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"}

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.

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 Codex interactive user question tool when available, otherwise a concise Markdown question 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

   Git/archive hard gate: run git branch --show-current and git status --short. Archive only from main or an explicitly chosen integrated base branch, with a clean working tree and committed implementation. If implementation is not integrated, stop; verification does not replace merge/integration.

   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 Codex interactive user question tool when available, otherwise a concise Markdown question 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 Codex interactive user question tool when available, otherwise a concise Markdown question 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

   Verification gate: before archive, run or confirm a fresh verification report with no CRITICAL issues, then run openspec validate <name> --type change --strict.

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")

All artifacts complete. All tasks complete.

Guardrails

• Archive is a mutating lifecycle operation: ask for explicit approval after showing the full plan, archive target, sync state, and git status.
• Do not archive from a dirty tree or before implementation is integrated unless the user gives a one-time override naming the gate; record any override in the archive summary.
• Do not stage, commit, merge, push, or archive without explicit user approval.
• Always prompt for change selection if not provided
• Use artifact graph (openspec status --change <name> --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