${specName}: target spec does not exist; only ADDED requirem

Error message

${specName}: target spec does not exist; only ADDED requirements are allowed for new specs. MODIFIED and RENAMED operations require an existing spec.

What it means

Error "${specName}: target spec does not exist; only ADDED requirements are allowed for new specs. MODIFIED and RENAMED operations require an existing spec." thrown in Fission-AI/OpenSpec.

Source

Thrown at src/core/specs-apply.ts:327

    // than dropping it silently - the specs instruction tells authors to write
    // one for new capabilities, and the delta file looks identical either way.
    // Only when the spec really does have a different Purpose: claiming it
    // "already has one" would be false when it has none, and saying anything at
    // all is noise when the two bodies match.
    if (deltaPurpose) {
      const existingPurpose = extractPurposeSection(targetContent);
      if (existingPurpose && existingPurpose !== deltaPurpose) {
        warn(
          `${specName} - delta Purpose ignored; ${specName} already has one. ` +
            `Edit ${update.target} directly to change it.`
        );
      }
    }
  } catch {
    // Target spec does not exist; MODIFIED and RENAMED are not allowed for new specs
    // REMOVED will be ignored with a warning since there's nothing to remove
    if (plan.modified.length > 0 || plan.renamed.length > 0) {
      throw new Error(
        `${specName}: target spec does not exist; only ADDED requirements are allowed for new specs. MODIFIED and RENAMED operations require an existing spec.`
      );
    }
    // Warn about REMOVED requirements being ignored for new specs
    if (plan.removed.length > 0) {
      warn(
        `${specName} - ${plan.removed.length} REMOVED requirement(s) ignored for new spec (nothing to remove).`
      );
    }
    isNewSpec = true;
    targetContent = buildSpecSkeleton(specName, changeName, deltaPurpose);
    const overview = deltaPurpose ? readableOverview(targetContent, specName) : null;
    if (deltaPurpose && !overview) {
      // Keep the placeholder rather than turning this into a failure: these
      // deltas archived cleanly before the Purpose carry-over existed.
      targetContent = buildSpecSkeleton(specName, changeName);
      warn(
        `${specName} - delta Purpose ignored (it would leave the new spec unreadable); wrote the placeholder Purpose instead.`

View on GitHub (pinned to 6926ccb18a)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at src/core/specs-apply.ts:327 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of Fission-AI/OpenSpec@6926ccb18a (2026-08-25). Data as JSON: /api/errors/dd5079a21e02be2e. Report an issue: GitHub.