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 (with residual-batch rule)

   Read the tasks file (typically tasks.md) and bucket every - [ ] line by its terminal tag (see AGENTS.md and openspec/specs/verification/spec.md):

   • Mechanical (blocking): untagged tasks AND tasks tagged _(Verify via MCP — <ref>)_. Must be [x] before archive.
   • Human sign-off (batched): tasks tagged _(Manual — <free text>)_ AND tasks whose referenced scenario title ends with the suffix _(subjective)_. These can be confirmed at archive time.

   If any mechanical task is [ ]:

   • Display the list of blocking mechanical tasks.
   • Refuse to archive automatically; recommend /opsx-apply <change> (or /opsx-verify for the MCP loop) to close them.
   • Use AskUserQuestion tool to ask whether the user wants to override and archive anyway. Default: do NOT proceed.

   If only human-sign-off tasks remain:

   • Enumerate them as a single sign-off batch with each task's free-text instruction or scenario reference inlined.
   • Use AskUserQuestion tool per task (or as a single multi-select) to confirm the human has spot-checked each one.
   • Proceed only after explicit confirmation per task.

   If all tasks are [x]: Proceed silently to step 4.

   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
   1mkdir -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
   1mv 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