *reading* order and for presenting fixes, but it is not a constraint on which artifacts may be revised. This is why the design does not add a one-directional `getDownstream` / `--impact` primitive: it would encode the wrong model.
### 2. Lean on the existing `status` command
`openspec status --change <id> --json` already returns the artifact set, per-artifact status, and, in the `artifactPaths` map, the on-disk paths. The skill writes to `artifactPaths.<id>.existingOutputPaths` — the concrete files, glob-expanded — and deliberately not to `resolvedOutputPath`, which for a glob artifact is the pattern itself and not a file. That is everything the skill needs to know what exists and where it lives; no new CLI field is required. Picking the change reuses `openspec list --json`, exactly like `/opsx:continue`. No new CLI surface is introduced.
### 3. Why not the heavier machinery (digests, ledger, reconcile, impact)
The first draft proposed SHA-256 content digests, a per-change baseline ledger in `.openspec.yaml`, an `openspec reconcile` write op, a derived drift signal, and a `status --impact` selector — so the CLI could tell the agent *which* artifacts are stale without the agent reading them.
Rejected for v1, because the cost outweighs the need:
- The artifacts are a few markdown files. An agent that is going to *rewrite* them must read them anyway, so computing staleness for it saves little and adds a stateful subsystem (a ledger that `status` must not mutate, a separate write verb, scheme-versioning for forward-compat, cross-platform digest canonicalization, and the round-trip tests for all of it).
- A digest/ledger only earns its keep when something must judge staleness *without* reading content — e.g. unattended drift detection across many changes ([#247](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/247) cross-change, [#846](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/846) tracking files). Those are out of scope here. When one of them becomes concrete, this machinery can be designed against that real need.
So `/opsx:update` v1 has the agent read the change's artifacts and judge coherence directly. If, after using it, a deterministic signal proves necessary, the smallest first step is to expose the schema's `requires` edges on `status --json` (a single additive field, no new command) — and only then consider digests.
### 4. Naming: `/opsx:update` skill, not `openspec update` CLI
`openspec update [path]` already regenerates AI tool/skill files ([src/cli/index.ts](../../../src/cli/index.ts)). Overloading it would give one verb two unrelated meanings. The artifact-update action is therefore the **skill**`/opsx:update`, with no new `openspec` verb at all. Considered and rejected: `openspec regen --from <artifact>` ([#705](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/705)) — a mutating CLI verb that rewrites artifacts duplicates the skill's job and bypasses user confirmation; the value is in the agent's semantic revision, not a CLI rewrite.
Review feedback flagged that "update" alone is generic — could it apply to any graph? The resolution: the skill is scoped to **change proposals only**, and the specific name carries that scope. The skill is `openspec-update-change`, following the `openspec-<verb>-change` naming of its siblings (`openspec-continue-change`, `openspec-new-change`, …). The command is `/opsx:update` because every verb in the `/opsx:` family operates on a change (`continue`, `apply`, `archive` — none says `-change`); a change-scoped meaning is what the namespace already promises. If a future graph type needs its own update action, it gets its own specific skill name then — nothing here blocks or breaks that.
### 5. Guardrails (the part that makes it the requested command)
- **Planning artifacts only.** The skill's write targets are the artifact paths from `status`; if a revision implies code changes it stops and points to `/opsx:apply`. This directly answers [#1188](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/1188)'s complaint that the manual workaround edits code.
- **Schema-driven.** Ids and paths come from `status`; no branching on literal `proposal`/`specs`/`design`/`tasks`. Works for custom schemas ([#777](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/777), [#666](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/666)).
- **Confirm each edit.** One artifact at a time, shown before writing.
- **Intent guard.** A revision that changes intent rather than refining it is redirected to `/opsx:new` (the "Update vs. Start Fresh" heuristic, [docs/opsx.md](../../../docs/opsx.md)).
### 6. Next-step guidance, especially for already-implemented changes
A change can be revised after it was built — tasks checked off, `/opsx:apply` already run. The update itself behaves identically (planning artifacts only), but stopping silently would strand the user: the code and the revised plan now disagree. So the skill ends by reporting where the change stands (from the status JSON and the tasks checklist) and recommending the next command — `/opsx:continue` if artifacts are missing, `/opsx:apply` to carry a revised plan into code, `/opsx:archive` when everything is done. Guidance only: the skill never implements, mirroring the "All artifacts created! You can now implement this change with `/opsx:apply`" hand-off that `continue-change.ts` already uses.
