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ADR-0007: Ergonomic array field matching for remove and tick commands

Status: accepted | Date: 2026-01-17

References: RFC-0000:C-WORK-DEF, RFC-0000:C-ADR-DEF

Context

The remove command requires exact string match, which is fragile for long strings like URLs. The tick command uses substring matching but remove does not. Checklist fields (acceptance_criteria, decisions, alternatives) require separate semantics from string fields, leading to confusion about when to use remove vs tick.

Decision

Unify matching semantics: (1) Default to case-insensitive substring matching for remove and tick. (2) Add –exact flag for exact matching. (3) Add --at <index> for positional removal. (4) Add –regex flag for pattern matching. (5) Add –all flag for bulk removal. (6) Single match proceeds; multiple matches error with guidance. (7) remove works on all array types including checklists; tick only changes status.

Consequences

Positive: Ergonomic default matching, safe bulk operations, unified semantics. Negative: Breaking change for scripts relying on exact match. Migration: Existing exact-match callers should add –exact flag.