fix(workflows): stop reading schema from list output

.changeset/schema-label-from-status.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@fission-ai/openspec": patch
+---
+
+Stop workflows from displaying schema names that `openspec list --json` does not return. Update and continue no longer fabricate a `spec-driven` picker label, while bulk archive and explore describe only the change fields the list command actually provides.

skills/openspec-bulk-archive-change/SKILL.md

@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ In both branches, never create the root as a side effect: do not run `openspec i
 2. **Prompt for change selection**
 
    Ask the user to choose changes (multi-select):
-   - Show each change with its schema
+   - Show each change name and task status from the list output
    - Include an option for "All changes"
    - Allow any number of selections (1+ works, 2+ is the typical use case)
 

skills/openspec-continue-change/SKILL.md

@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ In both branches, never create the root as a side effect: do not run `openspec i
 
    When prompting, present the top 3-4 most recently modified changes as options, showing:
    - Change name
-   - Schema (from `schema` field if present, otherwise "spec-driven")
    - Status (e.g., "0/5 tasks", "complete", "no tasks")
    - How recently it was modified (from `lastModified` field)
 

skills/openspec-explore/SKILL.md

@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ openspec list --json
 
 This tells you:
 - If there are active changes
-- Their names, schemas, and status
+- Their names and task status
 - What the user might be working on
 
 That is the *change* list - work in flight. It does not include the project's durable capabilities, so list those too:

skills/openspec-update-change/SKILL.md

@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ This workflow revises artifacts that already exist; `/openspec-continue-change`
 
    When prompting, present the top 3-4 most recently modified changes as options, showing:
    - Change name
-   - Schema (from `schema` field if present, otherwise "spec-driven")
    - Status (e.g., "0/5 tasks", "complete", "no tasks")
    - How recently it was modified (from `lastModified` field)
 

src/core/templates/workflows/bulk-archive-change.ts

@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ ${PROJECT_ROOT_GUARD}
 2. **Prompt for change selection**
 
    Ask the user to choose changes (multi-select):
-   - Show each change with its schema
+   - Show each change name and task status from the list output
    - Include an option for "All changes"
    - Allow any number of selections (1+ works, 2+ is the typical use case)
 
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ ${PROJECT_ROOT_GUARD}
    Process changes in the determined order (respecting conflict resolution):
 
    a. **Sync included delta specs**:
-      - Run the \`openspec-sync-specs\` workflow inline (agent-driven intelligent merge) only for changes with entries in \`includedDeltas\`, passing only the included delta paths and explicitly instructing it to ignore that change's \`excludedDeltas\`. Wait for it to finish.
+      - ${optionalWorkflow('sync', 'Run the `openspec-sync-specs` workflow inline (agent-driven intelligent merge)', 'Perform the delta-to-main-spec merge inline yourself (agent-driven intelligent merge)')} only for changes with entries in \`includedDeltas\`, passing only the included delta paths and explicitly instructing it to ignore that change's \`excludedDeltas\`. Wait for it to finish.
       - For conflicts, apply in resolved order.
       - Pass that change's fetched specs-rule snapshot into inline sync; inline
         sync must reuse it without fetching instructions again
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ No active changes found. Create a new change to get started.
 - Archive directory target uses the current date, computed once in step 3d and reused at the move: YYYY-MM-DD-<name>; a name that already starts with a \`YYYY-MM-DD-\` prefix is used as-is (never stack a second date)
 - If archive target exists, fail that change but continue with others
 - Check every archive target in step 3, before the first main-spec write; a change whose target exists is never synced or moved
-- If sync is requested, run the \`openspec-sync-specs\` workflow inline (agent-driven) for each change with included delta specs
+- If sync is requested, ${optionalWorkflow('sync', 'run the `openspec-sync-specs` workflow inline (agent-driven)', 'perform the delta-to-main-spec merge inline (agent-driven)')} for each change with included delta specs
 - Carry the per-delta \`includedDeltas\` and \`excludedDeltas\` decisions into execution; sync and verify only included deltas
 - Report every excluded delta as \`sync skipped\` without treating the archive itself as skipped
 - Never archive a change while a spec sync is still in flight — run the sync inline and verify main specs at \`<planningHome.root>/openspec/specs/<capability-path>/spec.md\` before moving \`changeRoot\`
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ ${PROJECT_ROOT_GUARD}
 2. **Prompt for change selection**
 
