CLI Reference

May 14, 2026 · View on GitHub

The OpenSpec CLI (openspec) provides terminal commands for project setup, validation, status inspection, and management. These commands complement the AI slash commands (like /opsx:propose) documented in Commands.

Summary

Category	Commands	Purpose
Setup	`init`, `update`	Initialize and update OpenSpec in your project
Workspaces (beta)	`workspace setup`, `workspace list`, `workspace ls`, `workspace link`, `workspace relink`, `workspace doctor`, `workspace update`, `workspace open`	Set up planning across linked repos or folders
Browsing	`list`, `view`, `show`	Explore changes and specs
Validation	`validate`	Check changes and specs for issues
Lifecycle	`archive`	Finalize completed changes
Workflow	`status`, `instructions`, `templates`, `schemas`	Artifact-driven workflow support
Schemas	`schema init`, `schema fork`, `schema validate`, `schema which`	Create and manage custom workflows
Config	`config`	View and modify settings
Utility	`feedback`, `completion`	Feedback and shell integration

Human vs Agent Commands

Most CLI commands are designed for human use in a terminal. Some commands also support agent/script use via JSON output.

Human-Only Commands

These commands are interactive and designed for terminal use:

Command	Purpose
`openspec init`	Initialize project (interactive prompts)
`openspec view`	Interactive dashboard
`openspec config edit`	Open config in editor
`openspec feedback`	Submit feedback via GitHub
`openspec completion install`	Install shell completions

Agent-Compatible Commands

These commands support --json output for programmatic use by AI agents and scripts:

Command	Human Use	Agent Use
`openspec list`	Browse changes/specs	`--json` for structured data
`openspec show <item>`	Read content	`--json` for parsing
`openspec validate`	Check for issues	`--all --json` for bulk validation
`openspec status`	See artifact progress	`--json` for structured status
`openspec instructions`	Get next steps	`--json` for agent instructions
`openspec templates`	Find template paths	`--json` for path resolution
`openspec schemas`	List available schemas	`--json` for schema discovery
`openspec workspace setup --no-interactive`	Create a workspace with explicit inputs	`--json` for structured setup output
`openspec workspace list`	Browse known workspaces	`--json` for typed workspace objects
`openspec workspace link`	Link a repo or folder	`--json` for structured link output
`openspec workspace relink`	Repair a linked path	`--json` for structured link output
`openspec workspace doctor`	Check one workspace	`--json` for structured status output
`openspec workspace update`	Refresh workspace-local agent skills	`--tools` selects agents; profile selects workflows

Global Options

These options work with all commands:

Option	Description
`--version`, `-V`	Show version number
`--no-color`	Disable color output
`--help`, `-h`	Display help for command

Setup Commands

`openspec init`

Initialize OpenSpec in your project. Creates the folder structure and configures AI tool integrations.

Default behavior uses global config defaults: profile core, delivery both, workflows propose, explore, apply, sync, archive.

openspec init [path] [options]

Arguments:

Argument	Required	Description
`path`	No	Target directory (default: current directory)

Options:

Option	Description
`--tools <list>`	Configure AI tools non-interactively. Use `all`, `none`, or comma-separated list
`--force`	Auto-cleanup legacy files without prompting
`--profile <profile>`	Override global profile for this init run (`core` or `custom`)

--profile custom uses whatever workflows are currently selected in global config (openspec config profile).

Supported tool IDs (--tools): amazon-q, antigravity, auggie, bob, claude, cline, codex, forgecode, codebuddy, continue, costrict, crush, cursor, factory, gemini, github-copilot, iflow, junie, kilocode, kimi, kiro, opencode, pi, qoder, lingma, qwen, roocode, trae, windsurf

Examples:

# Interactive initialization
openspec init

# Initialize in a specific directory
openspec init ./my-project

# Non-interactive: configure for Claude and Cursor
openspec init --tools claude,cursor

# Configure for all supported tools
openspec init --tools all

# Override profile for this run
openspec init --profile core

# Skip prompts and auto-cleanup legacy files
openspec init --force

What it creates:

openspec/
├── specs/              # Your specifications (source of truth)
├── changes/            # Proposed changes
└── config.yaml         # Project configuration

