openspec-archive-change

Archive a completed change in the experimental workflow.

Store selection: If the user names a store (a store is a standalone OpenSpec repo registered on this machine) or the work lives in one, run openspec store list --json to discover registered store ids, then pass --store <id> on the commands that read or write specs and changes (new change, status, instructions, list, show, validate, archive, doctor, context, schemas, view). Once selected, treat --store <id> as sticky for the rest of the workflow. Every unscoped example of those commands below is shorthand: before running it, append the flag. For example, run openspec status --change "<name>" --json --store "<id>", not the unscoped form shown below. Other commands do not take the flag. Hints printed by commands already carry the flag; keep it on follow-ups. Without a store, commands act on the nearest local openspec/ root.

Project check: These steps expect a project that already uses OpenSpec. Before the first step that writes anything (new change, archive, sync specs, or authoring an artifact file), confirm the project has a root: run openspec list --json (with --store <id> when a store is selected, since the store is then the root) and read root. A root object means the project is set up. "root": null means it is not - there is no openspec/ directory here, and a write such as openspec new change would create one as a side effect. The command also exits non-zero, which is that answer rather than a broken CLI, so read the JSON instead of retrying or working around it.

One "root": null is not about setup: when a status error message starts with Declared in or Invalid store declaration in and names this project's openspec/config.yaml (or config.yml), the project does use OpenSpec through a store it declares, which this machine cannot resolve (the store is not registered, or the store: line is malformed). Do not treat it as uninitialized and skip the branches below: stop before writing and show the user that error's message and fix.

Otherwise, with no root, what happens next depends on how this workflow was reached:

• Auto-selected: you chose this workflow yourself, without the user naming OpenSpec, naming this skill, or running its slash command. Stop using OpenSpec and answer the request normally, as you would with no OpenSpec installed. Do not ask them to set anything up and do not mention OpenSpec setup.
• Explicit OpenSpec request: the user named OpenSpec, named this skill, or ran its slash command. Stop before writing and ask how to proceed: set this project up (openspec init), target a store they already have (--store <id>), or continue without OpenSpec for this request. Wait for their answer.

In both branches, never create the root as a side effect: do not run openspec init until the user asks for it, do not hand-create openspec/ files, and do not let a command create it.

<capability-path> is the spec directory relative to specs/ (for example, user-auth or identity/user-auth). Preserve the full path from each delta spec when resolving its main spec.

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. Select the change

   If a name is provided, use it. Otherwise:

   • Infer from conversation context if the user mentioned a change
   • Auto-select if only one active change exists
   • If ambiguous, run openspec list --json to get available changes and ask the user to select one

   When prompting, show only active changes (not already archived). Include the schema used for each change if available.

   Always announce: "Using change: " and how to override (e.g., /openspec-archive-change <other>).

   Load current archive inputs before the existing archive checks:

   After resolving the selected change and planning root, run:

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

   Keep the same selected-root flags on this command. This lookup is advisory and optional: it only supplies extra prompt inputs, so it must never block archiving. If it exits non-zero or returns invalid JSON — for example on an older CLI that does not support this command yet — continue the archive workflow with no context and no operation guidance. Do not report an error and do not stop.

   A successful response may omit both optional fields. Treat context as a required prompt-level input: read and consider it, and apply relevant project facts, conventions, and constraints. Treat operationGuidance as optional additive advice: read and consider every entry, and follow entries that are applicable and compatible with the built-in archive workflow.

   Keep both fields separate from built-in steps, explicit user choices, resolved paths, CLI checks, and command contracts. If context conflicts with one of those controlling inputs, report the conflict and preserve the controlling value. If guidance is inapplicable or conflicts with a controlling input, do not follow it and explain why. Do not infer replacement paths, skipped prompts, or flags from either field, and do not copy their text verbatim into specs, change artifacts, or archive summaries unless the user separately asks for it. These are prompt-level behavior contracts, not enforceable checks.

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
   • planningHome, changeRoot, artifactPaths, and actionContext: path and scope context
   • artifacts: List of artifacts with their status (done, , or other)

Output On Success

## Archive Complete

**Change:** <change-name>
**Schema:** <schema-name>
**Archived to:** the archive path derived from `planningHome.changesDir`/<target-name>/
**Specs:** <"✓ Synced to main specs" only if the step 4 verification passed; otherwise "No delta specs" or "Sync skipped">

<"All artifacts complete. All tasks complete." — or, if archived with warnings, list them instead (e.g. "Archived with 2 incomplete tasks")>

Guardrails

• Announce the selected change; prompt for selection when it is ambiguous
• Use artifact graph (openspec status --json) for completion checking
• Don't block archive on warnings - just inform and confirm
• Preserve .openspec.yaml when moving to archive (it moves with the directory)
• Show clear summary of what happened
• If sync is requested, run the openspec-sync-specs workflow inline (agent-driven)
• Never archive while a spec sync is still in flight — run the sync inline and verify the main specs before moving changeRoot
• If delta specs exist, always run the sync assessment and show the combined summary before prompting
• Apply relevant runtime context and report conflicts; operation guidance remains advisory
• Consider every guidance entry and explain any inapplicable or conflicting advice
• Existing CLI checks, resolved paths, prompts, and command contracts are unchanged
• Artifact rules constrain only the specs being written and are never operation guidance
• Never copy runtime context, operation guidance, or artifact-rule text verbatim into output files