455 lines
15 KiB
Markdown
455 lines
15 KiB
Markdown
# OpenSpec Instructions
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Instructions for AI coding assistants using OpenSpec for spec-driven development.
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## TL;DR Quick Checklist
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- Search existing work: `openspec spec list --long`, `openspec list` (use `rg` only for full-text search)
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- Decide scope: new capability vs modify existing capability
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- Pick a unique `change-id`: kebab-case, verb-led (`add-`, `update-`, `remove-`, `refactor-`)
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- Scaffold: `proposal.md`, `tasks.md`, `design.md` (only if needed), and delta specs per affected capability
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- Write deltas: use `## ADDED|MODIFIED|REMOVED|RENAMED Requirements`; include at least one `#### Scenario:` per requirement
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- Validate: `openspec validate [change-id] --strict` and fix issues
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- Request approval: Do not start implementation until proposal is approved
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## Three-Stage Workflow
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### Stage 1: Creating Changes
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Create proposal when you need to:
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- Add features or functionality
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- Make breaking changes (API, schema)
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- Change architecture or patterns
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- Optimize performance (changes behavior)
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- Update security patterns
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Triggers (examples):
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- "Help me create a change proposal"
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- "Help me plan a change"
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- "Help me create a proposal"
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- "I want to create a spec proposal"
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- "I want to create a spec"
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Loose matching guidance:
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- Contains one of: `proposal`, `change`, `spec`
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- With one of: `create`, `plan`, `make`, `start`, `help`
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Skip proposal for:
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- Bug fixes (restore intended behavior)
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- Typos, formatting, comments
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- Dependency updates (non-breaking)
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- Configuration changes
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- Tests for existing behavior
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**Workflow**
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1. Review `openspec/project.md`, `openspec list`, and `openspec list --specs` to understand current context.
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2. Choose a unique verb-led `change-id` and scaffold `proposal.md`, `tasks.md`, optional `design.md`, and spec deltas under `openspec/changes/<id>/`.
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3. Draft spec deltas using `## ADDED|MODIFIED|REMOVED Requirements` with at least one `#### Scenario:` per requirement.
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4. Run `openspec validate <id> --strict` and resolve any issues before sharing the proposal.
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### Stage 2: Implementing Changes
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Track these steps as TODOs and complete them one by one.
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1. **Read proposal.md** - Understand what's being built
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2. **Read design.md** (if exists) - Review technical decisions
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3. **Read tasks.md** - Get implementation checklist
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4. **Implement tasks sequentially** - Complete in order
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5. **Confirm completion** - Ensure every item in `tasks.md` is finished before updating statuses
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6. **Update checklist** - After all work is done, set every task to `- [x]` so the list reflects reality
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7. **Approval gate** - Do not start implementation until the proposal is reviewed and approved
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### Stage 3: Archiving Changes
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After deployment, create separate PR to:
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- Move `changes/[name]/` → `changes/archive/YYYY-MM-DD-[name]/`
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- Update `specs/` if capabilities changed
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- Use `openspec archive <change-id> --skip-specs --yes` for tooling-only changes (always pass the change ID explicitly)
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- Run `openspec validate --strict` to confirm the archived change passes checks
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## Before Any Task
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**Context Checklist:**
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- [ ] Read relevant specs in `specs/[capability]/spec.md`
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- [ ] Check pending changes in `changes/` for conflicts
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- [ ] Read `openspec/project.md` for conventions
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- [ ] Run `openspec list` to see active changes
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- [ ] Run `openspec list --specs` to see existing capabilities
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**Before Creating Specs:**
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- Always check if capability already exists
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- Prefer modifying existing specs over creating duplicates
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- Use `openspec show [spec]` to review current state
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- If request is ambiguous, ask 1–2 clarifying questions before scaffolding
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### Search Guidance
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- Enumerate specs: `openspec spec list --long` (or `--json` for scripts)
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- Enumerate changes: `openspec list` (or `openspec change list --json` - deprecated but available)
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- Show details:
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- Spec: `openspec show <spec-id> --type spec` (use `--json` for filters)
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- Change: `openspec show <change-id> --json --deltas-only`
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- Full-text search (use ripgrep): `rg -n "Requirement:|Scenario:" openspec/specs`
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## Quick Start
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### CLI Commands
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```bash
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# Essential commands
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openspec list # List active changes
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openspec list --specs # List specifications
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openspec show [item] # Display change or spec
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openspec validate [item] # Validate changes or specs