## Risks / Trade-offs
- **No deterministic staleness signal.** With no digest/ledger, the skill relies on the agent reading the artifacts to spot incoherence. Trade-off accepted: an agent that rewrites prose must read it anyway, and a content-blind signal earns its cost only for use cases this change excludes (Decision 3).
- **Coherence quality depends on the agent.** Mitigated by confirming every edit and by keeping scope to one change's artifacts (a small, readable set).
- **Skill drifts back to hardcoding artifact names.** Mitigated by a template test asserting the control flow reads ids from `status` JSON and contains no name-based branching.
## Migration Plan
Additive and backward-compatible. One new skill template, installed with the default `core` profile (maintainer call on the PR: update is part of the default happy path, not expanded-only); one docs row. No existing command changes behavior; no schema or graph changes. The superseded stub (`add-artifact-regeneration-support`) is removed or folded in the same PR to avoid two competing proposals in the tree.
OPSX names **four** first-class actions — "create, implement, **update**, archive — do any of them anytime" ([docs/opsx.md:52](../../../docs/opsx.md)). Three ship as commands. **`update` does not exist.** The only mechanism offered is *"edit the files manually"* — and when you edit one artifact, nothing helps you keep the rest of the change coherent. Worse, the manual workaround lets the agent edit **code** when the user only wanted to revise the **plan** ([#1188](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/1188)).
This is the most-requested missing capability in the tracker. It is one gap with several faces, and the fix is small: a thin `/opsx:update` skill that revises a change's planning artifacts and keeps them coherent with each other, built on the **existing**`openspec status` / `openspec list` commands. No new graph engine, no digests, no ledger — just an agent that reads the change's artifacts and updates what needs updating, with the user's confirmation.
## What Changes
The whole feature is a single new workflow skill, `/opsx:update`. The skill is deliberately change-scoped — `openspec-update-change`, following the `openspec-<verb>-change` naming of its siblings — and applies to change proposals only, not arbitrary artifact graphs (see design, Naming). Written by hand, its instruction set is short:
1.**Understand the request** — what the user wants to revise (or, with no specific ask, "review this change for coherence").
2.**Get the artifacts** — run `openspec status --change <id> --json`. Its `artifactPaths` map reports, per artifact, which files exist and where: `existingOutputPaths` is the concrete file list to edit — already expanded for glob artifacts like `specs/**/*.md`. (`openspec list --json` to pick the change when it isn't given.)
3.**Read and revise** — read the relevant artifacts, make the requested edit, then check the change's **other** artifacts against it and propose any follow-on edits needed to keep the plan coherent.
4.**Confirm and apply** — show each proposed revision, write only after the user confirms.
5.**Point to the next step** — report where the change now stands and recommend what comes next: artifacts still missing → `/opsx:continue`; plan revised after the change was already implemented → `/opsx:apply` to carry the delta into code; everything done and implemented → `/opsx:archive`. Guidance only — the skill never acts on it.
Two guardrails make it the command the cluster asked for:
- **Planning artifacts only, never code.** If a revised plan implies code changes, it hands off to `/opsx:apply` ([#1188](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/1188)).
- **Schema-driven, not name-driven.** Artifact ids and paths come from `openspec status`, so the skill works for custom schemas, not just the default `proposal → specs → design → tasks` ([#777](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/777), [#666](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/666)).
**Coherence is bidirectional.** Earlier framing treated update as strictly "downstream" propagation. That is wrong: in `proposal → specs → design → tasks`, editing `design` can require revising `proposal` too. The skill reads the change's artifacts and reconciles them in whatever direction the edit demands, rather than assuming a fixed flow.
### Deliberately not built (yet)
Per the steer to introduce as little code as possible, and only when there is a defined need, this change does **not** add: a reverse-dependency graph API, content digests / staleness signals, a `.openspec.yaml` baseline ledger, an `openspec reconcile` write op, a drift report, or a `status --impact` selector. The agent reads the change's artifacts directly — a handful of markdown files — which is enough to judge coherence. If a future, concrete need emerges (e.g. unattended drift detection across many changes), exposing the schema's `requires` edges on `openspec status --json` is a one-field additive follow-up. It is out of scope here.
