openspec-propose

Propose a new change - create the change and generate all artifacts in one step.

Planning boundary: This workflow creates planning artifacts only. The user request that selected or triggered this workflow authorizes planning only, even if it asks to build or fix something. Do not edit project code. After the planning artifacts are complete, stop. Do not start implementation in the same response, even if the initial request asks for it. Wait for a new user request after the artifacts are presented; then start the apply workflow.

I'll create a change with the artifacts your schema defines. With the default spec-driven schema that is:

proposal.md (what & why)
```
specs/<capability-path>/spec.md
```
(what the system must do - a delta, not the main spec)
design.md (how)
tasks.md (implementation steps)

<capability-path>

is the spec directory relative to

specs/

(for example,

user-auth

identity/user-auth

). Preserve an existing capability's full path and follow the project's established organization for new capabilities.

When the user is ready to implement, they must start the apply workflow explicitly.

Store selection: If the user names a store (a store is a standalone OpenSpec repo registered on this machine) or the work lives in one, run

openspec store list --json

to discover registered store ids, then pass

--store <id>

on the commands that read or write specs and changes (

new change

status

instructions

list

show

validate

archive

doctor

context

schemas

view

). Once selected, treat

--store <id>

as sticky for the rest of the workflow. Every unscoped example of those commands below is shorthand: before running it, append the flag. For example, run

openspec status --change "<name>" --json --store "<id>"

, not the unscoped form shown below. Other commands do not take the flag. Hints printed by commands already carry the flag; keep it on follow-ups. Without a store, commands act on the nearest local

openspec/

root.

Input: The user's request should include a change name (kebab-case) OR a description of what they want to build.

Steps

Understand the request and clarify material ambiguity

If no clear input is provided, ask the user (open-ended, no preset options):

"What change do you want to work on? Describe what you want to build or fix."
From their description, derive a kebab-case name (e.g., "add user authentication" →
```
add-user-auth
```
).
IMPORTANT: Do NOT proceed without understanding what the user wants to build.

If the request contains ambiguity that would materially affect scope, externally observable behavior, compatibility, or acceptance criteria, ask the user before creating the change. For minor details, make a reasonable assumption and record it in the planning artifacts.
Determine the workflow schema

Use the configured default schema unless the user explicitly requests a different workflow.

Use a different schema only if the user:
- Explicitly requests a specific schema by name → use
```
--schema <schema-name>
```
- Asks to "show workflows" or asks "what workflows" exist → resolve the authoritative root by running
```
openspec context --json
```
  from the current working directory. If the user explicitly selected a registered store, use
```
openspec context --json --store "<store-id>"
```
  . Then run
```
openspec schemas --json
```
  with its working directory set to the returned
```
root.path
```
  and let them choose. This preserves roots selected by a local
```
store:
```
  pointer or the global
```
defaultStore
```
  ; when a registered store was explicitly selected, append
```
--store "<store-id>"
```
  to
```
openspec schemas --json
```
  as well. If context reports only
```
no_openspec_root
```
  , run
```
openspec schemas --json
```
  from the current working directory instead. Do not use this fallback for invalid or unavailable stores.
Otherwise, omit
```
--schema
```
to preserve the configured default.
Create the change directory
Choose one schema form below. If a registered store is selected, append
```
--store "<store-id>"
```
to that command and each later OpenSpec command shown below that accepts
```
--store
```
.
Using the configured default:
bash
```
openspec new change "<name>"
```
Using an explicitly requested schema:
bash
```
openspec new change "<name>" --schema "<schema-name>"
```
This creates a scaffolded change in the planning home resolved by the CLI with
```
.openspec.yaml
```
.
Get the artifact build order
bash
```
openspec status --change "<name>" --json
```
Parse the JSON to get:
- ```
applyRequires
```
  : array of artifact IDs needed before implementation (e.g.,
```
["tasks"]
```
  )
- ```
artifacts
```
  : list of all artifacts, each with its
```
status
```
  and its
```
requires
```
  edges (the artifact IDs it directly depends on)
- ```
planningHome
```
  ,
```
changeRoot
```
  ,
```
artifactPaths
```
  , and
```
actionContext
```
  : path and scope context. Use these instead of assuming repo-local paths.
Create every artifact in the required set

Use a todo list to track progress through the artifacts.