.claude/skills/         # Claude Code skills (if claude selected)
.cursor/skills/         # Cursor skills (if cursor selected)
.cursor/commands/       # Cursor OPSX commands (if delivery includes commands)
... (other tool configs)

`openspec update`

Update OpenSpec instruction files after upgrading the CLI. Re-generates AI tool configuration files using your current global profile, selected workflows, and delivery mode.

openspec update [path] [options]

Arguments:

Argument	Required	Description
`path`	No	Target directory (default: current directory)

Options:

Option	Description
`--force`	Force update even when files are up to date

Example:

# Update instruction files after npm upgrade
npm update @fission-ai/openspec
openspec update

Workspace Commands

Workspace commands are under active development and are not ready for use yet. Do not build external automation, integrations, or long-lived workflows on top of this command surface; command behavior, state files, and JSON output can change at any point.

Coordination workspaces are planning homes for work that spans multiple repos or folders. Workspace visibility is not change commitment: link the repos or folders OpenSpec should know about, then create changes when you are ready to plan specific work.

`openspec workspace setup`

Create a workspace in the standard OpenSpec workspace location and link at least one existing repo or folder.

openspec workspace setup [options]

Options:

Option	Description
`--name <name>`	Workspace name. Names must be kebab-case
`--link <path>`	Link an existing repo or folder and infer the link name from the folder name
`--link <name>=<path>`	Link an existing repo or folder with an explicit link name
`--opener <id>`	Store a preferred opener during non-interactive setup: `codex`, `claude`, `github-copilot`, or `editor`
`--tools <tools>`	Install workspace-local OpenSpec skills for agents. Use `all`, `none`, or comma-separated tool IDs
`--no-interactive`	Disable prompts; requires `--name` and at least one `--link`
`--json`	Output JSON; requires `--no-interactive`

Examples:

openspec workspace setup
openspec workspace setup --no-interactive --name platform --link /repos/api --link web=/repos/web
openspec workspace setup --no-interactive --name platform --link /repos/api --opener codex
openspec workspace setup --no-interactive --name platform --link /repos/api --tools codex,claude
openspec workspace setup --no-interactive --json --name checkout --link /repos/platform/apps/checkout

Interactive setup asks for a preferred opener and can install workspace-local OpenSpec skills for selected agents. Non-interactive setup stores a preferred opener only when --opener is provided; otherwise workspace open prompts later in interactive terminals when a supported opener is available, or asks scripts to pass --agent <tool> or --editor.

Workspace skill installation is skills-only in this beta slice: even if global delivery is commands or both, workspace setup writes agent skill folders in the workspace root and does not create slash command files. The active global profile chooses which workflow skills are installed; --tools chooses which agents receive them. If --tools is omitted in non-interactive setup, no skills are installed and workspace update --tools <ids> can add them later.

`openspec workspace list`

List known OpenSpec workspaces from the local registry.

openspec workspace list [--json]
openspec workspace ls [--json]

The list shows each workspace location and linked repos or folders. Stale registry records are reported but not changed.

`openspec workspace link`

Record an existing repo or folder for one workspace.

openspec workspace link [name] <path> [options]

Options:

Option	Description
`--workspace <name>`	Select a known workspace from the local registry
`--json`	Output JSON
`--no-interactive`	Disable workspace picker prompts

Examples:

openspec workspace link /repos/api
openspec workspace link api-service /repos/api
openspec workspace link --workspace platform /repos/platform/apps/checkout

The path must already exist. Relative paths are resolved against the command's current directory before OpenSpec stores the verified absolute path in machine-local workspace state. Linked paths can be full repos, packages, services, apps, or folders without repo-local openspec/ state.

`openspec workspace relink`

Repair or change the local path for an existing link.

openspec workspace relink <name> <path> [options]

The path must already exist. Relink updates only the machine-local path for the stable link name.

`openspec workspace doctor`

Check what one workspace can resolve on the current machine.

openspec workspace doctor [options]

Doctor shows the workspace location, planning path, linked repos or folders, missing paths, repo-local specs paths when present, and suggested fixes. It reports issues only; it does not repair them automatically.

