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). 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.

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
   • planningHome, changeRoot, artifactPaths, and actionContext: path and scope context
   • 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

   Use artifactPaths.specs.existingOutputPaths from status JSON to check for delta 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 '<name>'. Delta spec analysis: <include the analyzed delta spec summary>"). Proceed to archive regardless of choice.

5. Perform the archive

   Create an archive directory under planningHome.changesDir if it doesn't exist:

   mkdir -p "<planningHome.changesDir>/archive"
   

   Generate target name using current date: YYYY-MM-DD-<change-name>

   Check if target already exists:

   • If yes: Fail with error, suggest renaming existing archive or using different date
   • If no: Move changeRoot to the archive directory

   mv "<changeRoot>" "<planningHome.changesDir>/archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<name>"
   

6. Display summary

   Show archive completion summary including:

   • Change name
   • Schema that was used
   • Archive location
   • Whether specs were synced (if applicable)
   • Note about any warnings (incomplete artifacts/tasks)

Output On Success

## Archive Complete

**Change:** <change-name>
**Schema:** <schema-name>
**Archived to:** the archive path derived from `planningHome.changesDir`/YYYY-MM-DD-<name>/
**Specs:** ✓ Synced to main specs (or "No delta specs" or "Sync skipped")

All artifacts complete. All tasks complete.

Guardrails

• Always prompt for change selection if not provided
• 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, use openspec-sync-specs approach (agent-driven)
• If delta specs exist, always run the sync assessment and show the combined summary before prompting

<!-- keel:openspec-surface-overlay version=5.196.1 -->

Keel Archive Overlay

Keel rules below take precedence over conflicting generic OpenSpec instructions in this file.

• Invoke the OpenSpec CLI as keel openspec … throughout this file. The commands below are written as a bare openspec, which resolves only where OpenSpec is separately installed on PATH; keel openspec resolves either way, and keel --doctor reports which case this repository is.

• A subagent is the model's choice and is treated as the main agent is: the gates, the Touch write guard, and the evidence rules apply to whoever runs a step.

• Archive completion is gated by keel gate change-close --action archive plus keel-review-checklist; verify task evidence, follow-up ownership, and completion gates before proceeding.

• Before final sync/archive, each related critical expectation must have behavior evidence, a durable follow-up owner, or an explicit discard reason.

• When the openspec-sync-specs skill has already promoted the change's spec delta, run the archive with --skip-specs so the promoted delta is not re-applied; archive is not idempotent over an already-synced delta.

• After archiving, run keel guard clear to drop the change's guard manifest; the read-only gate never clears it for you.

• A repository that standing-authorizes archive in keel/config.yaml does not need the per-occurrence archive confirmation; a repository that declares nothing still needs it.

• The completion gate and follow-up ownership checks still run unchanged under a standing authorization; it removes the confirmation, not the proof.

<!-- keel:openspec-surface-overlay:end -->