openspec config set workflows '[...]' fails — config set cannot set the array-typed workflows key #1216

Hi.

Summary

There is no way to set the array-typed workflows config key via openspec config set. Any value is treated as a string and rejected by schema validation, so switching to the custom profile non-interactively is impossible — even though config set advertises "auto-coerce types" and workflows is a known top-level key.

Environment

• OpenSpec CLI: 1.4.1 (latest from npm @fission-ai/openspec)
• Node: >= 20
• OS: Linux
• Scenario: switching the global profile from core to custom to enable new / ff workflows

Steps to reproduce

openspec config set profile custom        # OK
openspec config set workflows '["new","ff","apply","archive"]'

Actual result

Error: Invalid configuration - workflows: Invalid input: expected array, received string

profile is now left as custom while workflows is unset, so getProfileWorkflows('custom', undefined) resolves to [] (zero workflows). If openspec update runs in this state, the project loses all /opsx:* commands and skills.

Expected result

The value should be parsed as an array and stored, configuring the custom profile non-interactively (e.g. workflows: ["new","ff","apply","archive"]).

Root cause

coerceValue (core/config-schema.js) only coerces boolean, number, or string:

export function coerceValue(value, forceString = false) {
    if (forceString) return value;
    if (value === 'true')  return true;
    if (value === 'false') return false;
    const num = Number(value);
    if (!isNaN(num) && isFinite(num) && value.trim() !== '') return num;
    return value; // arrays / JSON fall through as a raw string
}

workflows is declared as z.array(z.string()) in GlobalConfigSchema and is the only array-typed settable key. Because coerceValue never produces an array, config set workflows ... always fails Zod validation, despite workflows being present in KNOWN_TOP_LEVEL_KEYS and the command help reading "Set a value (auto-coerce types)".

Workarounds

• Interactive picker: openspec config profile (no preset argument).
• Hand-edit ~/.config/openspec/config.json and add the workflows array manually.

Suggested fix

• JSON-parse values for array/object-typed keys in config set (e.g. attempt JSON.parse and fall back to the current string coercion), or
• add an explicit --json flag / a repeatable --append <workflow> form for list keys, and/or
• document that workflows cannot be set via config set and must go through the interactive openspec config profile picker.

Related

• some commands are MISSING #1128 — "some commands are MISSING" (/opsx:new not present on the default core profile)
• Restart your IDE for slash commands to take effect. #1067 — "Restart your IDE for slash commands to take effect"

Best regards.
Draqun