Commands that need one workspace use the current workspace when run from inside a workspace folder or subdirectory. From elsewhere, pass --workspace <name>, select from the picker in an interactive terminal, or rely on the only known workspace when exactly one exists. In --json or --no-interactive mode, ambiguous selection fails with a structured status error and suggests --workspace <name>.

JSON responses use typed objects plus status arrays. Primary data lives in workspace, workspaces, or link; warnings and errors live in status.

`openspec workspace update`

Refresh workspace-local OpenSpec skills from the active global profile.

openspec workspace update [name] [options]

Options:

Option	Description
`--workspace <name>`	Select a known workspace from the local registry
`--tools <tools>`	Select agents for workspace skills. Use `all`, `none`, or comma-separated tool IDs
`--json`	Output JSON
`--no-interactive`	Disable workspace picker prompts

Examples:

openspec workspace update
openspec workspace update platform
openspec workspace update --workspace platform --tools codex,claude
openspec workspace update --workspace platform --tools none

workspace update reuses the stored workspace skill agent selection when --tools is omitted. Passing --tools replaces that stored selection. It refreshes only OpenSpec-managed workflow skill directories in the workspace root, removes deselected managed workflow skills, and leaves linked repos and folders untouched.

Running openspec update from inside a workspace planning home redirects to openspec workspace update; run openspec update inside repo-local projects when you want repo-owned tool files updated.

`openspec workspace open`

Open a workspace working set through the stored preferred opener, a one-session agent override, or VS Code editor mode.

openspec workspace open [name] [options]

Options:

Option	Description
`--workspace <name>`	Alias for the positional workspace name
`--agent <tool>`	One-session agent override: `codex`, `claude`, or `github-copilot`
`--editor`	Open the maintained VS Code workspace file as a normal editor workspace
`--no-interactive`	Disable workspace and opener picker prompts

Examples:

openspec workspace open
openspec workspace open platform
openspec workspace open platform --agent github-copilot
openspec workspace open --agent codex
openspec workspace open --editor

workspace open uses the current workspace when run inside one, auto-selects the only known workspace when run elsewhere, and asks the user to choose when multiple workspaces are known. --agent and --editor do not change the stored preferred opener. Passing both opener overrides is an error; choose either --agent <tool> or --editor.

OpenSpec maintains <workspace-name>.code-workspace at the workspace root for VS Code editor and GitHub Copilot-in-VS-Code opens. That file is machine-local and ignored by default with a specific <workspace-name>.code-workspace .gitignore entry, so user-authored *.code-workspace files remain eligible for tracking.

The maintained VS Code workspace includes the coordination root as . plus valid linked repos or folders as additional roots. VS Code displays those entries as a multi-root workspace.

Root workspace open supports exploration and planning across linked repos or folders. Implementation edits should start only after an explicit user request and a normal OpenSpec implementation workflow.

Browsing Commands

`openspec list`

List changes or specs in your project.

openspec list [options]

Options:

Option	Description
`--specs`	List specs instead of changes
`--changes`	List changes (default)
`--sort <order>`	Sort by `recent` (default) or `name`
`--json`	Output as JSON

Examples:

# List all active changes
openspec list

# List all specs
openspec list --specs

# JSON output for scripts
openspec list --json

Output (text):

Active changes:
  add-dark-mode     UI theme switching support
  fix-login-bug     Session timeout handling

`openspec view`

Display an interactive dashboard for exploring specs and changes.

openspec view

Opens a terminal-based interface for navigating your project's specifications and changes.

