---
name: wiki-capture
description: >
  Save the current conversation as a permanent, structured wiki note. Use this skill when the user
  says "save this", "/wiki-capture", "capture this", "file this conversation", "preserve this",
  "add this to my wiki", or wants to turn what was just discussed into lasting knowledge. The skill
  classifies the content, rewrites it as declarative knowledge (not a chat transcript), and places
  it in the correct vault category.
---

# Wiki Capture — Conversation to Wiki Note

You are preserving knowledge from the current conversation as a permanent wiki note. The goal is to extract the *substance* — the knowledge itself — not a summary of what was said.

## Before You Start

1. **Resolve config** — follow the Config Resolution Protocol in `llm-wiki/SKILL.md` (walk up CWD for `.env` → `~/.obsidian-wiki/config` → prompt setup). This gives `OBSIDIAN_VAULT_PATH` and `OBSIDIAN_LINK_FORMAT` (default: `wikilink`).
2. Read `$OBSIDIAN_VAULT_PATH/index.md` to understand existing wiki content (avoid duplicates)
3. Read `$OBSIDIAN_VAULT_PATH/hot.md` if it exists — it gives context on recent activity

When writing internal links in Step 5, apply the link format from `llm-wiki/SKILL.md` (Link Format section) using the `OBSIDIAN_LINK_FORMAT` value.

## Step 1: Identify What's Worth Preserving

Scan the conversation. Ask: what knowledge emerged here that would be valuable in 3 months with no memory of this chat?

Worth preserving:
- Decisions made and *why* they were made
- Analysis, frameworks, mental models developed
- Technical findings, patterns, or procedures
- Synthesized understanding of a topic
- Clear explanations of a concept that took effort to arrive at
- Key facts from an external source discussed in the conversation

Skip:
- Logistics, scheduling, pleasantries
- Exploratory back-and-forth where no conclusion was reached
- Content that's already in the wiki

If nothing material emerged, tell the user and stop.

## Step 2: Classify the Content Type

Assign one of five types — this determines the target folder and tone:

| Type | Description | Target folder |
|---|---|---|
| `synthesis` | Multi-step analysis or an answer to a specific question that required reasoning | `synthesis/` |
| `concept` | A definition, framework, or mental model (what a thing *is*) | `concepts/` |
| `source` | Summary of an external document, article, or resource discussed | `references/` |
| `decision` | A strategic, architectural, or design choice and its rationale | `synthesis/` |
| `session` | A complete discussion summary when the conversation spans multiple topics | `journal/` |

If the content clearly belongs to a specific project (detected from context or user mention), place it under `projects/<project-name>/<category>/` instead.

## Step 3: Rewrite as Declarative Knowledge

Do **not** write a summary of the conversation. Write the knowledge itself, in declarative present tense:

- Not: "The user asked about X and Claude explained that..."
- Yes: "X works by..."
- Not: "We decided to use Y because..."
- Yes: "Y is preferred over Z because [reason]. [^[inferred] if the rationale was implied, not stated explicitly]"

Apply provenance markers per `llm-wiki`:
- *Extracted* — explicitly stated in the conversation (no marker)
- *Inferred* — generalized or synthesized from the conversation → `^[inferred]`
- *Ambiguous* — disputed, uncertain, or contradictory → `^[ambiguous]`

## Step 4: Generate a Slug and Title

Derive a clear, descriptive title from the content. Slugify it:
- Lowercase, words separated by hyphens
- Max 50 characters
- Avoid dates in the slug (the frontmatter has `created`)

## Step 5: Write the Wiki Note

Create the file at the target path with required frontmatter:

```yaml
---
title: >-
  <Title>
category: <synthesis|concepts|references|journal|skills>
tags: [<2-5 domain tags from taxonomy>]
sources:
  - conversation:<ISO-date>
created: <ISO-8601 timestamp>
updated: <ISO-8601 timestamp>
summary: >-
  <1-2 sentences, ≤200 chars, answering "what knowledge does this page hold?">
provenance:
  extracted: 0.X
  inferred: 0.X
  ambiguous: 0.X
base_confidence: 0.42
lifecycle: draft
lifecycle_changed: <ISO date today>
---
```

Body structure by type:

**synthesis / decision:**
```markdown
# Title

## Context
<What prompted this — the problem or question being addressed>

## Finding / Decision
<The core knowledge or conclusion>

## Reasoning
<Why this is the case or why this choice was made>

## Implications
<What follows from this — what to watch for, next steps, trade-offs>

## Related
<[[wikilinks]] to connected pages>
```

**concept:**
```markdown
# Title

<Definition in one clear sentence.>

## What It Is
<Explanation of the concept>

## How It Works
<Mechanism or structure>

## When to Use
<Applicability, conditions, trade-offs>

## Related
<[[wikilinks]]>
```

**source:**
```markdown
# Title

> Source: <title or URL>

## What It Covers
<What the source is about>

## Key Points
<Bulleted claims with provenance markers>

## Open Questions
<What it raises but doesn't answer — omit if none>

## Related
<[[wikilinks]]>
```

**session:**
```markdown
# Title

*Session captured: <date>*

## Topics Covered
<Brief list>

## Key Takeaways
<The 3-5 most important things that emerged>

## Decisions Made
<Any explicit decisions, with rationale>

## Open Questions
<What remains unresolved>

## Related
<[[wikilinks]]>
```

Every note must link to at least 2 existing wiki pages. Search `index.md` before writing. If fewer than 2 related pages exist, create minimal stubs for the most important concepts referenced.

## Step 6: Update Tracking Files

**`index.md`** — Add the new page under its category section.

**`log.md`** — Append:
```
- [TIMESTAMP] CAPTURE type=<type> page="<path>" title="<title>"
```

**`hot.md`** — Update **Recent Activity** with what was just captured. Update **Key Takeaways** if the note introduced something worth flagging. Update `updated` timestamp.

## Step 7: Confirm to User

Report the saved path and title:
```
Saved to: projects/<name>/synthesis/<slug>.md
Title: <Title>
Type: synthesis
```

## Quality Checklist

- [ ] Content rewritten as declarative knowledge (not a chat transcript)
- [ ] Type classified correctly; target path is in the right folder
- [ ] Frontmatter complete with title, category, tags, sources, summary, provenance
- [ ] At least 2 wikilinks to existing pages
- [ ] `index.md`, `log.md`, and `hot.md` updated
- [ ] Confirmed save path to user

## QMD Refresh After Vault Writes

QMD is a search index, not the source of truth. If `$QMD_WIKI_COLLECTION` is empty or unset, skip this step. Run it only after this skill has written or rewritten vault markdown. If QMD refresh fails, do not roll back the vault changes; report the QMD status separately.

Use `$QMD_CLI` if set; otherwise use `qmd`.

```bash
${QMD_CLI:-qmd} update
```

If the output says vectors are needed or embeddings may be stale, run:

```bash
${QMD_CLI:-qmd} embed
```

Verify the collection with either:

```bash
${QMD_CLI:-qmd} ls "$QMD_WIKI_COLLECTION"
```

or, when a specific page path is known:

```bash
${QMD_CLI:-qmd} get "qmd://$QMD_WIKI_COLLECTION/<page>.md" -l 5
```

Record one of:
- `QMD refreshed: update + embed + verified`
- `QMD refreshed: update only + verified`
- `QMD skipped: QMD_WIKI_COLLECTION unset`
- `QMD skipped: qmd CLI unavailable`
- `QMD failed: <short error summary>`