Openspec Archive

Step 3: Check for delta specs

Look for openspec/changes/<name>/specs/ — if it contains spec files, compare each against its counterpart in openspec/specs/<capability>/spec.md.

If delta specs exist:

• Show what would change (additions, modifications, removals)
• Ask: "Sync these specs to the main spec files before archiving?"
• If yes: merge each delta spec into its corresponding main spec file. Show what was merged.
• If no: proceed without syncing (delta specs will be archived with the change)

If no delta specs exist: skip this step.

Step 4: Archive

Create the archive directory if it doesn't exist:

mkdir -p openspec/changes/archive

Generate the target name: YYYY-MM-DD-<slug> using today's date.

Check if the target already exists — if so, fail with a clear error and ask the user how to proceed.

Move the change directory:

mv openspec/changes/<name> openspec/changes/archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<slug>

Step 5: Report

## Archive Complete

**Change:** <name>
**Archived to:** openspec/changes/archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<slug>/
**Specs:** [Synced to main specs / No delta specs / Sync skipped]
**Tasks:** [All complete / X incomplete — user confirmed]

Guardrails

• Never auto-select a change — always ask the user
• Always check task completion and warn if incomplete — never silently skip
• Always run the delta spec assessment if specs exist
• If the archive target already exists, fail clearly — do not overwrite
• Show a summary of what happened