Skill access pattern (post-kernel-pivot, 2026.5+)
Skill names referenced in this document are AIWG skills, not slash commands. Most are not kernel-listed and cannot be invoked as
/skill-nameby the platform. Reach them via:aiwg discover "<capability>" aiwg show skill <name>Only kernel-listed skills (
aiwg-doctor,aiwg-refresh,aiwg-status,aiwg-help,use,steward) are directly invokable as slash commands. See skill-discovery rule.
Workspace Reset
Completely wipe the .aiwg/ directory to start fresh. Optionally backs up existing content and can reinitialize with fresh intake templates.
Parameters
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
project-directory |
Project root (default: .) |
--backup |
Create timestamped backup before wiping |
--keep-intake |
Preserve .aiwg/intake/ directory |
--keep-team |
Preserve .aiwg/team/ directory (team profile, assignments) |
--reinitialize |
Run intake wizard after reset |
--force |
Skip confirmation prompts |
--dry-run |
Preview what would be deleted |
Use Cases
- Project Pivot - Requirements changed significantly, need fresh start
- Framework Upgrade - Clean slate for new AIWG version
- Corrupted State - Artifacts became inconsistent
- Learning Project - Experimented, ready to start properly
- Handoff Cleanup - Removing trial work before official start
Execution Steps
Step 1: Analyze Current State
Inventory what will be deleted:
# Count files by category
echo "=== Workspace Contents ==="
for dir in .aiwg/*/; do
count=$(find "$dir" -type f 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
size=$(du -sh "$dir" 2>/dev/null | cut -f1)
echo "$(basename "$dir"): $count files ($size)"
done
Report:
Workspace Reset Analysis
========================
Current .aiwg/ contents:
intake/ 3 files (12 KB)
requirements/ 15 files (45 KB)
architecture/ 12 files (78 KB)
planning/ 8 files (23 KB)
risks/ 4 files (8 KB)
testing/ 7 files (34 KB)
security/ 5 files (15 KB)
team/ 2 files (4 KB)
working/ 9 files (28 KB)
archive/ 14 files (56 KB)
reports/ 6 files (19 KB)
─────────────────────────────────
TOTAL: 85 files (322 KB)
Git Status:
Tracked: 45 files (committed)
Untracked: 40 files (local only)
Step 2: Confirm Destruction
Unless --force is provided, require explicit confirmation:
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ⚠️ DESTRUCTIVE OPERATION ⚠️ ║
╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ║
║ This will DELETE 85 files (322 KB) from .aiwg/ ║
║ ║
║ Including: ║
║ - All requirements (15 files) ║
║ - All architecture documents (12 files) ║
║ - All planning artifacts (8 files) ║
║ - All test documentation (7 files) ║
║ - All security artifacts (5 files) ║
║ - All archived content (14 files) ║
║ - All reports (6 files) ║
║ ║
║ 45 files are committed to git and can be recovered. ║
║ 40 files are NOT in git and will be PERMANENTLY LOST. ║
║ ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Options:
--backup Create backup before deletion
--keep-intake Preserve intake forms
--keep-team Preserve team profile
Type 'RESET' to confirm deletion: _
Step 3: Create Backup (if requested)
If --backup flag:
# Create timestamped backup
backup_dir=".aiwg-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)"
cp -r .aiwg "$backup_dir"
# Create backup manifest
cat > "$backup_dir/BACKUP_MANIFEST.md" <<EOF
# .aiwg Backup
**Created:** $(date -Iseconds)
**Reason:** Workspace reset
**Commit:** $(git rev-parse HEAD 2>/dev/null || echo "N/A")
## Contents
$(find .aiwg -type f | wc -l) files backed up
## Restore Command
\`\`\`bash
rm -rf .aiwg && cp -r $backup_dir .aiwg
\`\`\`
EOF
echo "Backup created: $backup_dir"
Report:
Backup Created
==============
Location: .aiwg-backup-20251209-102345/
Files: 85
Size: 322 KB
To restore: rm -rf .aiwg && cp -r .aiwg-backup-20251209-102345 .aiwg
Step 4: Preserve Requested Content
If --keep-intake:
# Stash intake
mv .aiwg/intake /tmp/aiwg-intake-preserve
If --keep-team:
# Stash team
mv .aiwg/team /tmp/aiwg-team-preserve
Step 5: Execute Wipe
# Remove .aiwg directory
rm -rf .aiwg
# Report
echo "Removed: .aiwg/ (85 files, 322 KB)"
Step 6: Restore Preserved Content
# Recreate .aiwg
mkdir -p .aiwg
# Restore intake if preserved
if [ -d /tmp/aiwg-intake-preserve ]; then
mv /tmp/aiwg-intake-preserve .aiwg/intake
echo "Restored: .aiwg/intake/"
fi
# Restore team if preserved
if [ -d /tmp/aiwg-team-preserve ]; then
mv /tmp/aiwg-team-preserve .aiwg/team
echo "Restored: .aiwg/team/"
fi
Step 7: Reinitialize (if requested)
If --reinitialize flag:
Create minimal structure and offer intake wizard:
# Create standard directories
mkdir -p .aiwg/{intake,requirements,architecture,planning,risks,testing,security,working,archive,reports}
# Create README
cat > .aiwg/README.md <<'EOF'
# AIWG Workspace
This directory contains SDLC artifacts managed by the AIWG framework.