`openspec show`

Display details of a change or spec.

openspec show [item-name] [options]

Arguments:

Argument	Required	Description
`item-name`	No	Name of change or spec (prompts if omitted)

Options:

Option	Description
`--type <type>`	Specify type: `change` or `spec` (auto-detected if unambiguous)
`--json`	Output as JSON
`--no-interactive`	Disable prompts

Change-specific options:

Option	Description
`--deltas-only`	Show only delta specs (JSON mode)

Spec-specific options:

Option	Description
`--requirements`	Show only requirements, exclude scenarios (JSON mode)
`--no-scenarios`	Exclude scenario content (JSON mode)
`-r, --requirement <id>`	Show specific requirement by 1-based index (JSON mode)

Examples:

# Interactive selection
openspec show

# Show a specific change
openspec show add-dark-mode

# Show a specific spec
openspec show auth --type spec

# JSON output for parsing
openspec show add-dark-mode --json

Validation Commands

`openspec validate`

Validate changes and specs for structural issues.

openspec validate [item-name] [options]

Arguments:

Argument	Required	Description
`item-name`	No	Specific item to validate (prompts if omitted)

Options:

Option	Description
`--all`	Validate all changes and specs
`--changes`	Validate all changes
`--specs`	Validate all specs
`--type <type>`	Specify type when name is ambiguous: `change` or `spec`
`--strict`	Enable strict validation mode
`--json`	Output as JSON
`--concurrency <n>`	Max parallel validations (default: 6, or `OPENSPEC_CONCURRENCY` env)
`--no-interactive`	Disable prompts

Examples:

# Interactive validation
openspec validate

# Validate a specific change
openspec validate add-dark-mode

# Validate all changes
openspec validate --changes

# Validate everything with JSON output (for CI/scripts)
openspec validate --all --json

# Strict validation with increased parallelism
openspec validate --all --strict --concurrency 12

Output (text):

Validating add-dark-mode...
  ✓ proposal.md valid
  ✓ specs/ui/spec.md valid
  ⚠ design.md: missing "Technical Approach" section

1 warning found

Output (JSON):

{
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "results": {
    "changes": [
      {
        "name": "add-dark-mode",
        "valid": true,
        "warnings": ["design.md: missing 'Technical Approach' section"]
      }
    ]
  },
  "summary": {
    "total": 1,
    "valid": 1,
    "invalid": 0
  }
}

Lifecycle Commands

`openspec archive`

Archive a completed change and merge delta specs into main specs.

openspec archive [change-name] [options]

Arguments:

Argument	Required	Description
`change-name`	No	Change to archive (prompts if omitted)

Options:

Option	Description
`-y, --yes`	Skip confirmation prompts
`--skip-specs`	Skip spec updates (for infrastructure/tooling/doc-only changes)
`--no-validate`	Skip validation (requires confirmation)

Examples:

# Interactive archive
openspec archive

# Archive specific change
openspec archive add-dark-mode

# Archive without prompts (CI/scripts)
openspec archive add-dark-mode --yes

# Archive a tooling change that doesn't affect specs
openspec archive update-ci-config --skip-specs

What it does:

Validates the change (unless --no-validate)
Prompts for confirmation (unless --yes)
Merges delta specs into openspec/specs/
Moves change folder to openspec/changes/archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<name>/

Workflow Commands

These commands support the artifact-driven OPSX workflow. They're useful for both humans checking progress and agents determining next steps.

`openspec status`

Display artifact completion status for a change.

openspec status [options]

Options:

Option	Description
`--change <id>`	Change name (prompts if omitted)
`--schema <name>`	Schema override (auto-detected from change's config)
`--json`	Output as JSON

Examples:

# Interactive status check
openspec status

# Status for specific change
openspec status --change add-dark-mode

# JSON for agent use
openspec status --change add-dark-mode --json

Output (text):

Change: add-dark-mode
Schema: spec-driven
Progress: 2/4 artifacts complete

[x] proposal
[ ] design
[x] specs
[-] tasks (blocked by: design)

Output (JSON):

{
  "changeName": "add-dark-mode",
  "schemaName": "spec-driven",
  "isComplete": false,
  "applyRequires": ["tasks"],
  "artifacts": [
    {"id": "proposal", "outputPath": "proposal.md", "status": "done"},
    {"id": "design", "outputPath": "design.md", "status": "ready"},
    {"id": "specs", "outputPath": "specs/**/*.md", "status": "done"},
    {"id": "tasks", "outputPath": "tasks.md", "status": "blocked", "missingDeps": ["design"]}
  ]
}

`openspec instructions`

Get enriched instructions for creating an artifact or applying tasks. Used by AI agents to understand what to create next.

openspec instructions [artifact] [options]

Arguments:

Argument	Required	Description
`artifact`	No	Artifact ID: `proposal`, `specs`, `design`, `tasks`, or `apply`

Options:

Option	Description
`--change <id>`	Change name (required in non-interactive mode)
`--schema <name>`	Schema override
`--json`	Output as JSON

Special case: Use apply as the artifact to get task implementation instructions.