    Ask the user to choose changes (multi-select):
-   - Show each change with its schema
+   - Show each change name and task status from the list output
    - Include an option for "All changes"
    - Allow any number of selections (1+ works, 2+ is the typical use case)
 

src/core/templates/workflows/continue-change.ts

@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ ${PROJECT_ROOT_GUARD}
 
    When prompting, present the top 3-4 most recently modified changes as options, showing:
    - Change name
-   - Schema (from \`schema\` field if present, otherwise "spec-driven")
    - Status (e.g., "0/5 tasks", "complete", "no tasks")
    - How recently it was modified (from \`lastModified\` field)
 
@@ -167,7 +166,6 @@ ${PROJECT_ROOT_GUARD}
 
    When prompting, present the top 3-4 most recently modified changes as options, showing:
    - Change name
-   - Schema (from \`schema\` field if present, otherwise "spec-driven")
    - Status (e.g., "0/5 tasks", "complete", "no tasks")
    - How recently it was modified (from \`lastModified\` field)
 

src/core/templates/workflows/explore.ts

@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ openspec list --json
 
 This tells you:
 - If there are active changes
-- Their names, schemas, and status
+- Their names and task status
 - What the user might be working on
 
 That is the *change* list - work in flight. It does not include the project's durable capabilities, so list those too:
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ openspec list --json
 
 This tells you:
 - If there are active changes
-- Their names, schemas, and status
+- Their names and task status
 - What the user might be working on
 
 That is the *change* list - work in flight. It does not include the project's durable capabilities, so list those too:

src/core/templates/workflows/update-change.ts

@@ -98,7 +98,6 @@ ${CONTINUE_SCOPE_NOTE}
 
    When prompting, present the top 3-4 most recently modified changes as options, showing:
    - Change name
-   - Schema (from \`schema\` field if present, otherwise "spec-driven")
    - Status (e.g., "0/5 tasks", "complete", "no tasks")
    - How recently it was modified (from \`lastModified\` field)
 
@@ -199,7 +198,6 @@ ${CONTINUE_SCOPE_NOTE}
 
    When prompting, present the top 3-4 most recently modified changes as options, showing:
    - Change name
-   - Schema (from \`schema\` field if present, otherwise "spec-driven")
    - Status (e.g., "0/5 tasks", "complete", "no tasks")
    - How recently it was modified (from \`lastModified\` field)
 

