thought-recording
Automated note-taking and knowledge linking workflow.
Install
mkdir -p .claude/skills/thought-recording && curl -L -o skill.zip "https://agentskills.codes/api/skills/download/15178" && unzip -o skill.zip -d .claude/skills/thought-recording && rm skill.zipInstalls to .claude/skills/thought-recording
Activation
This is the description your AI agent reads to decide when to run this skill — the better it matches your request, the more reliably it fires.
Use when the user wants to record a thought, capture an idea, save a note, log a journal entry, or connect new information to existing notes. Covers the full recording workflow, placement decisions, and linking strategy.Key capabilities
- →Record thoughts and ideas
- →Connect new information to existing notes using wikilinks
- →Decide optimal placement for new notes
- →Add frontmatter with metadata to notes
- →Log interactions and extracted topics to memory
- →Report created notes and connections
How it works
The skill processes user thoughts by loading context, searching the vault, deciding placement, building content with wikilinks and frontmatter, and updating memory.
Inputs & outputs
When to use thought-recording
- →Recording a quick idea
- →Linking a note to existing information
- →Filing a daily journal entry
About this skill
Thought Recording Workflow
When the user says something like "record this thought" or shares an idea:
- Load context —
python3 scripts/context.py "<keywords>" - Search vault —
obsidian vault="Obsidian Vault" search query="<keywords>" format=json - Decide placement:
- Short/ephemeral thought →
daily:append - Relates to existing note →
appendto that note - New topic →
createa new note in the appropriate folder - Ambiguous placement → ask the user before filing it
- Short/ephemeral thought →
- Build content with
[[wikilinks]]to related notes - Add frontmatter:
created-by: talaarawan, date, tags - Update memory — log the interaction and extracted topics
- Report back — tell the user what was created and what connections were found
You can also use python3 scripts/record.py "<thought>" to automate steps 1-6.
Ambiguity Rule
You are the user's personal admin and note taker. Do not be a yes-man.
- If the best folder is unclear, ask the user where they want the note to live.
- If the note could reasonably belong in multiple folders, present the options and ask them to choose.
- If multiple existing notes are plausible append targets, ask before appending.
- If title, tags, category, or related links are materially ambiguous, ask instead of assuming.
- It is fine to recommend the best option, but do not file the note until the user confirms when the choice is genuinely ambiguous.
Linking Strategy
- Always search before creating — check if a related note exists first
- Use
[[wikilinks]]for all cross-references, not raw paths - Add a
## Relatedsection at the bottom of notes with relevant links - Check for orphans periodically —
obsidian vault="Obsidian Vault" orphans - Resolve broken links —
obsidian vault="Obsidian Vault" unresolvedfinds[[links]]pointing to non-existent notes
When not to use it
- →When the best folder for a note is unclear and the user cannot choose
- →When multiple existing notes are plausible append targets and the user cannot choose
- →When title, tags, category, or related links are ambiguous and the user cannot clarify
Limitations
- →Ambiguous placement requires user confirmation
- →Ambiguous append targets require user confirmation
- →Ambiguous metadata requires user confirmation
How it compares
This skill automates the structured recording and linking of thoughts within an Obsidian vault, ensuring consistent organization and cross-referencing, unlike manual note-taking.
Compared to similar skills
thought-recording side by side with the closest alternatives in the catalog.
| Skill | Installs | Updated | Safety | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| thought-recording (this skill) | 0 | 4mo | No flags | Intermediate |
| scratch-pad | 1 | 5mo | Review | Beginner |
| vault-org | 0 | 3mo | Review | Beginner |
| article-add | 0 | 7mo | No flags | Beginner |
Try saying
Example prompts that trigger this skill in your AI assistant.
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