# Brain Init

> Set up the Claude Brain Logseq graph (first-time) or add a new project page. Triggers: "init brain", "setup brain", "init brain project <name>", "add project to brain". Don't fire for loads, saves, or status checks — those are handled by brain-load, brain-save, and brain-status.

- Skill: `jame581/brain-init` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add jame581/brain-init`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/jame581/brain-init/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: jame581 (https://skillmd.com/u/jame581)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/jame581/brain-init

---


# Brain Init

Initialize the Claude Brain Logseq graph or add a new project page to an existing graph.

## Prerequisites

Resolve the graph path per `skills/_shared/path-resolution.md`. If the resolved folder is empty or missing core files, this skill performs first-time setup (below). Otherwise it adds a new project to the existing graph.

## First-Time Graph Setup

If the graph folder is empty or missing core files, initialize it:

1. Create `logseq/config.edn` with minimal Logseq config:

```clojure
{:meta/version 1
 :preferred-format "Markdown"
 :journal/page-title-format "yyyy-MM-dd"
 :journal/file-name-format "yyyy_MM_dd"}
```

2. Create `pages/Index.md` — the master index page:

```markdown
type:: index
description:: Master index of Claude's brain — all projects and key pages

- ## Projects
  - _No projects yet. Use "init brain project [name]" to add one._
- ## Quick Links
  - [[Meta]] — preferences, working style, conventions
  - [[Decisions]] — cross-project decision log
```

3. Create `pages/Meta.md` — for storing user preferences and conventions:

```markdown
type:: meta
last-updated:: {{today}}

- ## User Preferences
  - _Add preferences as they emerge from working sessions._
- ## Conventions
  - _Add naming conventions, coding style preferences, etc._
- ## Tools & Stack
  - _Add commonly used tools, languages, frameworks._
```

4. Create `pages/Decisions.md` — cross-project decision log:

```markdown
type:: decisions
last-updated:: {{today}}

- ## Decision Log
  - _Decisions that span multiple projects or are general in nature._
```

5. Create the `journals/` directory with a `.gitkeep` file to ensure it persists in version control. Use `mkdir -p` via Bash or create `journals/.gitkeep` with the Write tool. This directory must exist before brain-save can write journal entries — do not skip this step.

Replace `{{today}}` with the current date in `yyyy-MM-dd` format.

Confirm to the user that the graph is ready and they can open it in Logseq.

After confirmation, write a journey-log entry per `skills/_shared/journey-log.md` with the activity line: `initialized graph at <graphPath>`.

## Adding a New Project

When the user wants to add a project (e.g., "add MyProject to brain", "init brain project GameDev"):

1. Determine the project name from the user's request.

2. Ask the user for a brief description and any initial context for the project (tech stack, repo location, key info) — gather this **before** writing the page. The template (`references/templates.md`) uses the same description in three places: `focus::`, the Digest Identity bullet, and `## Overview`. If the description exceeds **120 bytes**, use a short form for `focus::` (the digest property cap — see `skills/_shared/digest.md`) and keep the full text in `## Overview` and the Digest Identity bullet.

3. Create the project page at `pages/Projects___<ProjectName>.md` using the template from `references/templates.md`, substituting the gathered description into `focus::`, the Digest Identity bullet, and `## Overview`. The triple underscore `___` is how Logseq represents the `/` namespace separator in filenames — so this page will appear as `Projects/ProjectName` in the Logseq sidebar.

4. **Measure the page and resolve `{{page_size}}`.** This is the one placeholder that can only be filled *after* the Write: run `wc -c` on the new file, round to the nearest 10 bytes, then Edit the literal `{{page_size}}` bullet to the rounded figure (`references/templates.md` has the rounding rule and why an exact figure would be a small lie). Do not skip this — a fresh page ships with `{{page_size}}` still in it until this step runs.

5. **Confirm no template placeholder survives.** Check for **this template's three placeholders specifically**, not for `{{` in general:
   ```bash
   grep -cE '\{\{(today|project_description|page_size)\}\}' "pages/Projects___<ProjectName>.md"
   ```
   must return `0`. A bare `{{` search would be wrong twice over: `{{query}}` and `{{embed}}` are legitimate Logseq macros that `code-in-braces` explicitly whitelists, and a user's project description may contain `{{` of its own — matching either would send you "replacing" content that was never a placeholder. If it doesn't, find and replace the remaining placeholder before continuing — a literal `{{...}}` left in the graph is a `code-in-braces` violation, exactly the kind of format break this plugin exists to prevent.

6. Update `pages/Index.md` — add a link to the new project under the Projects section:
   - `[[Projects/<ProjectName>]] — <brief description>`

Confirm the project page was created and remind the user they can now use "save to brain" during work sessions and "load [project]" to restore context.

After confirmation, write a journey-log entry per `skills/_shared/journey-log.md` with the activity line: `created project [[Projects/<ProjectName>]]`.

## Date Format

Always use `yyyy-MM-dd` format for dates (e.g., `2026-04-12`). This matches Logseq's journal format and sorts correctly.

## Important Notes

- See `CLAUDE.md` "Logseq format invariants" for namespace separators, bullet format, properties, link syntax, and date format.
- When creating the `journals/` directory, use Bash (`mkdir -p`) or the Write tool to ensure it exists — do not skip this step.