OPSX Workflow
Feedback welcome on Discord.
What Is It?
OPSX is now the standard workflow for OpenSpec.
It's a fluid, iterative workflow for OpenSpec changes. No more rigid phases — just actions you can take anytime.
Why This Exists
The legacy OpenSpec workflow works, but it's locked down:
- Instructions are hardcoded — buried in TypeScript, you can't change them
- All-or-nothing — one big command creates everything, can't test individual pieces
- Fixed structure — same workflow for everyone, no customization
- Black box — when AI output is bad, you can't tweak the prompts
OPSX opens it up. Now anyone can:
- Experiment with instructions — edit a template, see if the AI does better
- Test granularly — validate each artifact's instructions independently
- Customize workflows — define your own artifacts and dependencies
- Iterate quickly — change a template, test immediately, no rebuild
Legacy workflow: OPSX:
┌────────────────────────┐ ┌────────────────────────┐
│ Hardcoded in package │ │ schema.yaml │◄── You edit this
│ (can't change) │ │ templates/*.md │◄── Or this
│ ↓ │ │ ↓ │
│ Wait for new release │ │ Instant effect │
│ ↓ │ │ ↓ │
│ Hope it's better │ │ Test it yourself │
└────────────────────────┘ └────────────────────────┘This is for everyone:
- Teams — create workflows that match how you actually work
- Power users — tweak prompts to get better AI outputs for your codebase
- OpenSpec contributors — experiment with new approaches without releases
We're all still learning what works best. OPSX lets us learn together.
The User Experience
The problem with linear workflows: You're "in planning phase", then "in implementation phase", then "done". But real work doesn't work that way. You implement something, realize your design was wrong, need to update specs, continue implementing. Linear phases fight against how work actually happens.
OPSX approach:
- Actions, not phases — create, implement, update, archive — do any of them anytime
- Dependencies are enablers — they show what's possible, not what's required next
proposal ──→ specs ──→ design ──→ tasks ──→ implementSetup
bash
# Make sure you have openspec installed — skills are automatically generated
openspec initThis creates skills in .claude/skills/ (or equivalent) that AI coding assistants auto-detect.
During setup, you'll be prompted to create a project config (openspec/config.yaml). This is optional but recommended.
Project Configuration
Project config lets you set defaults and inject project-specific context into all artifacts.
Creating Config
Config is created during openspec init, or manually:
yaml
# openspec/config.yaml
schema: spec-driven
context: |
Tech stack: TypeScript, React, Node.js
API conventions: RESTful, JSON responses
Testing: Vitest for unit tests, Playwright for e2e
Style: ESLint with Prettier, strict TypeScript
rules:
proposal:
- Include rollback plan
- Identify affected teams
specs:
- Use Given/When/Then format for scenarios
design:
- Include sequence diagrams for complex flowsConfig Fields
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
schema | string | Default schema for new changes (e.g., spec-driven) |
context | string | Project context injected into all artifact instructions |
rules | object | Per-artifact rules, keyed by artifact ID |
How It Works
Schema precedence (highest to lowest):
- CLI flag (
--schema <name>) - Change metadata (
.openspec.yamlin change directory) - Project config (
openspec/config.yaml) - Default (
spec-driven)
Context injection:
- Context is prepended to every artifact's instructions
- Wrapped in
<context>...</context>tags - Helps AI understand your project's conventions
Rules injection:
- Rules are only injected for matching artifacts
- Wrapped in
<rules>...</rules>tags - Appear after context, before the template
Artifact IDs by Schema
spec-driven (default):
proposal— Change proposalspecs— Specificationsdesign— Technical designtasks— Implementation tasks
Config Validation
- Unknown artifact IDs in
rulesgenerate warnings - Schema names are validated against available schemas
- Context has a 50KB size limit
- Invalid YAML is reported with line numbers
Troubleshooting
"Unknown artifact ID in rules: X"
- Check artifact IDs match your schema (see list above)
- Run
openspec schemas --jsonto see artifact IDs for each schema
Config not being applied:
- Ensure file is at
openspec/config.yaml(not.yml) - Check YAML syntax with a validator
- Config changes take effect immediately (no restart needed)
Context too large:
- Context is limited to 50KB
- Summarize or link to external docs instead
Commands
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
/opsx:explore | Think through ideas, investigate problems, clarify requirements |
/opsx:new | Start a new change |
/opsx:continue | Create the next artifact (based on what's ready) |
/opsx:ff | Fast-forward — create all planning artifacts at once |
/opsx:apply | Implement tasks, updating artifacts as needed |
/opsx:sync | Sync delta specs to main (optional—archive prompts if needed) |
/opsx:archive | Archive when done |
Usage
Explore an idea
/opsx:exploreThink through ideas, investigate problems, compare options. No structure required - just a thinking partner. When insights crystallize, transition to /opsx:new or /opsx:ff.