## Capabilities
### New Capabilities
-`opsx-update-skill`: A new `/opsx:update` workflow skill that revises a change's existing planning artifacts and keeps them coherent with one another. It reads the artifact set and paths from `openspec status`, reviews related artifacts in any direction (not only downstream), edits planning artifacts only and never code, and confirms each edit with the user. It ends with next-step guidance — recommending `/opsx:continue`, `/opsx:apply`, or `/opsx:archive` based on the change's state — without acting on it.
## Impact
-`src/core/templates/workflows/update-change.ts` (**new**) — the `openspec-update-change` skill template and the `/opsx:update` command template, mirroring the structure of `continue-change.ts`. Reads artifact ids and paths from `openspec status --json`; embeds no artifact-name patterns.
- Skill/command registration + [src/core/profiles.ts](../../../src/core/profiles.ts) — add `update` to `ALL_WORKFLOWS`**and to the default `core` profile** (`propose`, `explore`, `apply`, `sync`, `archive`), so `/opsx:update` is part of the default install rather than expanded-only (maintainer call on the PR).
-`docs/opsx.md` — add a `/opsx:update` row to the command table and a short "Updating a change" usage note.
-`openspec/changes/add-artifact-regeneration-support/` — the in-repo proposal-only stub for this gap is superseded; retire it or fold its notes into design.
- No changes to `src/core/artifact-graph/*`, `src/commands/workflow/status.ts`, or `ChangeMetadataSchema`. The skill uses `openspec status` / `openspec list` as they exist today.
## Issues addressed
Verified against `Fission-AI/OpenSpec` on 2026-06-30.
Closes (the missing-update-action family):
- [#1188](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/1188) — "Add a command to update proposal, design and task" (and stop it editing code). Delivered as `/opsx:update`, planning-artifacts-only.
- [#705](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/705) — "Rebuild downstream artifacts from a modified upstream." Delivered as the skill's read-and-reconcile pass over the change's artifacts.
- [#673](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/673) — "clarify": update existing artifacts without auto-advancing the build frontier. `/opsx:update` revises in place and never creates the next artifact.
- [#247](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/247) — "review and update all change proposals." Delivered as the within-a-change coherence review; cross-change audit is a separate, later proposal.
Answers (questions whose honest answer today is "no command exists"):
- [#694](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/694), [#684](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/684), [#618](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/618) — "which command regenerates a document after the flow progressed / after apply?" → `/opsx:update`.
- Discussion [#1206](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/discussions/1206) — the official answer becomes `/opsx:update`.
Supersedes:
-`openspec/changes/add-artifact-regeneration-support` (in-repo, proposal-only stub) — same problem, replaced by this skill. Its hardcoded-filename dependency tracking and metadata-file staleness mechanism are dropped in favor of letting the agent read the artifacts.
Delineated from adjacent commands (distinct surfaces — coordinate, don't collide):
- [#702](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/702) `/opsx:clarify` — resolves ambiguity *within one artifact* via Q&A; a complementary upstream step. `/opsx:update` then reconciles the change's artifacts with each other.
- [#1251](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/pull/1251) `/opsx:review`, [#880](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/880) — review the *implementation (code)* against the plan. `/opsx:update` is the mirror image: it keeps the *plan* coherent and never touches code.
- [#783](https://github.com/Fission-AI/OpenSpec/issues/783) — cross-artifact quality review. The skill's coherence pass is the lightweight form of this; a deterministic `validate`-side check is a separate proposal.
The system SHALL provide a `/opsx:update` workflow skill that revises a change's existing planning artifacts in place. It SHALL NOT advance the build frontier (it does not create a not-yet-started artifact) and SHALL edit planning artifacts only, never implementation code.