## Structure
| Directory | Purpose |
|-----------|---------|
| intake/ | Project intake forms |
| requirements/ | User stories, use cases, NFRs |
| architecture/ | SAD, ADRs, diagrams |
| planning/ | Phase and iteration plans |
| risks/ | Risk register and spikes |
| testing/ | Test strategy, plans, results |
| security/ | Threat models, security artifacts |
| working/ | Temporary multi-agent work |
| archive/ | Historical documents |
| reports/ | Generated reports |
## Getting Started
Run `intake-wizard` to begin project intake.
EOF
Report:
Workspace Reinitialized
=======================
Created directories:
.aiwg/intake/
.aiwg/requirements/
.aiwg/architecture/
.aiwg/planning/
.aiwg/risks/
.aiwg/testing/
.aiwg/security/
.aiwg/working/
.aiwg/archive/
.aiwg/reports/
Created files:
.aiwg/README.md
Run /intake-wizard to start fresh intake.
Step 8: Report Summary
Workspace Reset Complete
========================
Deleted:
85 files (322 KB)
Backup:
.aiwg-backup-20251209-102345/ (322 KB)
Preserved:
.aiwg/intake/ (3 files)
.aiwg/team/ (2 files)
Reinitialized:
10 directories created
.aiwg/README.md created
Next Steps:
1. Run /intake-wizard to start fresh intake
2. Or run /intake-from-codebase to analyze existing code
3. Previous backup available at .aiwg-backup-20251209-102345/
CLI Usage (Outside Claude Session)
This command is also available via the aiwg CLI:
# Wipe working directory only
aiwg -wipe-working
# Full workspace reset with backup
aiwg -reset-workspace --backup
# Force reset without confirmation
aiwg -reset-workspace --force
# Reset but keep intake forms
aiwg -reset-workspace --keep-intake
# Reset and reinitialize
aiwg -reset-workspace --reinitialize
Examples
# Preview what would be deleted
/workspace-reset --dry-run
# Full wipe with backup
/workspace-reset --backup
# Keep intake and team, backup rest
/workspace-reset --backup --keep-intake --keep-team
# Force reset and reinitialize
/workspace-reset --force --reinitialize
# Clean slate with preserved intake
/workspace-reset --backup --keep-intake --reinitialize
Error Handling
| Condition | Action |
|---|---|
| No .aiwg/ directory | Info: "No workspace to reset. Use /intake-wizard to create one." |
| Backup location exists | Append unique suffix |
| Permission denied | Abort with error |
| Git dirty with untracked | Warn about permanent loss of untracked files |
| Preserve dir missing | Skip preservation, warn |
Safety Features
- Confirmation Required - Must type 'RESET' unless --force
- Backup Option - Always offered, strongly recommended
- Git Warning - Warns about untracked files that will be permanently lost
- Preserve Options - Can keep critical files (intake, team)
- Dry Run - Preview before destructive action
Related Commands
workspace-realign- Sync docs with project state (non-destructive)workspace-prune-working- Clean up working directory onlyintake-wizard- Start fresh intake after reset
References
- @$AIWG_ROOT/agentic/code/addons/aiwg-utils/README.md — aiwg-utils addon overview
- @$AIWG_ROOT/agentic/code/addons/aiwg-utils/rules/human-authorization.md — Explicit confirmation required before destructive reset
- @$AIWG_ROOT/agentic/code/addons/aiwg-utils/rules/vague-discretion.md — Concrete confirmation prompt and safety checks
- @$AIWG_ROOT/agentic/code/frameworks/sdlc-complete/README.md — SDLC artifact directory structure recreated on --reinitialize