Files
OpenSpec/docs
72fbe4c904 fix(update): close the dead end for partially populated glob artifacts (#1733)
* fix(update): close the dead end for partially populated glob artifacts

`artifactOutputExists` returns true as soon as a single file matches a glob
`generates`, so a `specs/**/*.md` artifact is `done` after the first
delta spec. `/opsx:continue` selects only `ready` artifacts and never
revisits it.

The update templates forbid creating new files under a glob artifact and
point the user to `/opsx:continue` instead, which cannot act on it. A
capability spec the coherence review finds missing therefore has no
supported way to be created.

Allow update to write that file: concrete path only, rules fetched from
`openspec instructions`, and the same confirm-before-write rule as every
other revision. Creating an artifact that has no files at all stays out of
scope - that one is genuinely `/opsx:continue`'s job.

* fix(update): tighten glob gap write guardrails

* fix(update): narrow continue handoff to empty artifacts

* fix(update): harden glob gap creation guidance

* fix(update): preserve creation safeguards for glob companions

* fix(update): integrate glob guidance with current workflows

* docs(skills): note update's glob companion-file exception

docs-lab/reference/skills.md said update creates nothing new, which this
change makes false for glob artifacts.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

* test(parity): restore the #1837 regression tests dropped in the merge

The earlier conflict resolution took our whole side of the parity file,
which discarded the two threshold tests main gained in #1940. Take main's
file verbatim and regenerate the hashes instead.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

* test(explore-docs): allow the update guidance line that says "no files yet"

main's #1833 guard flags any docs line containing "no files". The new
/opsx:update guidance describes which artifacts update leaves to
continue, not what explore writes, so allow that exact line.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

---------

Co-authored-by: Clay Good <hi@claygood.com>
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-09-23 15:55:52 +00:00
..

OpenSpec Documentation

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: install, initialize, and ship your first change.
  2. How Commands Work: 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 code gets written. The Explore First guide makes the case.

Pick your path

I'm brand new. Start with Getting Started, then skim the Core Concepts at a Glance. When something feels mysterious, the FAQ and Glossary are nearby.

I have a problem but not a plan. This is the common case, and it has a dedicated answer: Explore First. 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 shows how to start on real, brownfield code without boiling the ocean.

I just want to get it working. Install, run openspec init, then read How Commands Work so your first slash command lands in the right place. Or hand the setup to your assistant with the AI-assisted install prompt.

I learn by example. The Examples & Recipes 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 shows the two-minute pass that catches a wrong turn while it's still cheap, and Writing Good Specs covers what a plan worth approving is made of.

I work on a team. OpenSpec on a Team 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 explains what changed and why, and promises your existing work is safe.

I want to bend it to my team's process. Customization covers project config, custom schemas, and shared context.

Something's broken. Troubleshooting collects the failures people actually hit, with fixes.

The whole map

Start here

Doc What it gives you
Getting Started Install, initialize, and run your first change end to end
Explore First Use /opsx:explore to think through an idea before you commit
How Commands Work Where slash commands run, what "interactive mode" means, terminal vs chat
Core Concepts at a Glance The whole mental model on one page: specs, changes, deltas, archive
Installation npm, pnpm, yarn, bun, Nix, a prompt that hands setup to your AI assistant, and how to verify it worked

Use it day to day

Doc What it gives you
Workflows Common patterns and when to reach for each command
Examples & Recipes Full walkthroughs of real changes, copy-pasteable
Writing Good Specs What a strong requirement and scenario look like, and how to right-size a change
Reviewing a Change The two-minute pass on a drafted plan before any code is written
OpenSpec on a Team How changes fit branches, pull requests, and review
Using OpenSpec in an Existing Project Adopting OpenSpec on a large brownfield codebase
Editing & Iterating on a Change Update artifacts, go back, reconcile manual edits
Commands Reference for every /opsx:* slash command
CLI Reference for every openspec terminal command

Understand it deeply

Doc What it gives you
Concepts The long-form explanation of specs, changes, artifacts, schemas, and archive
OPSX Workflow Why the workflow is fluid instead of phase-locked, plus an architecture deep dive
Glossary Every term defined in one place

Make it yours

Doc What it gives you
Customization Project config, custom schemas, shared context
Multi-Language Generate artifacts in languages other than English
Supported Tools The 30+ AI tools OpenSpec integrates with, and where files land
Community Showcase Projects and resources built with and for OpenSpec

When you need help

Doc What it gives you
FAQ Quick answers to the questions people ask most
Troubleshooting Concrete fixes for concrete failures
Migration Guide Moving from the legacy workflow to OPSX

Coordinate across repos (beta)

Doc What it gives you
Stores: User Guide Plan in its own repo when your work spans repos or teams
Agent Contract The machine-readable CLI surfaces agents drive

The thirty-second version

1. Install        npm install -g @fission-ai/openspec@latest
2. Initialize     cd your-project && openspec init
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 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

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.