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openspec archive <change-id> [--yes|-y] # Archive after deployment (add --yes for non-interactive runs)
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# Project management
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openspec init [path] # Initialize OpenSpec
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openspec update [path] # Update instruction files
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# Interactive mode
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openspec show # Prompts for selection
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openspec validate # Bulk validation mode
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# Debugging
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openspec show [change] --json --deltas-only
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openspec validate [change] --strict
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```
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### Command Flags
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- `--json` - Machine-readable output
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- `--type change|spec` - Disambiguate items
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- `--strict` - Comprehensive validation
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- `--no-interactive` - Disable prompts
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- `--skip-specs` - Archive without spec updates
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- `--yes`/`-y` - Skip confirmation prompts (non-interactive archive)
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## Directory Structure
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```
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openspec/
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├── project.md # Project conventions
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├── specs/ # Current truth - what IS built
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│ └── [capability]/ # Single focused capability
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│ ├── spec.md # Requirements and scenarios
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│ └── design.md # Technical patterns
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├── changes/ # Proposals - what SHOULD change
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│ ├── [change-name]/
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│ │ ├── proposal.md # Why, what, impact
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│ │ ├── tasks.md # Implementation checklist
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│ │ ├── design.md # Technical decisions (optional; see criteria)
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│ │ └── specs/ # Delta changes
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│ │ └── [capability]/
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│ │ └── spec.md # ADDED/MODIFIED/REMOVED
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│ └── archive/ # Completed changes
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```
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## Creating Change Proposals
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### Decision Tree
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```
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New request?
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├─ Bug fix restoring spec behavior? → Fix directly
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├─ Typo/format/comment? → Fix directly
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├─ New feature/capability? → Create proposal
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├─ Breaking change? → Create proposal
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├─ Architecture change? → Create proposal
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└─ Unclear? → Create proposal (safer)
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```
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### Proposal Structure
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1. **Create directory:** `changes/[change-id]/` (kebab-case, verb-led, unique)
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2. **Write proposal.md:**
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```markdown
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## Why
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[1-2 sentences on problem/opportunity]
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## What Changes
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- [Bullet list of changes]
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- [Mark breaking changes with **BREAKING**]
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## Impact
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- Affected specs: [list capabilities]
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- Affected code: [key files/systems]
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```
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3. **Create spec deltas:** `specs/[capability]/spec.md`
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```markdown
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## ADDED Requirements
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### Requirement: New Feature
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The system SHALL provide...
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#### Scenario: Success case
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- **WHEN** user performs action
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- **THEN** expected result
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## MODIFIED Requirements
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### Requirement: Existing Feature
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[Complete modified requirement]
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## REMOVED Requirements
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### Requirement: Old Feature
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**Reason**: [Why removing]
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**Migration**: [How to handle]
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```
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If multiple capabilities are affected, create multiple delta files under `changes/[change-id]/specs/<capability>/spec.md`—one per capability.
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4. **Create tasks.md:**
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```markdown
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## 1. Implementation
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- [ ] 1.1 Create database schema
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- [ ] 1.2 Implement API endpoint
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- [ ] 1.3 Add frontend component
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- [ ] 1.4 Write tests
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```
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5. **Create design.md when needed:**
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Create `design.md` if any of the following apply; otherwise omit it:
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- Cross-cutting change (multiple services/modules) or a new architectural pattern
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- New external dependency or significant data model changes
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- Security, performance, or migration complexity
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- Ambiguity that benefits from technical decisions before coding
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Minimal `design.md` skeleton:
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```markdown
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## Context
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[Background, constraints, stakeholders]
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## Goals / Non-Goals
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- Goals: [...]
