openspec-archive-change

name	openspec-archive-change
description	Archive a completed change in the experimental workflow. Use when the user wants to finalize and archive a change after implementation is complete.
license	MIT
compatibility	Requires openspec CLI.
metadata	{"author":"openspec","version":"1.0","generatedBy":"1.3.1"}

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.

4b. Consolidated closing assessment (§12.10)

Before archiving, run a single consolidated closing assessment: self-assess the three items below against evidence from the change — do NOT ask the operator three separate questions.

1. Reusable pattern — did the change establish a procedure or template used more than once or likely to recur? Evidence: the change's own tasks.md/design.md. Promotion targets: a reusable skill (.claude/skills/<domain>-pattern/SKILL.md) or a note in openspec/project.md Cross-references.
2. Repetition (rule of three) — did anything repeat a procedure or explanation from a previous change? Evidence: scan openspec/changes/archive/ directory names and, when suggestive, skim matching proposal.md files. Rule of three: 1st normal, 2nd note it, 3rd extract a skill (see sdd-skill-guidance).
3. Tooling gap — was anything done manually that a configured integration would have done (manual narration for an unconfigured tool during this change's sessions)? Suppress this item for integrations marked declined in openspec/infra.md (see sdd-tooling-guidance; how-to in doc/tooling-install.md).

Always print the compact per-item verdict in the archive summary (step 6), e.g.:

Reusable pattern: no · Repetition: no · Tooling gap: no

Only when ≥1 item has a positive signal, present ONE consolidated prompt using the AskUserQuestion tool with multiSelect: true, listing only the positively-signaled items plus a "none of these / proceed" option.

The assessment never blocks the archive — proceed regardless of the operator's answer (or absence of a prompt).

5. Perform the archive

   Create the archive directory if it doesn't exist:

   mkdir -p openspec/changes/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 the change directory to archive

   mv openspec/changes/<name> openspec/changes/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)
   • Closing assessment verdict (reusable pattern / repetition / tooling gap)
   • Note about any warnings (incomplete artifacts/tasks)

Output On Success

## Archive Complete

**Change:** <change-name>
**Schema:** <schema-name>
**Archived to:** openspec/changes/archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<name>/
**Specs:** ✓ Synced to main specs (or "No delta specs" or "Sync skipped")
**Closing assessment:** Reusable pattern: no · Repetition: no · Tooling gap: no

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

---

Session Handoff

Archive complete. Suggestion: open a new chat for the next task (clean context).

Metrics cadence nudge (advisory)

After a successful archive, if scripts/sdd-metrics.sh exists:

bash scripts/sdd-metrics.sh --check-cadence

• Exit 1 → include in the handoff ≤5 lines suggesting bash scripts/sdd-metrics.sh + playbook in doc/byebyevibe-guide.md §2.17 (1 insight → 1 adjustment).
• Exit 0 → omit the metrics block.
• Script missing or unexpected failure → SKIP (never fail archive; never auto-run the full report).

Paste into the first message of the new chat (if applicable):

---

/opsx:explore # or /opsx:propose (after /opsx:archive)

Infra: openspec/infra.md (assume ✅ — do not reinstall)