Loop through artifacts in dependency order (artifacts with no pending dependencies first):
a. For each artifact that is
ready
(dependencies satisfied):
- Get instructions:
  bash
```
openspec instructions <artifact-id> --change "<name>" --json
```
- The instructions JSON includes:
  - context
    : Project background (constraints for you - do NOT include in output)
  - rules
    : Artifact-specific rules (constraints for you - do NOT include in output)
  - template
    : The structure to use for your output file
  - instruction
    : Schema-specific guidance for this artifact type
  - skipped
    /
    warning
    : present when the change declares skip_specs and this artifact must NOT be created - stop and pick another artifact
  - resolvedOutputPath
    : Resolved path or pattern to write the artifact
  - dependencies
    : Completed artifacts to read for context
- Read any completed dependency files for context - always re-read them from disk, even if you saw them earlier in the conversation (the user may have edited them)
- If the
```
instruction
```
  field delegates creation to a specific skill or command, invoke it to produce the artifact instead of writing the file yourself, then verify the artifact file exists at
```
resolvedOutputPath
```
- Otherwise create the artifact file using
```
template
```
  as the structure and write it to
```
resolvedOutputPath
```
  . If
```
resolvedOutputPath
```
  is a glob, follow
```
instruction
```
  to choose the concrete file path
- Apply
```
context
```
  and
```
rules
```
  as constraints - but do NOT copy them into the file
- Show brief progress: "Created <artifact-id>"
b. Continue until every artifact in the required set exists (not just
apply.requires
)
- After creating each artifact, re-run
```
openspec status --change "<name>" --json
```
- The required set is
```
applyRequires
```
  plus every artifact reachable from those by following the
```
requires
```
  edges in
```
status --json
```
  - walk them transitively (spec-driven closes over proposal, specs, design, tasks). Leave artifacts outside that set alone
- ```
status
```
  is file-existence only, so an
```
applyRequires
```
  artifact reading
```
done
```
  does NOT mean its dependencies exist - writing
```
tasks.md
```
  early marks
```
tasks
```
  done while
```
specs
```
  was never written. Use each artifact's
```
requires
```
  edges, not its
```
status
```
  , to build the required set: a
```
done
```
  artifact still lists what it depends on
- An artifact already reading
```
status: "skipped"
```
  is satisfied: the change declares
```
skip_specs
```
  in
```
.openspec.yaml
```
  , so its files must NOT exist. Never try to create one
- Create every artifact in the required set that is missing, then re-check - creating one can unblock others
- Skip one only when
```
status
```
  already reports it
```
skipped
```
  , or when its own
```
instruction
```
  says it is conditional: run
```
openspec instructions <artifact-id> --change "<name>" --json
```
  and skip only if its
```
instruction
```
  field marks it optional (e.g. "create only if..."). Spec-driven's
```
design.md
```
  qualifies;
```
specs
```
  qualifies only via the
```
skipped
```
  status above, never by your own judgment. Tell the user, and do not reconsider it
- Dependencies are enablers, not gates: if a required artifact is still
```
blocked
```
  only because you skipped a conditional dependency, write it anyway
- Stop when every artifact in the required set is
```
done
```
  ,
```
skipped
```
  , or was deliberately skipped
c. If an artifact requires user input (unclear context):
- Ask the user to clarify
- Then continue with creation
Show final status
bash
```
openspec status --change "<name>"
```

Output

After completing all artifacts, summarize:

Change name and location
List of artifacts created with brief descriptions, plus any conditional artifact you skipped and why
What's ready: "All artifacts needed for implementation are ready."
Prompt: "The artifacts are ready for review. When you are ready, run
```
/openspec-apply-change
```
or ask me to apply this change."

Artifact Creation Guidelines

Follow the
```
instruction
```
field from
```
openspec instructions
```
for each artifact type - it is the authoritative guidance, even for familiar artifact names
If the
```
instruction
```
field directs you to use a specific skill or command to create the artifact, invoke it instead of writing the artifact directly
The schema defines what each artifact should contain - follow it
Read dependency artifacts for context before creating new ones
Use
```
template
```
as the structure for your output file - fill in its sections
IMPORTANT:
```
context
```
and
```
rules
```
are constraints for YOU, not content for the file
- Do NOT copy
```
<context>
```
  ,
```
<rules>
```
  ,
```
<project_context>
```
  blocks into the artifact
- These guide what you write, but should never appear in the output

Guardrails

The request that invoked this workflow authorizes planning only. Any implementation or apply instruction in that request does not carry forward. Do NOT implement the change, start the apply workflow, or edit project code during this workflow. After presenting the artifacts, stop and wait for a new user request to start the apply workflow
Create every artifact the apply phase transitively depends on, not just the ids listed in
```
apply.requires
```
Always read dependency artifacts before creating a new one - re-read from disk, not from conversation memory (files may have changed since you last saw them)
Ask about ambiguities that would materially change scope, externally observable behavior, compatibility, or acceptance criteria; for minor details, make reasonable assumptions and record them
If a change with that name already exists, ask if user wants to continue it or create a new one
Verify each artifact file exists after writing before proceeding to next

openspec-propose

NPX Install

Tags

SKILL.md Content