#### Scenario: Select the change to update
- **WHEN** the user invokes `/opsx:update` without a change name
- **THEN** the skill infers the change from conversation context if possible
- **AND** if it cannot, it lists available changes (most-recently-modified first) via `openspec list --json` and asks the user to choose, never auto-selecting
#### Scenario: Revise without advancing the frontier
- **WHEN** the user asks `/opsx:update` to revise an existing artifact
- **THEN** the skill updates that artifact and reconciles the change's other existing artifacts with it
- **AND** it does NOT create any artifact that does not yet exist (that remains the job of `/opsx:continue`/`/opsx:propose`)
#### Scenario: Missing artifacts are deferred to continue
- **WHEN** keeping the change coherent would require an artifact that has not been created yet
- **THEN** the skill revises only the artifacts that currently exist
- **AND** it notes the not-yet-created artifacts and points the user to `/opsx:continue` to create them
#### Scenario: Update stays within the plan
- **WHEN** revising artifacts would imply changes to implementation code
- **THEN** the skill updates the planning artifacts only
- **AND** it directs the user to `/opsx:apply` to carry the revised plan into code, rather than editing code itself
The `/opsx:update` skill SHALL learn which artifacts exist and where they live by reading the change's status from the CLI, and SHALL NOT rely on hardcoded artifact names or assumed path separators. This makes the skill correct for custom schemas and on every platform, not only the default `spec-driven` schema.
#### Scenario: Reads the artifact set from status
- **WHEN** the skill needs to know which artifacts a change has and where they are
- **THEN** it runs `openspec status --change <id> --json` and uses the reported artifact ids, statuses, and the `artifactPaths` map (`existingOutputPaths` for the files to edit)
- **AND** it does not assume the artifact ids or output paths
#### Scenario: Does not branch on hardcoded artifact names
- **WHEN** the skill decides which artifacts to read and revise
- **THEN** its control flow uses the ids reported by the CLI
- **AND** it does not branch on literal `proposal`/`specs`/`design`/`tasks` names
#### Scenario: Works for a custom schema
- **WHEN** the active change uses a custom schema whose artifact ids are not `proposal`/`specs`/`design`/`tasks`
- **THEN** the skill uses the artifact ids and paths reported by the CLI
- **AND** it works without any change to the skill
- **WHEN** the skill reads or writes an artifact on macOS, Linux, or Windows
- **THEN** it uses the `existingOutputPaths` provided by the CLI status output
- **AND** it does not assume forward-slash separators
#### Scenario: Edit the concrete files of a glob artifact
- **WHEN** an artifact's declared output path is a glob (for example `specs/**/*.md`)
- **THEN** the skill edits the concrete files reported in that artifact's `existingOutputPaths`
- **AND** it does not write to `resolvedOutputPath`, which for a glob artifact remains the glob pattern rather than a real file
#### Scenario: A new file under a glob artifact is deferred to continue
- **WHEN** keeping the change coherent would require a new file under a glob artifact that does not exist yet (for example a spec for a not-yet-captured capability)
- **THEN** the skill revises only the files already present in `existingOutputPaths`
- **AND** it points the user to `/opsx:continue`/`/opsx:propose` to create the new file rather than inventing a path from the glob
### Requirement: Bidirectional Coherence Review
The `/opsx:update` skill SHALL keep a change's existing planning artifacts coherent with one another after a revision, reviewing affected artifacts in any direction rather than assuming a fixed downstream flow.
#### Scenario: Reconcile related artifacts after an edit
- **WHEN** the user revises one artifact
- **THEN** the skill reviews the change's other existing artifacts against the revision
- **AND** it proposes follow-on edits to any artifact that is now inconsistent, whether that artifact is upstream or downstream of the edited one
#### Scenario: Upstream artifact may be revised
- **WHEN** an edit to a later artifact (for example design) contradicts an earlier one (for example the proposal)
- **THEN** the skill may propose revising the earlier artifact to restore coherence
- **AND** it does not treat propagation as downstream-only
#### Scenario: Coherence review with no specific edit
- **WHEN** the user invokes `/opsx:update` without a specific revision in mind ("make this change coherent")
- **THEN** the skill reads the change's existing artifacts and reviews them against each other for contradictions, gaps, and duplication
- **AND** it presents any findings for the user to confirm before editing
#### Scenario: Coherent change yields no changes
- **WHEN** the skill finds the change's artifacts already coherent
- **THEN** it reports the change as coherent and makes no edits
### Requirement: Next-Step Guidance
After applying confirmed revisions (or finding none needed), the `/opsx:update` skill SHALL report where the change stands and recommend the next command, without acting on the recommendation itself.
