Openspec Workflow

OpenSpec

A spec-driven collaborative development workflow framework. Align on requirements before writing code — plan the change, specify the delta, design the approach, break down tasks, implement, verify, and archive.

Requires Node.js 20.19.0+. Install: npm install -g openspec.

Core Philosophy

• Fluid over rigid — Actions are available based on readiness, not locked behind phases. Skip what is unnecessary, revisit what needs refinement.
• Iterative over waterfall — Requirements evolve as understanding deepens. Embrace refinement loops rather than demanding upfront perfection.
• Simple over complex — Start lean. Add structure only when the situation demands it.
• Brownfield-friendly — Designed for existing codebases. Document what exists, then propose what changes.
• Scalable — Works the same way for a solo developer as for a team.

Project Structure

openspec/
├── specs/                    # Source of truth: current system behavior, organized by domain
│   ├── authentication.md
│   └── payments.md
├── changes/                  # Active proposed modifications
│   ├── <change-name>/
│   │   ├── .openspec.yaml   # Change metadata and state
│   │   ├── proposal.md      # Intent, scope, approach
│   │   ├── specs/            # Delta specs (ADDED/MODIFIED/REMOVED)
│   │   ├── design.md        # Technical implementation strategy
│   │   └── tasks.md         # Implementation checklist
│   └── archive/              # Completed changes (timestamped)
└── config.yaml               # Optional project settings

• specs/ is the authoritative record. It describes how the system currently works, not how it will work.
• changes/ holds in-progress modifications. Each change is self-contained with its own artifacts.
• archive/ preserves completed changes for historical context.

Workflow Selection

This is the most critical decision. Assess the situation before recommending a path.

Decision Tree

Is the requirement clear and scope well-defined?
├─ YES → Is the change small-to-medium and straightforward?
│        ├─ YES → Quick Feature workflow
│        └─ NO  → Quick Feature with step-by-step artifact generation
└─ NO  → Do you need to investigate the problem space first?
         ├─ YES → Exploratory workflow
         └─ NO  → Start with a proposal draft, iterate from there

Are there multiple independent work streams?
└─ YES → Parallel Changes pattern (each stream follows its own workflow)

Quick Feature Workflow

When to use: Requirements are clear, scope is bounded, the team knows what to build.

Flow: Propose → Specify deltas → Design → Task breakdown → Implement → Verify → Archive

Characteristics:

• All planning artifacts can be generated in one pass
• Best for: bug fixes, small-to-medium features, well-defined enhancements
• Typical planning phase: minutes, not hours

Example scenario: "Add avatar upload to user profiles" — the feature is well-understood, boundaries are clear, no deep investigation needed.

Exploratory Workflow

When to use: Requirements are unclear, multiple approaches exist, the problem space needs investigation before committing.

Flow: Explore → (clarity emerges) → Propose → Specify → Design → Tasks → Implement → Verify → Archive

Characteristics:

• Begin with open-ended investigation: analyze codebase patterns, compare approaches, surface trade-offs
• No artifacts are created during exploration — it is purely for thinking
• Transition to formal change creation once a direction crystallizes
• Artifacts are generated step-by-step with review between each

Example scenario: "Our authentication is getting complex, we should probably refactor it" — the scope is vague, multiple strategies exist (consolidate providers? extract a service? migrate to OAuth2?), exploration is needed.

When to transition from exploration to formal change:

• A clear direction has emerged
• The team agrees on the general approach
• Scope can be articulated in one sentence

Parallel Changes

When to use: Multiple independent modifications are in progress simultaneously.

How it works:

• Each change lives in its own directory under changes/
• Each follows its own workflow independently (some may be quick, others exploratory)
• Changes can be archived independently when complete
• Multiple completed changes can be bulk-archived together

Watch for: If two changes touch the same specs, archive and sync one before starting artifact generation for the other to avoid merge conflicts.

Artifact Generation Strategy

Once inside a workflow, decide how artifacts are produced.

One-shot Generation

Generate all planning artifacts (proposal → specs → design → tasks) in a single pass.

Choose when:

• Scope is clear and agreed upon
• Time pressure — need to start implementation quickly
• The change is well-understood by the team
• No need for intermediate review or feedback

Step-by-step Generation

Generate one artifact at a time, review, then proceed to the next.

