Obsidian Vault Maintenance

First Step: Always Read VAULT.md

Before any vault operation, read the live VAULT.md in the vault using mcp__obsidian__view for current organizational rules, categories, folder structure, and privacy boundaries. VAULT.md is the single source of truth for all vault-specific details (current areas, projects, naming, privacy classifications).

Classification Decision Tree

Apply in order when creating or filing a note:

1. Machine-generated? -> Data/
2. Script/tool? -> Automation/
3. Ongoing responsibility (3-5yr lifespan)? -> Areas/
4. Finite effort with eventual end? -> Projects/YYYY/QN/
5. Reusable reference info? -> Knowledge/
6. Inactive/obsolete? -> Archive/

If uncertain, ask the user about timeline (ongoing vs. finite) and purpose (tracking vs. reference).

Creating a Note

1. Classify using the decision tree above
2. Check existing folders - use mcp__obsidian__vault action list to avoid duplicates
3. Create the note with mcp__obsidian__vault action create
   • Add a back-link to parent index: [[ParentFolder|<- Back to Parent]]
4. Update parent index - use mcp__obsidian__edit to add entry to the folder note (FolderName/FolderName.md)
   • Keep entries concise: 1-2 lines with link and brief description
5. Create missing indexes - if parent folder note doesn't exist, create it first

Projects: Index Hierarchy

Projects use Projects/YYYY/QN/ProjectName/ structure with indexes at each level. Each level adds progressively more detail; upper levels stay concise for scanning. Sub-pages are only linked from the project-level index, never from higher indexes.

Create year/quarter indexes when the first project in that period is created. Never skip index levels.

Index Maintenance

Folder note convention: Every folder has FolderName/FolderName.md.

When adding content to any folder:

1. Check if folder note exists - if not, create it
2. Add entry to folder note (brief: 1-2 lines)
3. Add back-link in the new file to the folder note
4. Don't link sub-sub-pages from high-level indexes

Verifying Graph Health

Use mcp__obsidian__graph to check connectivity:

• statistics - get link counts and identify orphans
• neighbors with a sourcePath - check a note's connections
• forwardlinks - verify outgoing links
• traverse from category entry points to verify reachability

Every note must be reachable from an index. No orphaned files.

Common fixes:

• Missing parent index entry -> mcp__obsidian__edit action append on the folder note
• Missing back-link -> mcp__obsidian__edit action append on the orphaned note
• Wrong category -> mcp__obsidian__vault action move, then update both old and new indexes

Naming Conventions

• Files: Title case, descriptive, no dates in names, no special chars except hyphens
• Folders: Hyphens for multi-word, no underscores
• Folder notes: Match folder name exactly
• No root-level files except Home.md and VAULT.md

Privacy Boundaries

Read VAULT.md for current privacy classifications. Categories are marked as always-private, safe to publish, or review-first.

Companion Skills

• obsidian-markdown - Use for Obsidian Flavored Markdown syntax: wikilinks, embeds, callouts, frontmatter/properties, tags. Defer to this skill for markdown formatting questions.
• obsidian-bases - Use for .base files: database-like views, filters, formulas, summaries. Defer to this skill when creating or editing Bases.

This skill handles vault-level organization (where files go, index maintenance, graph health). The companion skills handle content-level concerns (how to format notes, how to build views).

Post-Operation Checklist

After any vault modification, verify:

• Parent index updated with entry for new/modified note
• Back-link added in new file pointing to parent index
• File placed in correct category per decision tree
• Graph stays connected (no new orphans introduced)