openspec-archive-change

Archive OpenSpec Change

Archive a completed change in the experimental workflow.

Input: Optionally specify a change name. If omitted, check if it can be inferred from conversation context. If vague or ambiguous you MUST prompt for available changes.

Steps

1. If no change name provided, prompt for selection

   Run openspec list --json to get available changes. Use the AskUserQuestion tool to let the user select.

   Show only active changes (not already archived). Include the schema used for each change if available.

   IMPORTANT: Do NOT guess or auto-select a change. Always let the user choose.

2. Check artifact completion status

   Run openspec status --change "<name>" --json to check artifact completion.

   Parse the JSON to understand:

   • schemaName: The workflow being used
   • artifacts: List of artifacts with their status (done or other)

   If any artifacts are not done:

   • Display warning listing incomplete artifacts
   • Use AskUserQuestion tool to confirm user wants to proceed
   • Proceed if user confirms

3. Check task completion status

   Read the tasks file (typically tasks.md) to check for incomplete tasks.

   Count tasks marked with - [ ] (incomplete) vs - [x] (complete).

   If incomplete tasks found:

   • Display warning showing count of incomplete tasks
   • Use AskUserQuestion tool to confirm user wants to proceed
   • Proceed if user confirms

   If no tasks file exists: Proceed without task-related warning.

4. Assess delta spec sync state

   Check for delta specs at openspec/changes/<name>/specs/. If none exist, proceed without sync prompt.

   If delta specs exist:

   • Compare each delta spec with its corresponding main spec at openspec/specs/<capability>/spec.md
   • Determine what changes would be applied (adds, modifications, removals, renames)
   • Show a combined summary before prompting

   Prompt options:

   • If changes needed: "Sync now (recommended)", "Archive without syncing"
   • If already synced: "Archive now", "Sync anyway", "Cancel"

   If user chooses sync, use Task tool (subagent_type: "general-purpose", prompt: "Use Skill tool to invoke openspec-sync-specs for change ''. Delta spec analysis: "). Proceed to archive regardless of choice.

4.5 If schema is spec-driven-plus, ensure consolidate is done

If the schema is spec-driven-plus, check if consolidate.md exists in the change directory. If not, generate it before proceeding:

openspec instructions consolidate --change "<name>" --json

Read the consolidate template, scan related archived changes, and create consolidate.md.

Skip if:

• Schema is not spec-driven-plus
• consolidate.md already exists

1. Finalize prototype lifecycle

   For spec-driven-plus, read <changeRoot>/prototype.md.

   • If it is a non-UI stub, continue.
   • If the ## Prototype Retention table is missing, incomplete, or still contains pending, load prototype-workflow and make the final per-file archive or delete decision before proceeding.
   • For delete, remove any remaining staging HTML, remove its docs/prototypes/README.md entry, and remove or rewrite stale references.
   • For archive, create docs/prototypes/archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<change-name>/, move the HTML there, update prototype.md, design.md, specs, docs, and all other repository references from the staging path to the archived path, and remove the old README entry.
   • Do not overwrite an existing archive file. Stop and resolve the conflict.
   • Verify no current-change HTML remains directly under docs/prototypes/ and a repository search finds no references to its old staging path.

   This step is mandatory even when apply was skipped or completed before the lifecycle policy existed.

2. Perform the archive

   Create the archive directory if it doesn't exist:

   mkdir -p openspec/changes/archive