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- Non-Goals: [...]
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## Decisions
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- Decision: [What and why]
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- Alternatives considered: [Options + rationale]
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## Risks / Trade-offs
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- [Risk] → Mitigation
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## Migration Plan
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[Steps, rollback]
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## Open Questions
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- [...]
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```
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## Spec File Format
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### Critical: Scenario Formatting
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**CORRECT** (use #### headers):
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```markdown
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#### Scenario: User login success
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- **WHEN** valid credentials provided
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- **THEN** return JWT token
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```
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**WRONG** (don't use bullets or bold):
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```markdown
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- **Scenario: User login** ❌
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**Scenario**: User login ❌
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### Scenario: User login ❌
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```
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Every requirement MUST have at least one scenario.
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### Requirement Wording
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- Use SHALL/MUST for normative requirements (avoid should/may unless intentionally non-normative)
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### Delta Operations
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- `## ADDED Requirements` - New capabilities
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- `## MODIFIED Requirements` - Changed behavior
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- `## REMOVED Requirements` - Deprecated features
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- `## RENAMED Requirements` - Name changes
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Headers matched with `trim(header)` - whitespace ignored.
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#### When to use ADDED vs MODIFIED
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- ADDED: Introduces a new capability or sub-capability that can stand alone as a requirement. Prefer ADDED when the change is orthogonal (e.g., adding "Slash Command Configuration") rather than altering the semantics of an existing requirement.
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- MODIFIED: Changes the behavior, scope, or acceptance criteria of an existing requirement. Always paste the full, updated requirement content (header + all scenarios). The archiver will replace the entire requirement with what you provide here; partial deltas will drop previous details.
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- RENAMED: Use when only the name changes. If you also change behavior, use RENAMED (name) plus MODIFIED (content) referencing the new name.
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Common pitfall: Using MODIFIED to add a new concern without including the previous text. This causes loss of detail at archive time. If you aren’t explicitly changing the existing requirement, add a new requirement under ADDED instead.
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Authoring a MODIFIED requirement correctly:
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1) Locate the existing requirement in `openspec/specs/<capability>/spec.md`.
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2) Copy the entire requirement block (from `### Requirement: ...` through its scenarios).
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3) Paste it under `## MODIFIED Requirements` and edit to reflect the new behavior.
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4) Ensure the header text matches exactly (whitespace-insensitive) and keep at least one `#### Scenario:`.
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Example for RENAMED:
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```markdown
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## RENAMED Requirements
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- FROM: `### Requirement: Login`
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- TO: `### Requirement: User Authentication`
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```
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## Troubleshooting
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### Common Errors
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**"Change must have at least one delta"**
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- Check `changes/[name]/specs/` exists with .md files
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- Verify files have operation prefixes (## ADDED Requirements)
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**"Requirement must have at least one scenario"**
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- Check scenarios use `#### Scenario:` format (4 hashtags)
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- Don't use bullet points or bold for scenario headers
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**Silent scenario parsing failures**
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- Exact format required: `#### Scenario: Name`
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- Debug with: `openspec show [change] --json --deltas-only`
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### Validation Tips
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```bash
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# Always use strict mode for comprehensive checks
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openspec validate [change] --strict
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# Debug delta parsing
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openspec show [change] --json | jq '.deltas'
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# Check specific requirement
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openspec show [spec] --json -r 1
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```
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## Happy Path Script
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```bash
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# 1) Explore current state
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openspec spec list --long
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openspec list
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# Optional full-text search:
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# rg -n "Requirement:|Scenario:" openspec/specs
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# rg -n "^#|Requirement:" openspec/changes
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# 2) Choose change id and scaffold
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CHANGE=add-two-factor-auth
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mkdir -p openspec/changes/$CHANGE/{specs/auth}
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printf "## Why\n...\n\n## What Changes\n- ...\n\n## Impact\n- ...\n" > openspec/changes/$CHANGE/proposal.md
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printf "## 1. Implementation\n- [ ] 1.1 ...\n" > openspec/changes/$CHANGE/tasks.md
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# 3) Add deltas (example)
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cat > openspec/changes/$CHANGE/specs/auth/spec.md << 'EOF'
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## ADDED Requirements
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### Requirement: Two-Factor Authentication
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Users MUST provide a second factor during login.
