fission-ai__openspec/openspec/changes/add-skip-specs-archive-option/tasks.md

1. Update Archive Command Implementation

• 1.1 Add skipSpecs option to the archive command options interface
• 1.2 Modify the execute method to skip spec operations when flag is set
• 1.3 Fix confirmation behavior: when user declines spec updates, proceed with archiving instead of cancelling
• 1.4 Update console output to indicate when specs are being skipped (via flag or user choice)
• 1.5 Ensure archive continues after declining spec updates

2. Update CLI Interface

• 2.1 Add --skip-specs flag to the archive command definition
• 2.2 Pass the flag value to the archive command execute method

3. Update Tests

• 3.1 Add test case for archiving with --skip-specs flag
• 3.2 Add test case for declining spec updates but continuing with archive
• 3.3 Verify that spec updates are skipped when flag is used
• 3.4 Verify that archive proceeds when user declines spec updates
• 3.5 Ensure existing behavior remains unchanged when flag is not used

4. Update Documentation

• 4.1 Update the cli-archive spec to document the new --skip-specs flag
• 4.2 Document the new behavior when declining spec updates interactively

Implementation Notes

Key Design Decisions

1. Non-blocking Confirmation Behavior: When users decline spec updates interactively, the archive operation continues rather than cancelling entirely. This was a critical UX improvement because:

   • Users may want to review specs separately before updating them
   • Archiving work shouldn't be blocked by spec review decisions
   • Maintains flexibility in the deployment workflow

2. Flag Naming Convention: Chose --skip-specs for clarity and consistency:

   • Clearly indicates the action (skipping) and target (specs)
   • Follows kebab-case convention for CLI flags
   • Converts naturally to skipSpecs camelCase in code

3. Console Messaging Strategy: Added explicit messages for all spec-skipping scenarios:

   • When flag is used: "Skipping spec updates (--skip-specs flag provided)."
   • When user declines: "Skipping spec updates. Proceeding with archive."
   • Ensures users always understand what's happening with their specs

4. Test Coverage Approach: Created separate test cases for:

   • Flag-based skipping (explicit user choice via CLI)
   • Interactive declining (runtime user decision)
   • Both verify the same outcome but test different code paths

Use Cases Addressed

• Infrastructure Changes: Changes to build tools, CI/CD, dependencies
• Documentation Updates: README updates, comment improvements
• Tooling Modifications: Developer tools, scripts, configuration files
• Refactoring: Code improvements that don't change functionality/specs

Future Considerations

• Could potentially auto-detect when changes don't include specs and suggest using the flag
• May want to track which archives skipped spec updates for audit purposes