OpenSpec Commands

Spec-driven development workflow for managing code changes with AI-assisted proposal, implementation, and archival.

OpenSpec is a spec-driven development tool from Fission-AI/OpenSpec that ensures alignment between humans and AI coding assistants before any code is written. Maestro bundles these workflow commands and keeps them updated automatically.

OpenSpec vs. Spec-Kit

Maestro offers two complementary spec-driven development tools:

Feature	OpenSpec	Spec-Kit
Focus	Change management & proposals	Feature specifications
Workflow	Proposal → Apply → Archive	Constitution → Specify → Plan → Tasks
Best For	Iterative changes, brownfield projects	New features, greenfield development
Output	Change proposals with spec deltas	Feature specifications and task lists
Directory	openspec/	Project root or designated folder

Use OpenSpec when:

• Making iterative changes to existing features
• You need explicit change proposals before implementation
• Working on brownfield projects with existing specifications
• You want a clear archive of completed changes

Use Spec-Kit when:

• Defining new features from scratch
• Establishing project constitutions and principles
• Creating detailed feature specifications
• Breaking down work into implementation tasks

Both tools integrate with Maestro’s Auto Run for autonomous execution.

Core Workflow

OpenSpec follows a three-stage cycle:

Stage 1: Proposal (/openspec.proposal)

Create a change proposal before writing any code:

1. Reviews existing specs and active changes
2. Scaffolds proposal.md, tasks.md, and optional design.md
3. Creates spec deltas showing what will be ADDED, MODIFIED, or REMOVED
4. Validates the proposal structure

Creates: A openspec/changes/<change-id>/ directory with:

• proposal.md - Why and what
• tasks.md - Implementation checklist
• specs/<capability>/spec.md - Spec deltas

Stage 2: Apply (/openspec.apply)

Implement the approved proposal:

1. Reads proposal and tasks
2. Implements tasks sequentially
3. Updates task checkboxes as work completes
4. Ensures approval gate is passed before starting

Tip: Only start implementation after the proposal is reviewed and approved.

Stage 3: Archive (/openspec.archive)

After deployment, archive the completed change:

1. Moves changes/<name>/ to changes/archive/YYYY-MM-DD-<name>/
2. Updates source-of-truth specs if capabilities changed
3. Validates the archived change

Maestro-Specific Commands

/openspec.implement - Generate Auto Run Documents

Bridges OpenSpec with Maestro’s Auto Run:

1. Reads the proposal and tasks from a change
2. Converts tasks into Auto Run document format
3. Saves to Auto Run Docs/ with task checkboxes
4. Supports worktree mode for parallel execution

/openspec.help - Workflow Overview

Get help with OpenSpec concepts and Maestro integration.

Directory Structure

OpenSpec uses a clear separation between current truth and proposed changes:

openspec/
├── project.md              # Project conventions
├── specs/                  # Current truth - what IS built
│   └── <capability>/
│       ├── spec.md         # Requirements and scenarios
│       └── design.md       # Technical patterns
└── changes/                # Proposals - what SHOULD change
    ├── <change-name>/
    │   ├── proposal.md     # Why, what, impact
    │   ├── tasks.md        # Implementation checklist
    │   └── specs/          # Spec deltas (ADDED/MODIFIED/REMOVED)
    └── archive/            # Completed changes

Spec Delta Format

Changes use explicit operation headers:

## ADDED Requirements
### Requirement: New Feature
The system SHALL provide...

#### Scenario: Success case
- **WHEN** user performs action
- **THEN** expected result

## MODIFIED Requirements
### Requirement: Existing Feature
[Complete updated requirement text]

## REMOVED Requirements
### Requirement: Old Feature
**Reason**: [Why removing]
**Migration**: [How to handle]

Viewing & Managing Commands

Access OpenSpec commands via Settings → AI Commands tab. Here you can:

• View all commands with descriptions
• Check for Updates to pull the latest workflow from GitHub
• Expand commands to see their full prompts
• Customize prompts (modifications are preserved across updates)

Auto-Updates

OpenSpec prompts are synced from the Fission-AI/OpenSpec repository:

1. Open Settings → AI Commands
2. Click Check for Updates in the OpenSpec section
3. New workflow improvements are downloaded
4. Your custom modifications are preserved

Tips for Best Results

• Proposal first - Never start implementation without an approved proposal
• Keep changes focused - One logical change per proposal
• Use meaningful IDs - add-user-auth not change-1
• Include scenarios - Every requirement needs at least one #### Scenario:
• Validate often - Run openspec validate --strict before sharing
• Archive promptly - Archive changes after deployment to keep changes/ clean