#### Scenario: Updating an already-implemented change
- **WHEN** the user updates a change whose implementation already happened (for example tasks are checked off or `/opsx:apply` was already run)
- **THEN** the skill still revises planning artifacts only
- **AND** it notes that the implementation may no longer match the revised plan and recommends `/opsx:apply` to carry the delta into code
- **AND** it does not implement anything itself
#### Scenario: Next step when artifacts are incomplete
- **WHEN** the update finishes and the change still has not-yet-created artifacts
- **THEN** the skill recommends `/opsx:continue` to create them
#### Scenario: Next step when the change is fully done
- **WHEN** the update finishes and the change's artifacts are complete and already implemented
> The whole feature is one new skill template over the existing `openspec status` / `openspec list` commands. No changes to the graph engine, the `status` command, or the metadata schema.
## 1. The `/opsx:update` skill
- [x] 1.1 Create `src/core/templates/workflows/update-change.ts` with `getUpdateChangeSkillTemplate()` (skill) and `getOpsxUpdateCommandTemplate()` (command), mirroring `continue-change.ts`. The skill name is `openspec-update-change` — change-scoped, per the `openspec-<verb>-change` convention (see design, Naming).
- [x] 1.2 Instruction body (see design "The skill, written by hand"): resolve the change (infer / `openspec list --json` / ask) → `openspec status --change <id> --json` → read the relevant artifacts → apply the requested edit → reconcile the change's other existing artifacts in any direction → confirm and apply one artifact at a time → end with next-step guidance (`/opsx:continue` / `/opsx:apply` / `/opsx:archive` based on the change's state; see design Decision 6), never acting on it. Read artifact ids from the status JSON only, and write to `artifactPaths.<id>.existingOutputPaths` (never to a glob `resolvedOutputPath`).
- [x] 1.3 Encode the guardrails: (a) planning artifacts only — never edit code, hand off to `/opsx:apply`; (b) schema-driven — no branching on literal `proposal`/`specs`/`design`/`tasks`; ids/paths come from `openspec status`; (c) revise only existing files (`existingOutputPaths`) — defer not-yet-created artifacts, and new files under a glob artifact, to `/opsx:continue`; (d) intent change → recommend `/opsx:new` (the "Update vs. Start Fresh" heuristic in `docs/opsx.md`).
- [x] 1.4 Register the skill/command and add `update` to `ALL_WORKFLOWS`**and the default `core` profile** in `src/core/profiles.ts` (maintainer call: default install, not expanded-only).
## 2. Docs & supersede the stub
- [x] 2.1 Add a `/opsx:update` row to the command table in `docs/opsx.md`, plus a short "Updating a change" usage note.
- [x] 2.2 Remove (or fold) `openspec/changes/add-artifact-regeneration-support/` so the tree has a single update proposal.
- [x] 2.3 Update any generated-skill manifests/fixtures that enumerate workflow skills so `openspec-update-change` is included.
## 3. Tests
- [x] 3.1 Template generation snapshot for the skill and command templates.
- [x] 3.2 Assert the template's control flow contains NO hardcoded artifact-name branching (the anti-#777 guard): artifact ids must be read from `openspec status` JSON.
- [x] 3.3 Assert the template instructs planning-artifacts-only with a hand-off to `/opsx:apply` for code, and never advances the build frontier.
- [x] 3.4 Assert the template instructs writing to `existingOutputPaths` (the glob-expanded concrete files) and not to a glob `resolvedOutputPath`.
- [x] 3.5 Assert the template ends with next-step guidance (`/opsx:continue`/`/opsx:apply`/`/opsx:archive`) and instructs the agent never to act on it.
- [x] 3.6 Assert `update` is included in the `core` profile's workflows (profiles test).
## 4. End-to-end verification
- [x] 4.1 `openspec validate add-update-workflow --strict` passes; `openspec status --change add-update-workflow` shows all artifacts complete.
- [x] 4.2 Manual walk-through: on a `spec-driven` change, edit `design`, run `/opsx:update`, confirm it proposes coherence edits to other existing artifacts (including upstream where warranted) and never touches code.
Developers need visibility into available changes and their status to understand the project's evolution and pending work.
## What Changes
- Add `openspec list` command that displays all changes in the changes/ directory
- Show each change name with task completion count (e.g., "add-auth: 3/5 tasks")
- Display completion status indicator (✓ for fully complete, progress for partial)
- Skip the archive/ subdirectory to focus on active changes
- Simple table output for easy scanning
## Impact
- Affected specs: New capability `cli-list` will be added
- Affected code:
-`src/cli/index.ts` - Add list command
- `src/core/list.ts` - New file with directory scanning and task parsing (~60 lines)
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