openspec-archive-change
Archive a completed change in the experimental workflow. Use when the user wants to finalize and archive a change after implementation is complete.
Best use case
openspec-archive-change is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Archive a completed change in the experimental workflow. Use when the user wants to finalize and archive a change after implementation is complete.
Teams using openspec-archive-change should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/openspec-archive-change/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How openspec-archive-change Compares
| Feature / Agent | openspec-archive-change | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Archive a completed change in the experimental workflow. Use when the user wants to finalize and archive a change after implementation is complete.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
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 '<name>'. Delta spec analysis: <include the analyzed delta spec summary>"). Proceed to archive regardless of choice. 5. **Perform the archive** Create the archive directory if it doesn't exist: ```bash 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 ```bash 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) - 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") 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
Related Skills
openspec-verify-change
Verify implementation matches change artifacts. Use when the user wants to validate that implementation is complete, correct, and coherent before archiving.
openspec-sync-specs
Sync delta specs from a change to main specs. Use when the user wants to update main specs with changes from a delta spec, without archiving the change.
openspec-propose
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.
openspec-onboard
Guided onboarding for OpenSpec - walk through a complete workflow cycle with narration and real codebase work.
openspec-new-change
Start a new OpenSpec change using the experimental artifact workflow. Use when the user wants to create a new feature, fix, or modification with a structured step-by-step approach.
openspec-ff-change
Fast-forward through OpenSpec artifact creation. Use when the user wants to quickly create all artifacts needed for implementation without stepping through each one individually.
openspec-explore
Enter explore mode - a thinking partner for exploring ideas, investigating problems, and clarifying requirements. Use when the user wants to think through something before or during a change.
openspec-continue-change
Continue working on an OpenSpec change by creating the next artifact. Use when the user wants to progress their change, create the next artifact, or continue their workflow.
openspec-bulk-archive-change
Archive multiple completed changes at once. Use when archiving several parallel changes.
openspec-apply-change
Implement tasks from an OpenSpec change. Use when the user wants to start implementing, continue implementation, or work through tasks.
vet
Run vet immediately after ANY logical unit of code changes. Do not batch your changes, do not wait to be asked to run vet, make sure you are proactive.
software-design-review
Analyzes code based on John Ousterhout's "A Philosophy of Software Design". Identifies unnecessary complexity, shallow modules, information leaks, and design problems. Use when reviewing architecture, PRs, refactoring, or asking about code quality.