Wiki Ingest
Add a source to the wiki. Read it, discuss with the user, write a summary page, update entity/concept pages, and maintain the index, overview, and log.
Pre-condition
Search for
starting from the current directory and upward, or in common wiki locations (
). If not found, tell the user to run
first.
Read
to learn: wiki root path, page frontmatter format, cross-reference convention, log entry format, index category taxonomy.
Process
1. Accept the source
The source can be:
- File path — read it directly; copy to if not already there
- URL — use the skill to fetch it; save to
- Pasted text — use what was provided
2. Read the source in full
Read all content. For long sources, read in sections. Do not skip.
3. Surface takeaways — BEFORE writing anything
Tell the user:
- 3-5 bullet points of key takeaways
- What entities/concepts this introduces or updates
- Whether it contradicts anything already in the wiki (read and relevant pages to check)
Ask: "Anything specific you want me to emphasize or de-emphasize?"
Wait for the user's response before proceeding.
4. Generate the slug
Lowercase, hyphens, no special characters.
Example: "Attention Is All You Need" →
attention-is-all-you-need
5. Write the source summary page
markdown
---
title: <source title>
tags: [<relevant tags>]
sources: [<slug>]
updated: <today>
---
# <Source Title>
**Source:** <original URL or file path>
**Date ingested:** <today>
**Type:** <paper | article | transcript | code | other>
## Summary
<2-3 paragraph synthesis — your own words, not abstract copy-paste>
## Key Takeaways
- <bullet>
## Entities & Concepts
<list of entities/concepts as [[slug]] links>
## Relation to Other Wiki Pages
<how this connects to or updates existing knowledge>
5b. Cite as you write — do not skip
While drafting the Summary, Key Takeaways, and any other prose section, every
non-common-knowledge factual claim must carry a footnote. Read the
Citations
section in
for the full convention.
Two citation kinds, three valid targets:
Quote: [^N]: <target> <locator> — "<verbatim quote>"
Synthesis: [^N]: <target> <locator> [synthesis] — <what supports the claim>
<target> is one of:
[[source-slug]] — a source wiki page (preferred for the source you're ingesting)
raw/<file> — a path, for drive-by citations to other local files
<URL> — a live URL or post
For the source being ingested, use
—
is creating that page now, so the target exists by the time the page is read.
If you cannot produce either citation kind for a claim, you do not have a
citation. Find one, weaken the claim ("the paper suggests..."), or drop it.
Footnotes go at the bottom of the page, below all sections. Number them
sequentially in order of first reference.
5c. Self-check before continuing
Re-read the draft once. Scan for unfootnoted factual claims — this is the most
common failure mode in long ingest sessions. For each, add a footnote or revise
the wording. Only then move on to entity pages.
6. Update entity and concept pages
For each entity/concept touched by this source:
- Page exists: Read it, add to or update the relevant section, add this source to frontmatter list, update date
- Page doesn't exist: Create it:
markdown
---
title: <Entity or Concept Name>
tags: [entity | concept]
sources: [<this-source-slug>]
updated: <today>
---
# <Name>
## Description
<synthesis across all sources that discuss this>
## Appearances in Sources
- [[source-slug]] — <one-line note>
## Related Concepts
- [[related-slug]] — <relationship>
7. Backlink audit — do not skip
Scan ALL existing pages in
for any that mention this source's entities/concepts but don't yet link to the new page. Add
references where appropriate.
This is the step most commonly skipped. A compounding wiki's value comes from bidirectional links.
8. Update
Add an entry under the correct category:
- [[<slug>]] — <one-line summary> _(ingested <date>)_
For any new entity/concept pages created, add those too.
9. Update
Re-read the current overview. If this source:
- Introduces a significant concept: add it to "Key Entities / Concepts"
- Shifts the overall understanding: update "Current Understanding"
- Raises a new question: add it to "Open Questions"
Update the frontmatter
date.
10. Append to
## [<today>] ingest | <source title>
Pages written: <slug>
Pages updated: <comma-separated list>
Common Mistakes
- Appending chronological updates instead of editing in-place — Wiki pages are living documents, not journals. Do not add sections like or followed by new content. Update the relevant section in-place, bump the frontmatter date, and record what changed in . The log is the append-only record; pages are the current truth.
- Skipping the backlink audit (step 7) — A wiki's value compounds through bidirectional links. Always scan existing pages for entities this source introduces.
- Summarizing the abstract instead of synthesizing — The Summary section should reflect your own synthesis, not a rephrased abstract.
11. Report to user
- Summary page:
- Entity/concept pages created or updated: <list>
- Pages that received backlinks: <list>
- Index and overview updated