openspec-bulk-archive-change
Archive multiple completed changes at once. Use when archiving several parallel changes.
Best use case
openspec-bulk-archive-change is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Archive multiple completed changes at once. Use when archiving several parallel changes.
Teams using openspec-bulk-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-bulk-archive-change/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How openspec-bulk-archive-change Compares
| Feature / Agent | openspec-bulk-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 multiple completed changes at once. Use when archiving several parallel changes.
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 multiple completed changes in a single operation.
This skill allows you to batch-archive changes, handling spec conflicts intelligently by checking the codebase to determine what's actually implemented.
**Input**: None required (prompts for selection)
**Steps**
1. **Get active changes**
Run `openspec list --json` to get all active changes.
If no active changes exist, inform user and stop.
2. **Prompt for change selection**
Use **AskUserQuestion tool** with multi-select to let user choose changes:
- Show each change with its schema
- Include an option for "All changes"
- Allow any number of selections (1+ works, 2+ is the typical use case)
**IMPORTANT**: Do NOT auto-select. Always let the user choose.
3. **Batch validation - gather status for all selected changes**
For each selected change, collect:
a. **Artifact status** - Run `openspec status --change "<name>" --json`
- Parse `schemaName` and `artifacts` list
- Note which artifacts are `done` vs other states
b. **Task completion** - Read `openspec/changes/<name>/tasks.md`
- Count `- [ ]` (incomplete) vs `- [x]` (complete)
- If no tasks file exists, note as "No tasks"
c. **Delta specs** - Check `openspec/changes/<name>/specs/` directory
- List which capability specs exist
- For each, extract requirement names (lines matching `### Requirement: <name>`)
4. **Detect spec conflicts**
Build a map of `capability -> [changes that touch it]`:
```
auth -> [change-a, change-b] <- CONFLICT (2+ changes)
api -> [change-c] <- OK (only 1 change)
```
A conflict exists when 2+ selected changes have delta specs for the same capability.
5. **Resolve conflicts agentically**
**For each conflict**, investigate the codebase:
a. **Read the delta specs** from each conflicting change to understand what each claims to add/modify
b. **Search the codebase** for implementation evidence:
- Look for code implementing requirements from each delta spec
- Check for related files, functions, or tests
c. **Determine resolution**:
- If only one change is actually implemented -> sync that one's specs
- If both implemented -> apply in chronological order (older first, newer overwrites)
- If neither implemented -> skip spec sync, warn user
d. **Record resolution** for each conflict:
- Which change's specs to apply
- In what order (if both)
- Rationale (what was found in codebase)
6. **Show consolidated status table**
Display a table summarizing all changes:
```
| Change | Artifacts | Tasks | Specs | Conflicts | Status |
|---------------------|-----------|-------|---------|-----------|--------|
| schema-management | Done | 5/5 | 2 delta | None | Ready |
| project-config | Done | 3/3 | 1 delta | None | Ready |
| add-oauth | Done | 4/4 | 1 delta | auth (!) | Ready* |
| add-verify-skill | 1 left | 2/5 | None | None | Warn |
```
For conflicts, show the resolution:
```
* Conflict resolution:
- auth spec: Will apply add-oauth then add-jwt (both implemented, chronological order)
```
For incomplete changes, show warnings:
```
Warnings:
- add-verify-skill: 1 incomplete artifact, 3 incomplete tasks
```
7. **Confirm batch operation**
Use **AskUserQuestion tool** with a single confirmation:
- "Archive N changes?" with options based on status
- Options might include:
- "Archive all N changes"
- "Archive only N ready changes (skip incomplete)"
- "Cancel"
If there are incomplete changes, make clear they'll be archived with warnings.
8. **Execute archive for each confirmed change**
Process changes in the determined order (respecting conflict resolution):
a. **Sync specs** if delta specs exist:
- Use the openspec-sync-specs approach (agent-driven intelligent merge)
- For conflicts, apply in resolved order
- Track if sync was done
b. **Perform the archive**:
```bash
mkdir -p openspec/changes/archive
mv openspec/changes/<name> openspec/changes/archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<name>
```
c. **Track outcome** for each change:
- Success: archived successfully
- Failed: error during archive (record error)
- Skipped: user chose not to archive (if applicable)
9. **Display summary**
Show final results:
```
## Bulk Archive Complete
Archived 3 changes:
- schema-management-cli -> archive/2026-01-19-schema-management-cli/
- project-config -> archive/2026-01-19-project-config/
- add-oauth -> archive/2026-01-19-add-oauth/
Skipped 1 change:
- add-verify-skill (user chose not to archive incomplete)
Spec sync summary:
- 4 delta specs synced to main specs
- 1 conflict resolved (auth: applied both in chronological order)
```
If any failures:
```
Failed 1 change:
- some-change: Archive directory already exists
```
**Conflict Resolution Examples**
Example 1: Only one implemented
```
Conflict: specs/auth/spec.md touched by [add-oauth, add-jwt]
Checking add-oauth:
- Delta adds "OAuth Provider Integration" requirement
- Searching codebase... found src/auth/oauth.ts implementing OAuth flow
Checking add-jwt:
- Delta adds "JWT Token Handling" requirement
- Searching codebase... no JWT implementation found
Resolution: Only add-oauth is implemented. Will sync add-oauth specs only.
```
Example 2: Both implemented
```
Conflict: specs/api/spec.md touched by [add-rest-api, add-graphql]
Checking add-rest-api (created 2026-01-10):
- Delta adds "REST Endpoints" requirement
- Searching codebase... found src/api/rest.ts
Checking add-graphql (created 2026-01-15):
- Delta adds "GraphQL Schema" requirement
- Searching codebase... found src/api/graphql.ts
Resolution: Both implemented. Will apply add-rest-api specs first,
then add-graphql specs (chronological order, newer takes precedence).
```
**Output On Success**
```
## Bulk Archive Complete
Archived N changes:
- <change-1> -> archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<change-1>/
- <change-2> -> archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<change-2>/
Spec sync summary:
- N delta specs synced to main specs
- No conflicts (or: M conflicts resolved)
```
**Output On Partial Success**
```
## Bulk Archive Complete (partial)
Archived N changes:
- <change-1> -> archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<change-1>/
Skipped M changes:
- <change-2> (user chose not to archive incomplete)
Failed K changes:
- <change-3>: Archive directory already exists
```
**Output When No Changes**
```
## No Changes to Archive
No active changes found. Create a new change to get started.
```
**Guardrails**
- Allow any number of changes (1+ is fine, 2+ is the typical use case)
- Always prompt for selection, never auto-select
- Detect spec conflicts early and resolve by checking codebase
- When both changes are implemented, apply specs in chronological order
- Skip spec sync only when implementation is missing (warn user)
- Show clear per-change status before confirming
- Use single confirmation for entire batch
- Track and report all outcomes (success/skip/fail)
- Preserve .openspec.yaml when moving to archive
- Archive directory target uses current date: YYYY-MM-DD-<name>
- If archive target exists, fail that change but continue with othersRelated 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-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.
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.