test/cli-e2e/basic.test.ts

@@ -153,6 +153,55 @@ describe('openspec CLI e2e basics', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it.each([
+    { tasks: '', completedTasks: 0, totalTasks: 0, status: 'no-tasks' },
+    { tasks: '- [x] Done\n- [ ] Pending\n', completedTasks: 1, totalTasks: 2, status: 'in-progress' },
+    { tasks: '- [x] Done\n', completedTasks: 1, totalTasks: 1, status: 'complete' },
+  ])('lists custom-schema task status ($status) without inventing a schema field', async (expected) => {
+    const projectDir = await prepareFixture('tmp-init');
+    const schemaDir = path.join(projectDir, 'openspec', 'schemas', 'custom-workflow');
+    await fs.mkdir(schemaDir, { recursive: true });
+    await fs.writeFile(path.join(schemaDir, 'schema.yaml'), [
+      'name: custom-workflow',
+      'version: 1',
+      'description: Custom tracked work',
+      'artifacts:',
+      '  - id: work',
+      '    generates: work.md',
+      '    description: Implementation work',
+      '    template: work.md',
+      '    requires: []',
+      'apply:',
+      '  requires: [work]',
+      '  tracks: work.md',
+      '',
+    ].join('\n'));
+    const changeDir = path.join(projectDir, 'openspec', 'changes', 'custom-change');
+    await fs.mkdir(changeDir, { recursive: true });
+    await fs.writeFile(path.join(changeDir, '.openspec.yaml'), 'schema: custom-workflow\n');
+    await fs.writeFile(path.join(changeDir, 'work.md'), expected.tasks);
+
+    const listResult = await runCLI(['list', '--json'], { cwd: projectDir });
+    expectJsonOnlyOutput(listResult);
+    const change = JSON.parse(listResult.stdout).changes.find(
+      (entry: { name: string }) => entry.name === 'custom-change'
+    );
+    expect(change).toMatchObject({
+      name: 'custom-change',
+      completedTasks: expected.completedTasks,
+      totalTasks: expected.totalTasks,
+      status: expected.status,
+      lastModified: expect.any(String),
+    });
+    expect(Number.isFinite(Date.parse(change.lastModified))).toBe(true);
+    expect(change).not.toHaveProperty('schema');
+    expect(change).not.toHaveProperty('schemaName');
+
+    const statusResult = await runCLI(['status', '--change', 'custom-change', '--json'], { cwd: projectDir });
+    expectJsonOnlyOutput(statusResult);
+    expect(JSON.parse(statusResult.stdout).schemaName).toBe('custom-workflow');
+  });
+
   it('keeps schemas --json free of spinner output', async () => {
     const projectDir = await prepareFixture('tmp-init');
     const result = await runCLI(['schemas', '--json'], { cwd: projectDir });

test/core/templates/archive-task-progress.test.ts

@@ -3,20 +3,33 @@ import { promises as fs } from 'node:fs';
 import os from 'node:os';
 import path from 'node:path';
 import {
-  getArchiveChangeSkillTemplate,
-  getBulkArchiveChangeSkillTemplate,
-  getOpsxArchiveCommandTemplate,
-  getOpsxBulkArchiveCommandTemplate,
-} from '../../../src/core/templates/skill-templates.js';
-import { generateSkillContent } from '../../../src/core/shared/skill-generation.js';
+  generateSkillContent,
+  getCommandTemplates,
+  getSkillTemplates,
+} from '../../../src/core/shared/skill-generation.js';
 import { getGlobalDataDir, registerStore } from '../../../src/core/index.js';
 import { runCLI } from '../../helpers/run-cli.js';
 
+// Go through getSkillTemplates/getCommandTemplates rather than the raw
+// templates: these workflows carry optional-workflow blocks, and only these
+// entry points resolve them against an installed set. Building from the raw
+// template leaves `[[opsx:if-workflow ...]]` in the text, which skill
+// generation rejects. The set names sync so the installed branch is chosen,
+// which is the wording these assertions are about.
+const WORKFLOWS = ['archive', 'bulk-archive', 'sync'];
+const skill = (workflowId: string): string =>
+  generateSkillContent(
+    getSkillTemplates(WORKFLOWS).find((entry) => entry.workflowId === workflowId)!.template,
+    'test'
+  );
+const command = (id: string): string =>
+  getCommandTemplates(WORKFLOWS).find((entry) => entry.id === id)!.template.content;
+
 const surfaces = [
-  ['archive skill', generateSkillContent(getArchiveChangeSkillTemplate(), 'test')],
-  ['archive command', getOpsxArchiveCommandTemplate().content],
-  ['bulk archive skill', generateSkillContent(getBulkArchiveChangeSkillTemplate(), 'test')],
-  ['bulk archive command', getOpsxBulkArchiveCommandTemplate().content],
+  ['archive skill', skill('archive')],
+  ['archive command', command('archive')],
+  ['bulk archive skill', skill('bulk-archive')],
+  ['bulk archive command', command('bulk-archive')],
 ] as const;
 
