Manifesto
We believe that in the age of AI, the file system is the most durable interface.
Standard tools fragilize knowledge by locking it into proprietary databases.
PARA Workspace is an attempt to standardize the chaotic interaction between human creativity and agentic execution.
map Development Roadmap
check_circle Shipped Features
Update Flow Fix Latest (v1.6.5)
Fixes version direction detection in update.sh (shows ⏬ for downgrades), conditional migration history logging, and adds decision gates to /update workflow warning when workspace is ahead of local repo.
Para-Kit Skill & Recursive Sync Shipped (v1.6.4)
Introduces Para-Kit — a colocated skill providing instant workspace structure reference with Quick Reference Card (I1–I11, H1–H9). Adds recursive directory sync for nested skills, git commit hash detection for accurate hotfix updates, and /backup skills target.
Central Gate Architecture Shipped (v1.6.3)
Transforms project.md into the single source of truth for context loading, replacing unconstrained filesystem probes with strict field-gated detection. Introduces Cross-Project Path Resolution Convention.
Unified Agent Index Shipped (v1.6.2)
Parallel skills trigger index alongside rules, new agent map replacing has_rules, and Proactive Trigger Check — "Check THEN act" defense mechanism. Pre-flight re-reads in 7 workflows guard against attention decay.
Strategy → Plan Flow Shipped (v1.6.1)
3-tier planning model (Strategy → Roadmap → Detail Plan) with zero-configuration filesystem detection. Enhances /docs, /plan, /open, and /end workflows with strategy context loading and priority-based suggested actions.
Ecosystem Projects & Cross-Project Plans Shipped (v1.6.0)
Meta-projects that coordinate satellite projects without owning source code. Introduces type: ecosystem, @prefix cross-project plan resolution, and --meta flag for /new-project. Bidirectional consistency validation in /para-audit.
Defense-in-Depth & Context Recovery Shipped (v1.5.4)
4-layer protection strategy against AI context truncation — File-Level Guards, Safety Block, Workflow Pre-flight, and File Guard Headers. Also introduces Branch & Merge Safety protocol (VCS Rule 6) for safe PR-based workflows.
Hybrid 3-File & Hot Lane Architecture Shipped (v1.5.3)
Solves the "Token Waste vs. Amnesia" problem — AI agents get ultra-fast context (~260-640 tokens) without losing long-term memory. v1.5.1 introduced the 3-file split (backlog.md, sprint-current.md, done.md), v1.5.2 added plan archiving and compress-not-delete, and v1.5.3 refined it with Hot Lane (zero-ceremony quick tasks), Two-Tier Rule Gate, and /end as the sole sync point.
Governed Libraries & Agent Intelligence Shipped (v1.5.0)
Introduced strategic /brainstorm workflow for high-level reasoning and /update for guided system migrations. Enhanced cross-project sync mechanisms and Governed library stability.
Centralized Backup & Workspace Cleanup Shipped (v1.4.10)
Introduced reliable `para cleanup` feature, `rollback` capabilities, and Dry-run command pipeline with IDE compatibility guardrails.
Smart Archive & Migration Safety Shipped (v1.4.6)
Introduced archive_file helper and standardized non-destructive migration flow. Automated migrate.sh trigger in CLI update.
Workspace Macro-Assessor (/para-audit) Shipped (v1.4.5)
New governed workflow for daily structural drift detection against Kernel Specs. Implemented Progressive Disclosure for token optimization.
Planning Workflow & Dev Profile Updates Shipped (v1.4.4)
Introduced new /plan strategic architecture workflow and plans integration into developer setups.
Governed Libraries, RFC Process, Workspace Runtime Safety Shipped (v1.4.1)
Centralized workflows, rules, and skills governance with catalog.yml. Extracted Kernel as the constitution with invariants and heuristics. Strict file system definitions.
Landing Page paraworkspace.dev Shipped (v1.4.1)
Launch of the standard documentation hub and showcase built using Astro.
Kernel Extraction & Repo Restructure Shipped (v1.4.0)
Standardization of PARA directory naming and kernel structure for agent operations.
Cross-Project Sync Queue Shipped (v1.3.6)
Implementation of `SYNC.md` to coordinate updates across multiple agent projects.
science Under Research
Safety Guardrails & Terminal Allowlist Upcoming
Securing agent execution environments with strictly defined permissions.
Multi-agent Routing Upcoming
Standardized protocol for routing tasks between specialized sub-agents based on context.
Context Intelligence & Semantic Search Upcoming
Integration of semantic search and intelligent local context tagging.