Choose when:

• The change is complex and benefits from incremental validation
• Stakeholders need to review each artifact before proceeding
• Requirements may shift based on what the design reveals
• The team wants to iterate on the proposal before committing to specs

Guideline

Default to one-shot for straightforward work. Switch to step-by-step the moment complexity, uncertainty, or stakeholder involvement increases. It is always valid to start one-shot and switch to step-by-step mid-flow if an artifact reveals unexpected complexity.

Change Lifecycle

Each stage has a clear purpose, output, and exit criteria.

1. Proposal

Purpose: Capture the intent, scope, and high-level approach. Answer "why are we doing this?" and "what are we changing?"

Output: proposal.md

Move to next stage when: The problem statement is clear, scope (in-scope / out-of-scope) is defined, and the general approach is agreed upon.

2. Delta Specifications

Purpose: Document exactly what changes relative to the current system. Not a rewrite of all specs — only what is ADDED, MODIFIED, or REMOVED.

Output: Files in changes/<name>/specs/ mirroring the domain structure of openspec/specs/

Move to next stage when: All requirement changes are captured, each with testable scenarios (Given/When/Then).

For detailed guidance on writing specs, see references/spec-writing.md.

3. Design

Purpose: Detail the technical implementation strategy. Answer "how will we build this?" and "why this approach over alternatives?"

Output: design.md

Move to next stage when: Architecture decisions are made, data model changes are identified, and the approach is justified.

4. Task Breakdown

Purpose: Convert the design into independently verifiable implementation steps.

Output: tasks.md (checkbox format)

Move to next stage when: Tasks are granular enough that each can be completed and verified independently.

5. Implementation

Purpose: Execute the tasks.

Move to next stage when: All task checkboxes are checked.

6. Verification

Purpose: Validate implementation against specifications across three dimensions (see below).

Move to next stage when: All critical issues are resolved. Warnings may remain with justification.

7. Archive

Purpose: Finalize the change. Delta specs merge into main specs/, the change folder moves to archive/.

Complete when: Specs are synced and the change directory is archived.

For detailed artifact templates and writing guidance, see references/artifacts.md.

Verification Dimensions

After implementation, verify against three dimensions:

Completeness

• Are all tasks marked as done?
• Is every requirement from the delta specs implemented?
• Are all scenarios covered by the implementation?

Correctness

• Does the implementation match the spec intent (not just the letter)?
• Are edge cases handled?
• Do scenario Given/When/Then conditions produce the expected outcomes?

Coherence

• Are design decisions consistently reflected in the code?
• Do patterns remain consistent across the codebase?
• Is the implementation internally consistent (no contradictions between components)?

Verification surfaces issues classified as CRITICAL (must fix), WARNING (should address), or SUGGESTION (nice to have). Verification does not block archiving — it informs the decision.

When to Update vs Restart

Update the existing change when

• The intent has not changed, only the execution approach is refined
• Scope is being narrowed, not expanded
• Corrections stem from implementation learnings (design tweaks, task adjustments)
• The original proposal still accurately describes the goal

Start a fresh change when

• The intent has fundamentally shifted ("we started with refactoring auth but now we're rebuilding it")
• Scope has exploded beyond the original boundary
• The original change can stand on its own and be archived independently
• Patching the existing artifacts would cause confusion rather than clarity

Rule of thumb: If you would need to rewrite more than half the proposal, start fresh.

Guidance Rules

1. Assess before recommending. Evaluate the user's requirement clarity and scope definition before suggesting a workflow. Ask clarifying questions if the situation is ambiguous.
2. Match workflow to situation. Do not default to the same workflow every time. Let the decision tree guide the choice.
3. When writing artifacts, read references/artifacts.md for templates and writing principles.
4. When writing specifications, read references/spec-writing.md for RFC 2119 keyword usage, Given/When/Then patterns, and delta prefix conventions.
5. Keep changes focused. One logical unit of work per change. If scope creep is detected, suggest splitting into separate changes.
6. Verify before archiving. Always run verification. Do not skip directly to archive.
7. Name changes descriptively. Use names like add-dark-mode or refactor-auth, not feature-1 or update-3.

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