 describe('archive task discovery uses schema-resolved CLI progress', () => {

test/core/templates/list-json-contract.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+
+import {
+  getBulkArchiveChangeSkillTemplate,
+  getContinueChangeSkillTemplate,
+  getExploreSkillTemplate,
+  getOpsxBulkArchiveCommandTemplate,
+  getOpsxContinueCommandTemplate,
+  getOpsxExploreCommandTemplate,
+  getOpsxUpdateCommandTemplate,
+  getUpdateChangeSkillTemplate,
+} from '../../../src/core/templates/skill-templates.js';
+import { getCommandTemplates, getSkillTemplates } from '../../../src/core/shared/skill-generation.js';
+
+describe('workflow list --json field usage', () => {
+  it('does not invent schema labels in update and continue pickers', () => {
+    const bodies = [
+      getUpdateChangeSkillTemplate().instructions,
+      getOpsxUpdateCommandTemplate().content,
+      getContinueChangeSkillTemplate().instructions,
+      getOpsxContinueCommandTemplate().content,
+    ];
+
+    for (const body of bodies) {
+      const picker = body.slice(body.indexOf('1. **Select the change**'), body.indexOf('2. **'));
+      expect(picker).toContain('openspec list --json');
+      expect(picker).toContain('- Change name');
+      expect(picker).toContain('- Status');
+      expect(picker).toContain('`lastModified`');
+      expect(picker).not.toMatch(/schema/i);
+      expect(picker).not.toContain('openspec status');
+
+      const status = body.slice(body.indexOf('2. **'), body.indexOf('3. **'));
+      expect(status).toContain('openspec status --change "<name>" --json');
+      expect(status).toContain('`schemaName`');
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('limits bulk archive selection to list fields', () => {
+    const bodies = [
+      getBulkArchiveChangeSkillTemplate().instructions,
+      getOpsxBulkArchiveCommandTemplate().content,
+    ];
+
+    for (const body of bodies) {
+      const picker = body.slice(body.indexOf('2. **'), body.indexOf('3. **'));
+      expect(picker).toContain('Show each change name and task status from the list output');
+      expect(picker).not.toMatch(/schema/i);
+      expect(picker).not.toContain('openspec status');
+
+      const status = body.slice(body.indexOf('3. **'), body.indexOf('4. **'));
+      expect(status).toContain('openspec status --change "<name>" --json');
+      expect(status).toContain('`schemaName`');
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('does not claim explore receives schemas from list output', () => {
+    const bodies = [
+      getExploreSkillTemplate().instructions,
+      getOpsxExploreCommandTemplate().content,
+    ];
+
+    for (const body of bodies) {
+      expect(body).toContain('Their names and task status');
+      expect(body).not.toContain('Their names, schemas, and status');
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('keeps bulk archive sync available with and without the sync workflow', () => {
+    const variants = [
+      [
+        getSkillTemplates(['bulk-archive', 'sync']).find((entry) => entry.workflowId === 'bulk-archive')!.template.instructions,
+        getSkillTemplates(['bulk-archive'])[0].template.instructions,
+        'openspec-sync-specs',
+      ],
+      [
+        getCommandTemplates(['bulk-archive', 'sync']).find((entry) => entry.id === 'bulk-archive')!.template.content,
+        getCommandTemplates(['bulk-archive'])[0].template.content,
+        '/opsx:sync',
+      ],
+    ] as const;
+
+    for (const [withSync, withoutSync, workflow] of variants) {
+      const syncStep = (text: string) => text.slice(
+        text.indexOf('a. **Sync included delta specs**'),
+        text.indexOf('b. **Verify included delta specs')
+      );
+
+      expect(syncStep(withSync)).toContain(workflow);
+      expect(syncStep(withoutSync)).not.toContain(workflow);
+      expect(syncStep(withoutSync)).toContain('Perform the delta-to-main-spec merge inline yourself');
+      expect(syncStep(withoutSync)).toContain('`includedDeltas`');
+      expect(syncStep(withoutSync)).toContain('`excludedDeltas`');
+      expect(withoutSync).toContain('If sync is requested, perform the delta-to-main-spec merge inline');
+    }
+  });
+});