How do I install the Project Vault skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add dimonier/project-vault in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Project Vault safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Capability flags: executes scripts. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Project Vault?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Project Vault free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Project Vault?

dimonier (@dimonier) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Project Vault by dimonier — Agent Skill

Name: Project Vault
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: dimonier

Project Vault

Maintains project state in a markdown vault (decisions, open questions, risks, contradictions) from transcripts, notes, PDFs, or owner chat. Governs working tracks as the mandatory container for productive work. Use after meetings, briefings, decisions; inbox/outbox; vault init.

dimonier Updated Sep 10, 2026

File contents

Project Vault — Local Practices Framework (LPF)

LPF for the practice "managing project state in a markdown-vault". Users: the owner (name — in the repo root AGENTS.md) + an AI assistant.

When to load which pattern

Situation	Load
Understand the vault schema: entities, directories, ID allocation, discovery	`references/PV.VaultSchema.md`
Process the inbox (transcripts, PDFs, articles, research)	`references/PV.Inbox.md`
Update state from a meeting transcript / dialog news (DEC/Q/RISK/CON)	`references/PV.StateUpdate.md`
Bind an external study/article/report two-way	`references/PV.ExternalResearch.md`
Manage tracks / continue work in a track	`references/PV.Track.md`
Create a track-bound artifact	`references/PV.Artifact.md`
Record a substantive step (WRK)	`references/PV.WorkRecord.md`
Create a report / assemble the meeting agenda	`references/PV.Report.md`
Initialize a new vault (scaffold copy, inbox/outbox creation)	`references/PV.Init.md`
Send outgoing feedback/a proposal to another system or skill	`references/PV.Outbox.md`

Navigation rule

Several usage scenarios — enter per use-case (there is no single linear chain):

Update the vault after a meeting/briefing → start with PV.StateUpdate (as needed PV.VaultSchema for the schema, PV.Track for new signals).
Intake → start with PV.Inbox; route onward to PV.StateUpdate / PV.ExternalResearch / PV.Track.
Productive work in a track → start with PV.Track; record steps via PV.WorkRecord, artifacts via PV.Artifact.
Initialize a vault → PV.Init.
Send feedback to another system/skill → PV.Outbox; the recipient processes it as a normal PV.Inbox arrival.

Source (single surface)

references/ — the canonical source: 10 E.8 pattern bodies + INDEX.md + relations.md. There is no monolith; SKILL.md is routing only. Edit references/*.md directly. The vault schema changes → edit PV.VaultSchema. The dependency map and source/edition citation — in references/relations.md.

Guardrails

When a judgment is ambiguous (a decision's status, material binding, a risk/ contradiction wording, any action that may diverge from the owner's intent) — ask the owner, do not decide silently. The remaining constraints are in the pattern bodies (the Conformance Checklist of each references/PV.*.md).

Evolution

If the owner is unhappy with a result or refines the process — propose updating this skill: its description, the routing table, or the body of a references/*.md. The evolution of the LPF content itself follows references/PLAS.QualityAndRefresh.md from the pattern-language-as-agent-skill skill. Refresh triggers (when to revisit this skill — G.11) — in references/relations.md; machine frontmatter check before trusting the skill — scripts/check_frontmatter.py.

---name: project-vaultdescription: Maintains project state in a markdown vault (decisions, open questions, risks, contradictions) from transcripts, notes, PDFs, or owner chat. Governs working tracks as the mandatory container for productive work. Use after meetings, briefings, decisions; inbox/outbox; vault init.---# Project Vault — Local Practices Framework (LPF)LPF for the practice "managing project state in a markdown-vault". Users:the owner (name — in the repo root `AGENTS.md`) + an AI assistant.## When to load which pattern| Situation | Load ||---|---|| Understand the vault schema: entities, directories, ID allocation, discovery | `references/PV.VaultSchema.md` || Process the inbox (transcripts, PDFs, articles, research) | `references/PV.Inbox.md` || Update state from a meeting transcript / dialog news (DEC/Q/RISK/CON) | `references/PV.StateUpdate.md` || Bind an external study/article/report two-way | `references/PV.ExternalResearch.md` || Manage tracks / continue work in a track | `references/PV.Track.md` || Create a track-bound artifact | `references/PV.Artifact.md` || Record a substantive step (WRK) | `references/PV.WorkRecord.md` || Create a report / assemble the meeting agenda | `references/PV.Report.md` || Initialize a new vault (scaffold copy, inbox/outbox creation) | `references/PV.Init.md` || Send outgoing feedback/a proposal to another system or skill | `references/PV.Outbox.md` |## Navigation ruleSeveral usage scenarios — enter per use-case (there is no single linear chain):- **Update the vault after a meeting/briefing** → start with `PV.StateUpdate` (as needed `PV.VaultSchema` for the schema, `PV.Track` for new signals).- **Intake** → start with `PV.Inbox`; route onward to `PV.StateUpdate` / `PV.ExternalResearch` / `PV.Track`.- **Productive work in a track** → start with `PV.Track`; record steps via `PV.WorkRecord`, artifacts via `PV.Artifact`.- **Initialize a vault** → `PV.Init`.- **Send feedback to another system/skill** → `PV.Outbox`; the recipient processes it as a normal `PV.Inbox` arrival.## Source (single surface)`references/` — the canonical source: 10 E.8 pattern bodies + `INDEX.md` +`relations.md`. There is no monolith; `SKILL.md` is routing only. Edit`references/*.md` directly. The vault schema changes → edit `PV.VaultSchema`. Thedependency map and source/edition citation — in `references/relations.md`.## GuardrailsWhen a judgment is ambiguous (a decision's status, material binding, a risk/contradiction wording, any action that may diverge from the owner's intent) —**ask the owner, do not decide silently**. The remaining constraints are in thepattern bodies (the Conformance Checklist of each `references/PV.*.md`).## EvolutionIf the owner is unhappy with a result or refines the process — propose updating thisskill: its `description`, the routing table, or the body of a `references/*.md`.The evolution of the LPF content itself follows `references/PLAS.QualityAndRefresh.md`from the `pattern-language-as-agent-skill` skill. Refresh triggers (when to revisitthis skill — G.11) — in `references/relations.md`; machine frontmatter check beforetrusting the skill — `scripts/check_frontmatter.py`.

Frequently asked questions