Examples:

# Get instructions for next artifact
openspec instructions --change add-dark-mode

# Get specific artifact instructions
openspec instructions design --change add-dark-mode

# Get apply/implementation instructions
openspec instructions apply --change add-dark-mode

# JSON for agent consumption
openspec instructions design --change add-dark-mode --json

Output includes:

Template content for the artifact
Project context from config
Content from dependency artifacts
Per-artifact rules from config

`openspec templates`

Show resolved template paths for all artifacts in a schema.

openspec templates [options]

Options:

Option	Description
`--schema <name>`	Schema to inspect (default: `spec-driven`)
`--json`	Output as JSON

Examples:

# Show template paths for default schema
openspec templates

# Show templates for custom schema
openspec templates --schema my-workflow

# JSON for programmatic use
openspec templates --json

Output (text):

Schema: spec-driven

Templates:
  proposal  → ~/.openspec/schemas/spec-driven/templates/proposal.md
  specs     → ~/.openspec/schemas/spec-driven/templates/specs.md
  design    → ~/.openspec/schemas/spec-driven/templates/design.md
  tasks     → ~/.openspec/schemas/spec-driven/templates/tasks.md

`openspec schemas`

List available workflow schemas with their descriptions and artifact flows.

openspec schemas [options]

Options:

Option	Description
`--json`	Output as JSON

Example:

openspec schemas

Output:

Available schemas:

  spec-driven (package)
    The default spec-driven development workflow
    Flow: proposal → specs → design → tasks

  my-custom (project)
    Custom workflow for this project
    Flow: research → proposal → tasks

Schema Commands

Commands for creating and managing custom workflow schemas.

`openspec schema init`

Create a new project-local schema.

openspec schema init <name> [options]

Arguments:

Argument	Required	Description
`name`	Yes	Schema name (kebab-case)

Options:

Option	Description
`--description <text>`	Schema description
`--artifacts <list>`	Comma-separated artifact IDs (default: `proposal,specs,design,tasks`)
`--default`	Set as project default schema
`--no-default`	Don't prompt to set as default
`--force`	Overwrite existing schema
`--json`	Output as JSON

Examples:

# Interactive schema creation
openspec schema init research-first

# Non-interactive with specific artifacts
openspec schema init rapid \
  --description "Rapid iteration workflow" \
  --artifacts "proposal,tasks" \
  --default

What it creates:

openspec/schemas/<name>/
├── schema.yaml           # Schema definition
└── templates/
    ├── proposal.md       # Template for each artifact
    ├── specs.md
    ├── design.md
    └── tasks.md

`openspec schema fork`

Copy an existing schema to your project for customization.

openspec schema fork <source> [name] [options]

Arguments:

Argument	Required	Description
`source`	Yes	Schema to copy
`name`	No	New schema name (default: `<source>-custom`)

Options:

Option	Description
`--force`	Overwrite existing destination
`--json`	Output as JSON

Example:

# Fork the built-in spec-driven schema
openspec schema fork spec-driven my-workflow

`openspec schema validate`

Validate a schema's structure and templates.

openspec schema validate [name] [options]

Arguments:

Argument	Required	Description
`name`	No	Schema to validate (validates all if omitted)

Options:

Option	Description
`--verbose`	Show detailed validation steps
`--json`	Output as JSON

Example:

# Validate a specific schema
openspec schema validate my-workflow

# Validate all schemas
openspec schema validate

`openspec schema which`

Show where a schema resolves from (useful for debugging precedence).

openspec schema which [name] [options]

Arguments:

Argument	Required	Description
`name`	No	Schema name

Options:

Option	Description
`--all`	List all schemas with their sources
`--json`	Output as JSON

Example:

