OpenCairn changes over time: skills improve, scripts gain safety checks, and the Claude Code and Codex renderings evolve together. The built-in /update command is the source of truth for bringing an installed vault forward.
If /update exists
Launch Claude Code from the vault root and run:
/update
The updater fetches the current template, checks whether the vault needs a task-system migration, and reviews changed infrastructure files before applying them. It updates the template’s infrastructure files (the updater’s instructions define the exact scope). It does not update your CLAUDE.md, settings, or vault content, and it preserves local-only files.
By default, /update follows the template’s main branch. To pin to a signed release, choose a version from OpenCairn’s releases and run /update --tag VERSION. Pinned updates require a verified signed tag, so first set up tag verification as described in OpenCairn’s commit-signing guide.
If /update is missing
Your vault either predates the current updater or was assembled independently. Do not use an old bootstrap recipe that checks out .claude/commands/ and .claude/scripts/ wholesale: it can overwrite local customisations, misses the Codex rendering, and bypasses the current migration gate.
- For a new vault, use the OpenCairn Setup Guide.
- For an existing system, make a verified backup and baseline commit, then follow the repository’s integration path. Pre-updater vaults differ, so there is no safe one-paste replacement for reviewing what should carry forward.