Start a new change
/opsx:newYou'll be asked what you want to build and which workflow schema to use.
Create artifacts
/opsx:continueShows what's ready to create based on dependencies, then creates one artifact. Use repeatedly to build up your change incrementally.
/opsx:ff add-dark-modeCreates all planning artifacts at once. Use when you have a clear picture of what you're building.
Implement (the fluid part)
/opsx:applyWorks through tasks, checking them off as you go. If you're juggling multiple changes, you can run /opsx:apply <name>; otherwise it should infer from the conversation and prompt you to choose if it can't tell.
Finish up
/opsx:archive # Move to archive when done (prompts to sync specs if needed)When to Update vs. Start Fresh
You can always edit your proposal or specs before implementation. But when does refining become "this is different work"?
What a Proposal Captures
A proposal defines three things:
- Intent — What problem are you solving?
- Scope — What's in/out of bounds?
- Approach — How will you solve it?
The question is: which changed, and by how much?
Update the Existing Change When:
Same intent, refined execution
- You discover edge cases you didn't consider
- The approach needs tweaking but the goal is unchanged
- Implementation reveals the design was slightly off
Scope narrows
- You realize full scope is too big, want to ship MVP first
- "Add dark mode" → "Add dark mode toggle (system preference in v2)"
Learning-driven corrections
- Codebase isn't structured how you thought
- A dependency doesn't work as expected
- "Use CSS variables" → "Use Tailwind's dark: prefix instead"
Start a New Change When:
Intent fundamentally changed
- The problem itself is different now
- "Add dark mode" → "Add comprehensive theme system with custom colors, fonts, spacing"
Scope exploded
- Change grew so much it's essentially different work
- Original proposal would be unrecognizable after updates
- "Fix login bug" → "Rewrite auth system"
Original is completable
- The original change can be marked "done"
- New work stands alone, not a refinement
- Complete "Add dark mode MVP" → Archive → New change "Enhance dark mode"
The Heuristics
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Is this the same work? │
└──────────────┬──────────────────────┘
│
┌──────────────────┼──────────────────┐
│ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼
Same intent? >50% overlap? Can original
Same problem? Same scope? be "done" without
│ │ these changes?
│ │ │
┌────────┴────────┐ ┌──────┴──────┐ ┌───────┴───────┐
│ │ │ │ │ │
YES NO YES NO NO YES
│ │ │ │ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
UPDATE NEW UPDATE NEW UPDATE NEW| Test | Update | New Change |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | "Same thing, refined" | "Different work" |
| Scope overlap | >50% overlaps | <50% overlaps |
| Completion | Can't be "done" without changes | Can finish original, new work stands alone |
| Story | Update chain tells coherent story | Patches would confuse more than clarify |
The Principle
Update preserves context. New change provides clarity.
Choose update when the history of your thinking is valuable. Choose new when starting fresh would be clearer than patching.
Think of it like git branches:
- Keep committing while working on the same feature
- Start a new branch when it's genuinely new work
- Sometimes merge a partial feature and start fresh for phase 2
What's Different?