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#### Scenario: OTP required
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- **WHEN** valid credentials are provided
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- **THEN** an OTP challenge is required
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EOF
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# 4) Validate
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openspec validate $CHANGE --strict
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```
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## Multi-Capability Example
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```
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openspec/changes/add-2fa-notify/
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├── proposal.md
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├── tasks.md
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└── specs/
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├── auth/
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│ └── spec.md # ADDED: Two-Factor Authentication
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└── notifications/
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└── spec.md # ADDED: OTP email notification
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```
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auth/spec.md
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```markdown
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## ADDED Requirements
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### Requirement: Two-Factor Authentication
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...
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```
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notifications/spec.md
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```markdown
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## ADDED Requirements
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### Requirement: OTP Email Notification
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...
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```
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## Best Practices
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### Simplicity First
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- Default to <100 lines of new code
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- Single-file implementations until proven insufficient
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- Avoid frameworks without clear justification
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- Choose boring, proven patterns
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### Complexity Triggers
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Only add complexity with:
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- Performance data showing current solution too slow
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- Concrete scale requirements (>1000 users, >100MB data)
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- Multiple proven use cases requiring abstraction
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### Clear References
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- Use `file.ts:42` format for code locations
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- Reference specs as `specs/auth/spec.md`
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- Link related changes and PRs
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### Capability Naming
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- Use verb-noun: `user-auth`, `payment-capture`
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- Single purpose per capability
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- 10-minute understandability rule
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- Split if description needs "AND"
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### Change ID Naming
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- Use kebab-case, short and descriptive: `add-two-factor-auth`
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- Prefer verb-led prefixes: `add-`, `update-`, `remove-`, `refactor-`
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- Ensure uniqueness; if taken, append `-2`, `-3`, etc.
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## Tool Selection Guide
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| Task | Tool | Why |
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|------|------|-----|
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| Find files by pattern | Glob | Fast pattern matching |
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| Search code content | Grep | Optimized regex search |
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| Read specific files | Read | Direct file access |
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| Explore unknown scope | Task | Multi-step investigation |
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## Error Recovery
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### Change Conflicts
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1. Run `openspec list` to see active changes
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2. Check for overlapping specs
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3. Coordinate with change owners
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4. Consider combining proposals
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### Validation Failures
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1. Run with `--strict` flag
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2. Check JSON output for details
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3. Verify spec file format
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4. Ensure scenarios properly formatted
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### Missing Context
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1. Read project.md first
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2. Check related specs
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3. Review recent archives
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4. Ask for clarification
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## Quick Reference
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### Stage Indicators
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- `changes/` - Proposed, not yet built
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- `specs/` - Built and deployed
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- `archive/` - Completed changes
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### File Purposes
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- `proposal.md` - Why and what
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- `tasks.md` - Implementation steps
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- `design.md` - Technical decisions
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- `spec.md` - Requirements and behavior
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### CLI Essentials
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```bash
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openspec list # What's in progress?
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openspec show [item] # View details
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openspec validate --strict # Is it correct?
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openspec archive <change-id> [--yes|-y] # Mark complete (add --yes for automation)
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```
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Remember: Specs are truth. Changes are proposals. Keep them in sync.
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