my-vault/CLAUDE-BOOTSTRAP.md

Obsidian Vault Guidelines - Bootstrap Template

Getting Started with Claude Code + Obsidian

Quick Setup

1. Start every session: Run git pull to sync latest changes
2. After changes: Commit and push to preserve your work
3. Use built-in tools: Prefer WebSearch and WebFetch for web content

Version Control Best Practices

CRITICAL - START EVERY SESSION: Always run git pull at the beginning of each new Claude session to ensure you have the latest changes from the remote repository.

Commit workflow:

• After creating new notes: git add . → git commit -m "message" → git push
• After significant edits: Commit and push immediately
• Use git status to check for modifications
• When agents modify files: Always commit those changes

Folder Structure (PARA Method)

vault/
├── 00_Inbox/           # Temporary capture point
├── 01_Projects/        # Time-bound initiatives
├── 02_Areas/           # Ongoing responsibilities
├── 03_Resources/       # Reference materials
├── 04_Archive/         # Completed/inactive items
├── 05_Attachments/     # Images, PDFs, etc.
│   └── Organized/      # Processed attachments
└── 06_Metadata/        # Documentation & templates
    ├── Reference/      # Guides and standards
    ├── Plans/          # Strategic documents
    └── Templates/      # Reusable structures

PARA Method Details

Projects (01)

• Time-bound initiatives with clear completion criteria
• Examples: Writing a paper, developing a presentation
• Recommended subfolders: Research/, Drafts/, References/, Output/

Areas (02)

• Ongoing responsibilities without end dates
• Examples: Health, Finances, Professional Development
• Create dedicated notes with links to related resources

Resources (03)

• Topics of interest for reference
• Knowledge bases organized by subject
• Use for information not tied to specific projects

Archive (04)

• Completed or inactive items
• Maintain same folder structure as active sections
• Review periodically for reactivation

Inbox Management

Core Principles

• Inbox is temporary, not permanent storage
• Process weekly using Capture → Process → Organize workflow
• Maintain <20 items at any time

Files to Keep in Inbox

• CRITICAL: Files with number prefixes (00-06) stay permanently
• Recent daily/weekly summaries (last 3 months)
• Active notes being processed

Processing Workflow

1. Delete obsolete information
2. Move relevant material to PARA locations
3. Convert actions into project tasks
4. Tag items needing more processing with #needs-processing

File Organization Guidelines

Naming Conventions

• Daily notes: YYYY-MM-DD - Topic
• Meeting notes: Meeting - [Topic] - YYYY-MM-DD
• Ideas: Idea - [Brief Description]
• Resources: Resource - [Topic] - [Source]

Movement Rules

• Use mv command (not cp) to avoid duplicates
• Verify destination folders exist first
• Update internal links after moves
• Add YAML frontmatter when organizing

Attachments Management

Organization

• Store all non-text files in 05_Attachments/
• Processed files → 05_Attachments/Organized/
• Naming: [RelatedNote]_[Description].[ext]

Helper Scripts

pnpm attachments:list        # List unprocessed files
pnpm attachments:organized   # Count organized files
pnpm attachments:orphans     # Find unreferenced files
pnpm attachments:update-links # Update links after moving

Web Content Workflow

Built-in Tools (Preferred)

• WebSearch: For general web searches
• WebFetch: For specific URLs
• Save to appropriate folder based on content type

Custom Scripts (When Needed)

• Single URL: pnpm firecrawl:scrape <url> <output>
• Batch URLs: pnpm firecrawl:batch <url1> <url2>
• Saves to 00_Inbox/Clippings/ with frontmatter

Writing Style Guidelines

Structure

• Use [[WikiLinks]] for internal references
• Include YAML frontmatter (dates, tags, status)
• Consistent Markdown formatting
• Specific, consistent tags

Style Preferences

• Direct and confident statements
• Avoid clichéd transitions
• Let statements stand on their own
• No unnecessary lead-ins

AI Assistant Guidelines

Before Any Organization

1. Map complete folder structure: find . -type d | sort
2. Document in 06_Metadata/STRUCTURE.md
3. Verify all destination folders exist

Working with Content

• Respect numbered core files (never move 00-06 prefixed files)
• Always use mv not cp when organizing
• Preserve and update bidirectional links
• Add appropriate YAML frontmatter

Simple Commands Only

• REQUIRED: Direct, basic commands without filtering
• FORBIDDEN: Complex regex, piped commands, find with filters
• Example RIGHT: ls -1 then manually select files
• Example WRONG: ls | grep pattern or find . -name "*.png"

Daily Workflows

Start of Day

1. Run git pull
2. Check inbox for items to process
3. Review active projects

End of Day

1. Process new inbox items
2. Commit and push changes
3. Update project notes

Weekly Review

1. Process entire inbox
2. Archive completed projects
3. Update area notes
4. Review and consolidate resources

Project Lifecycle

Starting a Project

1. Create folder in 01_Projects/[ProjectName]
2. Add subfolders: Research/, Drafts/, Output/
3. Create README with objectives and timeline

During Project

• Keep all related materials in project folder
• Link to relevant resources and areas
• Regular commits to track progress

Completing a Project

1. Create project summary note
2. Move entire folder to 04_Archive/
3. Update relevant area notes
4. Commit with completion message

Best Practices

Organization

• Keep folder structure shallow (max 3 levels)
• Create subfolders only with 7+ related notes
• Use linking over deep nesting
• Include README in major folders

Content Creation

• Capture first, organize later
• One idea per note
• Link generously
• Tag consistently

Maintenance

• Weekly inbox processing
• Monthly project reviews
• Quarterly archive cleanup
• Regular git commits

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This is a bootstrap template. Customize based on your workflow and needs.