Legacy (/openspec:proposal) | OPSX (/opsx:*) | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | One big proposal document | Discrete artifacts with dependencies |
| Workflow | Linear phases: plan → implement → archive | Fluid actions — do anything anytime |
| Iteration | Awkward to go back | Update artifacts as you learn |
| Customization | Fixed structure | Schema-driven (define your own artifacts) |
The key insight: work isn't linear. OPSX stops pretending it is.
Architecture Deep Dive
This section explains how OPSX works under the hood and how it compares to the legacy workflow.
Philosophy: Phases vs Actions
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ LEGACY WORKFLOW │
│ (Phase-Locked, All-or-Nothing) │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │
│ │ PLANNING │ ───► │ IMPLEMENTING │ ───► │ ARCHIVING │ │
│ │ PHASE │ │ PHASE │ │ PHASE │ │
│ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ ▼ ▼ ▼ │
│ /openspec:proposal /openspec:apply /openspec:archive │
│ │
│ • Creates ALL artifacts at once │
│ • Can't go back to update specs during implementation │
│ • Phase gates enforce linear progression │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ OPSX WORKFLOW │
│ (Fluid Actions, Iterative) │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ ACTIONS (not phases) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ new ◄──► continue ◄──► apply ◄──► archive │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ └──────────┴───────────┴───────────┘ │ │
│ │ any order │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ • Create artifacts one at a time OR fast-forward │
│ • Update specs/design/tasks during implementation │
│ • Dependencies enable progress, phases don't exist │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘Component Architecture
Legacy workflow uses hardcoded templates in TypeScript:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ LEGACY WORKFLOW COMPONENTS │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Hardcoded Templates (TypeScript strings) │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ Configurators (18+ classes, one per editor) │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ Generated Command Files (.claude/commands/openspec/*.md) │
│ │
│ • Fixed structure, no artifact awareness │
│ • Change requires code modification + rebuild │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘OPSX uses external schemas and a dependency graph engine:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ OPSX COMPONENTS │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Schema Definitions (YAML) │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ name: spec-driven │ │
│ │ artifacts: │ │
│ │ - id: proposal │ │
│ │ generates: proposal.md │ │
│ │ requires: [] ◄── Dependencies │ │
│ │ - id: specs │ │
│ │ generates: specs/**/*.md ◄── Glob patterns │ │
│ │ requires: [proposal] ◄── Enables after proposal │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ Artifact Graph Engine │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ • Topological sort (dependency ordering) │ │
│ │ • State detection (filesystem existence) │ │
│ │ • Rich instruction generation (templates + context) │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ Skill Files (.claude/skills/openspec-*/SKILL.md) │
│ │
│ • Cross-editor compatible (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf) │
│ • Skills query CLI for structured data │
│ • Fully customizable via schema files │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘Dependency Graph Model
Artifacts form a directed acyclic graph (DAG). Dependencies are enablers, not gates:
proposal
(root node)
│
┌─────────────┴─────────────┐
│ │
▼ ▼
specs design
(requires: (requires:
proposal) proposal)
│ │
└─────────────┬─────────────┘
│
▼
tasks
(requires:
specs, design)
│
▼
┌──────────────┐
│ APPLY PHASE │
│ (requires: │
│ tasks) │
└──────────────┘State transitions:
BLOCKED ────────────────► READY ────────────────► DONE
│ │ │
Missing All deps File exists
dependencies are DONE on filesystemInformation Flow
Legacy workflow — agent receives static instructions:
User: "/openspec:proposal"
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Static instructions: │
│ • Create proposal.md │
│ • Create tasks.md │
│ • Create design.md │
│ • Create specs/<capability>/spec.md │
│ │
│ No awareness of what exists or │
│ dependencies between artifacts │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
