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obsidian-project-bootstrap

This skill should be used when the user asks to start a new research project, import an existing code-plus-Markdown repository into Obsidian, or bind the current repository to a compact research knowledge base for future syncing.

Published by brycewang-stanford ↗brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills

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obsidian-project-bootstrap

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Use obsidian-project-bootstrap to bind [repository path] to [Obsidian vault path], first determining whether it is already bound; if unbound, create the documented compact knowledge-base structure and summarize it without importing raw datasets or heavy artifacts.

Required inputs

  • [repository path]
  • [Obsidian vault path]

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SKILL.md

name: obsidian-project-bootstrapdescription: This skill should be used when the user asks to start a new research project, import an existing code-plus-Markdown repository into Obsidian, or bind the current repository to a compact research knowledge base for future syncing.

Obsidian Project Bootstrap

Bootstrap a project knowledge base for the current repository.

Role in the workflow

This is a supporting skill.

Use obsidian-project-memory as the main workflow authority. Use this skill only when a repository still needs its initial binding or rebuild.

When to use

  • The user says “start a new research project”.
  • The user has an existing repo with code plus Markdown and wants an Obsidian knowledge base generated automatically.
  • obsidian-project-memory detects a research-project candidate but no existing binding.

Required input

Resolve the vault path from one of:

  1. explicit user input,
  2. OBSIDIAN_VAULT_PATH.

Procedure

  1. Identify the repository root.
  2. Run a preflight detect step first: 
    python3 "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/obsidian-project-memory/scripts/project_kb.py" detect --cwd "$PWD"
  3. Only if the repo is unbound and should be imported, run bootstrap: 
    python3 "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/obsidian-project-memory/scripts/project_kb.py" bootstrap --cwd "$PWD" --vault-path "$OBSIDIAN_VAULT_PATH"
  4. Verify that bootstrap created at least:
    • .claude/project-memory/registry.yaml
    • .claude/project-memory/<project_id>.md
    • Research/{project-slug}/00-Hub.md
    • Research/{project-slug}/01-Plan.md
    • Research/{project-slug}/Knowledge/Source-Inventory.md
    • Research/{project-slug}/Knowledge/Codebase-Overview.md
  5. If the imported project still lacks real background or experiment context, switch to an agent-first pass:
    • read the most informative repo docs and code entry points,
    • synthesize durable notes into Knowledge/, Papers/, Experiments/, Results/, or Writing/,
    • avoid placeholder notes.
  6. Summarize the created knowledge base and the next recommended canonical notes to fill in.

Notes

  • The bootstrap process imports structure and summaries, not raw datasets, caches, checkpoints, or the whole code tree.
  • Ignore .git, .venv, node_modules, caches, checkpoints, binaries, and other heavy artifacts.
  • The default vault is compact: 00-Hub.md, 01-Plan.md, Knowledge/, Papers/, Experiments/, Results/, Writing/, Daily/, Archive/.
  • If python3 is unavailable in the current shell, use the system Python interpreter that can run project_kb.py and say so explicitly.

References

  • references/BOOTSTRAP-RUNBOOK.md - preflight decisions, failure modes, and post-bootstrap verification