Smart Archive Mechanism
In a PARA Workspace, we never delete potentially valuable context. Smart Archive (introduced in v1.4.6) is the mechanism that ensures system upgrades never cause data loss.
🛡️ Non-Destructive Migration
When the PARA Kernel is updated via para update, the system may deprecate certain template files, legacy scripts, or old documentation.
Instead of using rm (delete), the migration engine uses the archive_file helper to move these files to a safe location.
📂 The Archive Structure
Orphaned system files are moved to:
.para/archive/[version]-orphans/
For example, if you upgrade from v1.4.5 to v1.4.6, any obsolete files will be stored in:
.para/archive/v1.4.5-orphans/
⚙️ How it Works (para update)
The update process is now a three-step atomic operation:
- Pull: The latest governance files are pulled from the repository.
- Migrate: The
migrate.shscript scans your workspace and “Smart Archives” old system files. - Install: New system wrappers, workflows, and rules are synced.
💡 Benefits
- Zero Data Loss: Your customizations to old templates are preserved in the archive.
- Audit Trail: You can see exactly what was removed during an upgrade.
- Clean Workspace: Keeps your active areas free of “ghost” files from previous versions.