Agent creates ALL artifacts in one goOPSX — agent queries for rich context:
User: "/opsx:continue"
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Step 1: Query current state │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ $ openspec status --change "add-auth" --json │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ { │ │
│ │ "artifacts": [ │ │
│ │ {"id": "proposal", "status": "done"}, │ │
│ │ {"id": "specs", "status": "ready"}, ◄── First ready │ │
│ │ {"id": "design", "status": "ready"}, │ │
│ │ {"id": "tasks", "status": "blocked", "missingDeps": ["specs"]}│ │
│ │ ] │ │
│ │ } │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Step 2: Get rich instructions for ready artifact │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ $ openspec instructions specs --change "add-auth" --json │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ { │ │
│ │ "template": "# Specification\n\n## ADDED Requirements...", │ │
│ │ "dependencies": [{"id": "proposal", "path": "...", "done": true}│ │
│ │ "unlocks": ["tasks"] │ │
│ │ } │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Step 3: Read dependencies → Create ONE artifact → Show what's unlocked │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘Iteration Model
Legacy workflow — awkward to iterate:
┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐
│/proposal│ ──► │ /apply │ ──► │/archive │
└─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘
│ │
│ ├── "Wait, the design is wrong"
│ │
│ ├── Options:
│ │ • Edit files manually (breaks context)
│ │ • Abandon and start over
│ │ • Push through and fix later
│ │
│ └── No official "go back" mechanism
│
└── Creates ALL artifacts at onceOPSX — natural iteration:
/opsx:new ───► /opsx:continue ───► /opsx:apply ───► /opsx:archive
│ │ │
│ │ ├── "The design is wrong"
│ │ │
│ │ ▼
│ │ Just edit design.md
│ │ and continue!
│ │ │
│ │ ▼
│ │ /opsx:apply picks up
│ │ where you left off
│ │
│ └── Creates ONE artifact, shows what's unlocked
│
└── Scaffolds change, waits for directionCustom Schemas
Create custom workflows using the schema management commands:
bash
# Create a new schema from scratch (interactive)
openspec schema init my-workflow
# Or fork an existing schema as a starting point
openspec schema fork spec-driven my-workflow
# Validate your schema structure
openspec schema validate my-workflow
# See where a schema resolves from (useful for debugging)
openspec schema which my-workflowSchemas are stored in openspec/schemas/ (project-local, version controlled) or ~/.local/share/openspec/schemas/ (user global).
Schema structure:
openspec/schemas/research-first/
├── schema.yaml
└── templates/
├── research.md
├── proposal.md
└── tasks.mdExample schema.yaml:
yaml
name: research-first
artifacts:
- id: research # Added before proposal
generates: research.md
requires: []
- id: proposal
generates: proposal.md
requires: [research] # Now depends on research
- id: tasks
generates: tasks.md
requires: [proposal]Dependency Graph:
research ──► proposal ──► tasksSummary
| Aspect | Legacy | OPSX |
|---|---|---|
| Templates | Hardcoded TypeScript | External YAML + Markdown |
| Dependencies | None (all at once) | DAG with topological sort |
| State | Phase-based mental model | Filesystem existence |
| Customization | Edit source, rebuild | Create schema.yaml |
| Iteration | Phase-locked | Fluid, edit anything |
| Editor Support | 18+ configurator classes | Single skills directory |
Schemas
Schemas define what artifacts exist and their dependencies. Currently available:
- spec-driven (default): proposal → specs → design → tasks
bash
# List available schemas
openspec schemas
# See all schemas with their resolution sources
openspec schema which --all
# Create a new schema interactively
openspec schema init my-workflow
# Fork an existing schema for customization
openspec schema fork spec-driven my-workflow
# Validate schema structure before use
openspec schema validate my-workflowTips
- Use
/opsx:exploreto think through an idea before committing to a change /opsx:ffwhen you know what you want,/opsx:continuewhen exploring- During
/opsx:apply, if something's wrong — fix the artifact, then continue - Tasks track progress via checkboxes in
tasks.md - Check status anytime:
openspec status --change "name"
Feedback
This is rough. That's intentional — we're learning what works.
Found a bug? Have ideas? Join us on Discord or open an issue on GitHub.