para-archive

name	para-archive
description	Archive the current context to create a clean slate for the next task. Removes worktrees, resets context/context.md, preserves summaries.
model	haiku
effort	low

Archive the current context to create a clean slate for the next task.

Usage

para-archive
para-archive --fresh          # Completely empty context
para-archive --seed           # Carry forward relevant context

Default: create fresh context with references to completed summaries.

What It Does

1. Read context/context.md and extract worktree metadata, including top-level worktree_path and per-phase worktree paths.
2. Verify work is complete:
   • Summary exists in context/summaries/
   • Tests have passed
   • Branch has been pushed and PR created or merged
3. Clean up worktrees:
   • For each worktree path found in metadata, run git worktree remove {worktree_path}
   • If the worktree has uncommitted changes, warn the user and require them to commit or stash first, then use the para-archive skill again; do NOT force-remove because that can permanently destroy uncommitted work
   • After removal, run git worktree prune to clean up stale references
   • Remove .para-worktrees/ if empty
4. Move context/context.md to context/archives/YYYY-MM-DD-HHMM-context.md
5. Create a fresh context/context.md seeded from ../para-init/assets/context-template.md
6. Carry forward completed summary references unless --fresh was specified
7. Display archive location, worktrees removed, fresh context confirmation, and readiness for the next task

See ../para-init/references/context-schema.md for the full context metadata field reference.

If ../para-init/assets/context-template.md is not available in this install, create a minimal fresh context/context.md with empty active_context, completed_summaries, and research_docs arrays plus a current last_updated timestamp.

If ../para-init/references/context-schema.md is not available in this install, the minimal fields needed are: active_context (string[]), completed_summaries (string[]), research_docs (string[]), worktree_path (string or null), and last_updated (ISO 8601 string).

Fresh vs Seeded Context

--fresh

Create a clean context with no carryover references. Use this when all current work is complete and no summaries need to stay active.

--seed

Create a clean context from ../para-init/assets/context-template.md, then seed it with references to completed summaries and any still-relevant research docs.

When to Archive

• Work is complete and summarized
• All tests pass and changes are committed
• Branch has been pushed and PR created or merged
• Ready to start a new, unrelated task

Do NOT archive if work is still in progress or you need the current context for continued work.

Recovery

ls -lt context/archives/
cp context/archives/2025-11-24-1430-context.md context/context.md

To restore a worktree after archive if the branch still exists:

git worktree add .para-worktrees/{task-name} para/{task-name}

Notes

• Never delete archives; they are project memory
• Archives are searchable: grep -r "keyword" context/archives/
• Worktree cleanup is automatic during archive; branches are preserved for PR and merge workflows