If no argument provided:
ERROR: Phase number required
Usage: /gsd-remove-phase <phase-number>
Example: /gsd-remove-phase 17
Exit.
INIT=$(gsd-sdk query init.phase-op "${target}")
if [[ "$INIT" == @file:* ]]; then INIT=$(cat "${INIT#@file:}"); fi
Extract: phase_found, phase_dir, phase_number, commit_docs, roadmap_exists.
Also read STATE.md and ROADMAP.md content for parsing current position.
- Compare target phase to current phase from STATE.md
- Target must be > current phase number
If target <= current phase:
ERROR: Cannot remove Phase {target}
Only future phases can be removed:
- Current phase: {current}
- Phase {target} is current or completed
To abandon current work, use /gsd-pause-work instead.
Exit.
Removing Phase {target}: {Name}
This will:
- Delete: .planning/phases/{target}-{slug}/
- Renumber all subsequent phases
- Update: ROADMAP.md, STATE.md
Proceed? (y/n)
Wait for confirmation.
RESULT=$(gsd-sdk query phase.remove "${target}")
If the phase has executed plans (SUMMARY.md files), the CLI will error. Use --force only if the user confirms:
RESULT=$(gsd-sdk query phase.remove "${target}" --force)
The CLI handles:
- Deleting the phase directory
- Renumbering all subsequent directories (in reverse order to avoid conflicts)
- Renaming all files inside renumbered directories (PLAN.md, SUMMARY.md, etc.)
- Updating ROADMAP.md (removing section, renumbering all phase references, updating dependencies)
- Updating STATE.md (decrementing phase count)
Extract from result: removed, directory_deleted, renamed_directories, renamed_files, roadmap_updated, state_updated.
gsd-sdk query commit "chore: remove phase {target} ({original-phase-name})" .planning/
The commit message preserves the historical record of what was removed.
Phase {target} ({original-name}) removed.
Changes:
- Deleted: .planning/phases/{target}-{slug}/
- Renumbered: {N} directories and {M} files
- Updated: ROADMAP.md, STATE.md
- Committed: chore: remove phase {target} ({original-name})
---
## What's Next
Would you like to:
- `/gsd-progress` — see updated roadmap status
- Continue with current phase
- Review roadmap
---
- Don't remove completed phases (have SUMMARY.md files) without --force
- Don't remove current or past phases
- Don't manually renumber — use
gsd-sdk query phase.removewhich handles all renumbering - Don't add "removed phase" notes to STATE.md — git commit is the record
- Don't modify completed phase directories
- Target phase validated as future/unstarted
-
gsd-sdk query phase.removeexecuted successfully - Changes committed with descriptive message
- User informed of changes