# Check where a schema comes from
openspec schema which spec-driven

Output:

spec-driven resolves from: package
  Source: /usr/local/lib/node_modules/@fission-ai/openspec/schemas/spec-driven

Schema precedence:

Project: openspec/schemas/<name>/
User: ~/.local/share/openspec/schemas/<name>/
Package: Built-in schemas

Configuration Commands

`openspec config`

View and modify global OpenSpec configuration.

openspec config <subcommand> [options]

Subcommands:

Subcommand	Description
`path`	Show config file location
`list`	Show all current settings
`get <key>`	Get a specific value
`set <key> <value>`	Set a value
`unset <key>`	Remove a key
`reset`	Reset to defaults
`edit`	Open in `$EDITOR`
`profile [preset]`	Configure workflow profile interactively or via preset

Examples:

# Show config file path
openspec config path

# List all settings
openspec config list

# Get a specific value
openspec config get telemetry.enabled

# Set a value
openspec config set telemetry.enabled false

# Set a string value explicitly
openspec config set user.name "My Name" --string

# Remove a custom setting
openspec config unset user.name

# Reset all configuration
openspec config reset --all --yes

# Edit config in your editor
openspec config edit

# Configure profile with action-based wizard
openspec config profile

# Fast preset: switch workflows to core (keeps delivery mode)
openspec config profile core

openspec config profile starts with a current-state summary, then lets you choose:

Change delivery + workflows
Change delivery only
Change workflows only
Keep current settings (exit)

If you keep current settings, no changes are written and no update prompt is shown. If there are no config changes but the current project or workspace files are out of sync with your global profile/delivery, OpenSpec will show a warning and suggest openspec update for repo-local projects or openspec workspace update for workspace-local skills. Pressing Ctrl+C also cancels the flow cleanly (no stack trace) and exits with code 130. In the workflow checklist, [x] means the workflow is selected in global config. To apply those selections to project files, run openspec update (or choose Apply changes to this project now? when prompted inside a project). From inside a workspace, use openspec workspace update to refresh workspace-local skills; this remains skills-only and does not generate workspace slash commands.

Interactive examples:

# Delivery-only update
openspec config profile
# choose: Change delivery only
# choose delivery: Skills only

# Workflows-only update
openspec config profile
# choose: Change workflows only
# toggle workflows in the checklist, then confirm

Utility Commands

`openspec feedback`

Submit feedback about OpenSpec. Creates a GitHub issue.

openspec feedback <message> [options]

Arguments:

Argument	Required	Description
`message`	Yes	Feedback message

Options:

Option	Description
`--body <text>`	Detailed description

Requirements: GitHub CLI (gh) must be installed and authenticated.

Example:

openspec feedback "Add support for custom artifact types" \
  --body "I'd like to define my own artifact types beyond the built-in ones."

`openspec completion`

Manage shell completions for the OpenSpec CLI.

openspec completion <subcommand> [shell]

Subcommands:

Subcommand	Description
`generate [shell]`	Output completion script to stdout
`install [shell]`	Install completion for your shell
`uninstall [shell]`	Remove installed completions

Supported shells: bash, zsh, fish, powershell

Examples:

# Install completions (auto-detects shell)
openspec completion install

# Install for specific shell
openspec completion install zsh

# Generate script for manual installation
openspec completion generate bash > ~/.bash_completion.d/openspec

# Uninstall
openspec completion uninstall

Exit Codes

Code	Meaning
`0`	Success
`1`	Error (validation failure, missing files, etc.)

Environment Variables

Variable	Description
`OPENSPEC_TELEMETRY`	Set to `0` to disable telemetry
`DO_NOT_TRACK`	Set to `1` to disable telemetry (standard DNT signal)
`OPENSPEC_CONCURRENCY`	Default concurrency for bulk validation (default: 6)
`EDITOR` or `VISUAL`	Editor for `openspec config edit`
`NO_COLOR`	Disable color output when set

Commands - AI slash commands (/opsx:propose, /opsx:apply, etc.)
Workflows - Common patterns and when to use each command
Customization - Create custom schemas and templates
Getting Started - First-time setup guide