openspec-propose

name	openspec-propose
description	Propose a new change with all artifacts generated in one step. Use when the user wants to quickly describe what they want to build and get a complete proposal with design, specs, and tasks ready for implementation.
license	MIT
compatibility	Requires openspec CLI.
metadata	{"author":"openspec","version":"1.0","generatedBy":"1.3.1"}

Project context preflight before workflow actions: before this skill takes a workflow action, follow the project-constitution skill. Read root CONSTITUTION.md when present, enforce relevant project rules, stop on material conflicts, and follow the strict missing-constitution bootstrap/diagnostic policy. For architecture-sensitive work, also read ARCHITECTURE.md, adr/README.md, and relevant in-force adr/*.md. Read .secrets.local.env only when the current workflow actually needs a listed external system, and never reveal secret values.

Artifact review session controls: when scripts/openspec-session-state exists, inspect artifactReview.decision before key entry workflows create or consume reviewable artifacts. If the decision is unset, ask once whether to enable OpenAI-compatible artifact review for this session and record the answer with --review on|off; later commands reuse the recorded decision until the user changes it with the /opsx:review-* prompts. Session settings are non-secret local overlays and must not edit .codex/openspec-artifact-review.json unless the user explicitly asks for a global default change.

Propose a new change - create the change and generate all artifacts in one step.

I'll create a change with artifacts as defined by the active schema. For the bundled intent-driven schema this is:

• proposal.md (intent, value, scope, capabilities)
• specs/*/spec.md (observable behavior and Gherkin-style scenarios)
• grill.md (mandatory Matt grill-with-docs pre-design gate)
• design.md (technical approach and boundary diagrams when useful)
• design-review.md (mandatory Matt grill-with-docs post-design gate)
• adr.md (per-change ADR review, with optional durable top-level ADRs)
• test-plan.md (Matt TDD vertical slice plan)
• tasks.md (implementation steps)

When ready to implement, run /opsx:apply

---

Input: The user's request should include a change name (kebab-case) OR a description of what they want to build.

Steps

Git preflight before mutation: run git branch --show-current and git status --short before creating or changing OpenSpec files. Prefer main; if unrelated changes are present, stop unless the user explicitly includes them or asks to override.

1. If no clear input provided, ask what they want to build

   Use the Codex interactive user question tool when available, otherwise a concise Markdown question (open-ended, no preset options) to ask:

   "What change do you want to work on? Describe what you want to build or fix."

   From their description, derive a kebab-case name (e.g., "add user authentication" → add-user-auth).

   IMPORTANT: Do NOT proceed without understanding what the user wants to build.

2. Create the change directory

   openspec new change "<name>"
   

   This creates a scaffolded change at openspec/changes/<name>/ with .openspec.yaml.

3. Get the artifact build order

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

   Parse the JSON to get:

   • applyRequires: array of artifact IDs needed before implementation (e.g., ["tasks"])
   • artifacts: list of all artifacts with their status and dependencies

4. Create artifacts in sequence until apply-ready

   Use the Codex task plan tool when available to track progress through the artifacts.

   Loop through artifacts in dependency order (artifacts with no pending dependencies first):

   a. For each artifact that is ready (dependencies satisfied):

   • Get instructions:

     openspec instructions <artifact-id> --change "<name>" --json
     

   • The instructions JSON includes:
     • context: Project background (constraints for you - do NOT include in output)
     • rules: Artifact-specific rules (constraints for you - do NOT include in output)
     • template: The structure to use for your output file
     • instruction: Schema-specific guidance for this artifact type
     • outputPath: Where to write the artifact
     • dependencies: Completed artifacts to read for context

Output

After completing all artifacts, summarize:

• Change name and location
• List of artifacts created with brief descriptions
• What's ready: "All artifacts created! Ready for implementation."
• Prompt: "Run /opsx:apply or ask me to implement to start working on the tasks."

Intent-Driven Support Skill Policy

• Run grill-with-docs automatically for grill.md and design-review.md. Do not ask whether to run it; ask one material question at a time only when repository context cannot resolve it.
• Use gherkin-authoring when drafting or improving OpenSpec scenario content; keep OpenSpec Markdown as the source of truth.
• Use c4-diagrams for non-trivial system boundaries, runtime containers, integrations, or data flow; otherwise include a clear no-diagram rationale.
• Use architectural-decision-records for ADR review and durable ADR drafting; never rewrite accepted ADRs, supersede them append-only.
• When creating test-plan.md, use the project-local tdd skill and plan vertical RED/GREEN/REFACTOR slices. When creating tasks.md, read proposal/specs/grill/design/design-review/per-change adr.md/test-plan.md and top-level adr/*.md; tasks must preserve in-force ADR and TDD constraints.

Artifact Creation Guidelines

• Follow the instruction field from openspec instructions for each artifact type
• The schema defines what each artifact should contain - follow it
• Read dependency artifacts for context before creating new ones
• Use template as the structure for your output file - fill in its sections
• IMPORTANT: context and rules are constraints for YOU, not content for the file
  • Do NOT copy <context>, <rules>, <project_context> blocks into the artifact
  • These guide what you write, but should never appear in the output

Guardrails

• Checkpoint after each artifact. Safe lifecycle checkpoint commits are automatic by default in session git auto mode; merge, push, archive, destructive operations, and hard-gate bypasses still require explicit approval.
• A user override must name what is being bypassed, applies only to the current gate, and must be repeated in the summary.
• Create ALL artifacts needed for implementation (as defined by schema's apply.requires)
• Always read dependency artifacts before creating a new one
• If context is critically unclear, ask the user - but prefer making reasonable decisions to keep momentum
• If a change with that name already exists, ask if user wants to continue it or create a new one
• Verify each artifact file exists after writing before proceeding to next