Design

Design

Interactive feature design on the integration branch ($BASE — resolve per /aep-git-ref "Resolving $BASE"). Explore the problem, propose a solution, review the design, and commit artifacts — all in conversation with the user.

Where this fits:

/aep-onboard → /aep-scaffold → [ /aep-design → /aep-launch → /aep-build → /aep-wrap ]
                          ▲ you are here

Session: Main session, interactive with user Input: Feature idea or user request (optionally informed by product context) Output: OpenSpec change committed to the integration branch (proposal, design, specs, tasks)

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Operating Mode

Auto-detect at startup:

ls product-context.yaml 2>/dev/null

• Standalone (no product-context.yaml) — the feature lifecycle runs independently; proceed to Prerequisites.
• Product-cycle (has product-context.yaml) — the feature is a story in /aep-envision → /aep-map → /aep-dispatch → /aep-design. Read references/modes.md for how a dispatched story's context (acceptance criteria, interface obligations, existing change) loads before the phases.

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Prerequisites

Two one-line checks — /aep-onboard installs missing tools, /aep-scaffold installs missing OpenSpec skills:

which git openspec >/dev/null 2>&1 && { which gh >/dev/null 2>&1 || which glab >/dev/null 2>&1; } || echo "MISSING cli tool → run /aep-onboard"
ls .claude/skills/openspec-{explore,propose,apply-change,archive-change}/SKILL.md >/dev/null 2>&1 || echo "MISSING openspec skill → run /aep-scaffold"

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Workflow Mode Selection

Pick a workflow mode — full or light — before designing. It governs Phase 3 below and carries through to /aep-launch and /aep-build. Read references/workflow-modes.md for the two modes, the selection criteria, and how the choice is recorded so launch and build honor it.

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Phase 1: OpenSpec Explore

/opsx:explore

Clarify requirements and scope with the user, investigate the codebase for relevant patterns, identify risks and unknowns, and create a docs/ architecture note if the feature warrants it.

Postcondition: requirements, scope, and risks are captured in the change directory (openspec/changes/<change-name>/).

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Phase 2: OpenSpec Propose

/opsx:propose

Generates the full OpenSpec change: proposal.md (what/why), design.md (how, key decisions, risks), specs/**/*.md (requirements and scenarios), tasks.md (implementation checklist). When a story was dispatched, the change already exists — /opsx:propose refines it.

Postcondition: openspec/changes/<change-name>/proposal.md exists (alongside design.md, specs/, tasks.md).

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Phase 3: Design Review

Review scope — architecture, interfaces, task decomposition — from non-functional angles:

1. Security — auth gaps, injection surfaces, data exposure?
2. Performance — N+1 queries, large payloads, blocking operations?
3. Existing patterns — does it follow codebase conventions?
4. Edge cases — concurrency, race conditions, failure modes?

Update the OpenSpec change files directly if adjustments are needed.

Light mode: skip Phase 3 entirely.

Postcondition: the user has approved the design, recorded in proposal.md (an approval note or checked box).

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Commit to the Integration Branch

Commit the change directory and any architecture docs to $BASE as a control-plane commit — per /aep-git-ref "Control-Plane Commits" (resolve $BASE per /aep-git-ref "Resolving $BASE"). Stage explicitly with git add openspec/changes/<change-name>/ docs/ and message feat: add <change-name> architecture doc and OpenSpec change. This ensures the workspace has all artifacts when it is created from $BASE.

Postcondition: the change directory is committed and pushed to $BASE.

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Next Step

Design is complete. Proceed to /aep-launch, which spawns an autonomous workspace session to implement the feature.