openspec-sync-specs

Sync delta specs from a change to main specs.

This is an agent-driven operation - you will read delta specs and directly edit main specs to apply the changes. This allows intelligent merging (e.g., adding a scenario without copying the entire requirement).

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 changes that have delta specs (under specs/ directory).

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

2. Resolve change context

   Run:

   openspec status --change "<name>" --json
   

3. Find delta specs

   Use artifactPaths.specs.existingOutputPaths from the status JSON as the list of delta spec files.

   Each delta spec file contains sections like:

   • ## ADDED Requirements - New requirements to add
   • ## MODIFIED Requirements - Changes to existing requirements
   • ## REMOVED Requirements - Requirements to remove
   • ## RENAMED Requirements - Requirements to rename (FROM:/TO: format)

   If no delta specs found, inform user and stop.

4. For each delta spec, apply changes to main specs

   For each repo-local capability delta spec path returned by the CLI:

   a. Read the delta spec to understand the intended changes

   b. Read the main spec at openspec/specs/<capability>/spec.md (may not exist yet)

   c. Apply changes intelligently:

   ADDED Requirements:

   • If requirement doesn't exist in main spec → add it
   • If requirement already exists → update it to match (treat as implicit MODIFIED)

   MODIFIED Requirements:

   • Find the requirement in main spec
   • Apply the changes - this can be:
     • Adding new scenarios (don't need to copy existing ones)
     • Modifying existing scenarios
     • Changing the requirement description
   • Preserve scenarios/content not mentioned in the delta

   REMOVED Requirements:

   • Remove the entire requirement block from main spec

   RENAMED Requirements:

   • Find the FROM requirement, rename to TO

   d. Create new main spec if capability doesn't exist yet:

   • Create openspec/specs/<capability>/spec.md
   • Add Purpose section (can be brief, mark as TBD)
   • Add Requirements section with the ADDED requirements

5. Show summary

   After applying all changes, summarize:

   • Which capabilities were updated
   • What changes were made (requirements added/modified/removed/renamed)

Delta Spec Format Reference

## ADDED Requirements

### Requirement: New Feature
The system SHALL do something new.

#### Scenario: Basic case
- **WHEN** user does X
- **THEN** system does Y

## MODIFIED Requirements

### Requirement: Existing Feature
#### Scenario: New scenario to add
- **WHEN** user does A
- **THEN** system does B

## REMOVED Requirements

### Requirement: Deprecated Feature

## RENAMED Requirements

- FROM: `### Requirement: Old Name`
- TO: `### Requirement: New Name`

Key Principle: Intelligent Merging

Unlike programmatic merging, you can apply partial updates:

• To add a scenario, just include that scenario under MODIFIED - don't copy existing scenarios
• The delta represents intent, not a wholesale replacement
• Use your judgment to merge changes sensibly

Output On Success

## Specs Synced: <change-name>

Updated main specs:

**<capability-1>**:
- Added requirement: "New Feature"
- Modified requirement: "Existing Feature" (added 1 scenario)

**<capability-2>**:
- Created new spec file
- Added requirement: "Another Feature"

Main specs are now updated. The change remains active - archive when implementation is complete.

Guardrails

• Read both delta and main specs before making changes
• Preserve existing content not mentioned in delta
• If something is unclear, ask for clarification
• Show what you're changing as you go
• The operation should be idempotent - running twice should give same result

<!-- keel:openspec-surface-overlay version=5.167.0 -->

Keel Sync 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.

• The current agent owns the sync decision and must verify task evidence, follow-up ownership, and completion gates before proceeding.

• Sync completion is gated by keel gate change-close --action sync plus keel-review-checklist; there is no runtime hook for it, so running the gate is the agent's own step.

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

• Target-native subagents may help with bounded assessment or evidence production only; they cannot sync, change acceptance, or bypass completion gates.

• Do not treat generic OpenSpec sync delegation language as authority to transfer Keel ownership.

• Invoke OpenSpec through keel openspec (for example keel openspec validate); a bare openspec command may not be on PATH.

• Syncing promotes the change's spec delta into openspec/specs/. A later archive of the same change must use --skip-specs, because archive is not idempotent over an already-promoted delta.

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