# Second Brain Digest > Admit authorized local files into a governed Second Brain vault and consolidate them into the minimum source-backed objects, relationships, events, timelines, and current state. Use for evidence intake, knowledge digestion, duplicate-note convergence, or updating existing vault knowledge without blind append. - Skill: `leevi2010-cursor/second-brain-digest` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 9 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add leevi2010-cursor/second-brain-digest` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/leevi2010-cursor/second-brain-digest/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: leevi2010-cursor (https://skillmd.com/u/leevi2010-cursor) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/leevi2010-cursor/second-brain-digest --- # Second Brain Digest Turn bounded local material into traceable Sources and minimal, evolving knowledge. The public Skill contains workflow code and generic contracts only; each user's vault rules, authority structure, content, and project configuration remain private and authoritative. ## Configuration and authority Set the vault root explicitly for each shell session: ```bash SECOND_BRAIN_ROOT="/path/to/knowledge-vault" ``` The vault must contain a root `.AGENTS.md`. Read it before any inventory, move, or knowledge update. Use the core-note directories and concept registry named there; do not assume another user's `Projects/`, `people/`, `Methods/`, or governance layout. The scripts use these public defaults below the configured vault root: - `evidence/sources/`: admitted canonical Source bytes. - `evidence/.intake/`: private intake plans and receipts. - `evidence/.processing/`: private semantic-batch state. The vault owner must keep `.intake/`, `.processing/`, and confidential Source bytes out of public Git history. Installed Skill copies are runtime projections, not knowledge authority. ## Read the matching contract - For inventory or file admission, read [the vault intake contract](references/vault-contract.md). - For semantic digestion, note updates, or convergence, read [the knowledge evolution protocol](references/digest-protocol.md) and use [the result schema](references/digest-result.schema.json). - For PDF, office files, images, audio, video, or chat exports, read [the format adapter contract](references/format-adapters.md). ## Workflow 1. **Bound the request.** Identify exact Source roots, exclusions, requested mode, authority owner, and whether moving files is authorized. Inventory permission alone does not authorize a move or note edit. 2. **Inventory.** Read metadata and only the hashes needed for a deterministic plan. Do not follow symbolic links or scan broad roots such as `/`, the home directory, or the vault itself. 3. **Plan admission.** Run `evidence_intake.py plan`. Review the plan summary, exclusions, blocked paths, total files, total bytes, and `plan_digest`. Planning never moves a file. 4. **Apply only the approved plan.** Run `apply` only when the user has authorized that exact scope. Pass the exact digest to `--confirm`; preflight failure must result in zero moves. 5. **Fix the semantic batch.** Read the complete Source batch and every existing note that may be updated. Run `digest_batch.py prepare` with stable Source IDs and the vault-relative read set. 6. **Prefer update over append.** Resolve stable identity, current state, events, relationships, conflicts, and unknowns. Update a canonical note when it can absorb the information. Create a candidate only when the vault needs an independently owned, repeatedly referenced object or method. 7. **Produce one ordered result.** Save one `result.json` under the prepared batch. Parallel readers may emit candidates only when the user authorizes parallel work; one aggregator resolves duplicates and ordering before the final result. 8. **Validate before editing.** Run `digest_batch.py validate`. Evidence references must match admitted Source ID, vault-relative path, SHA-256, and a stable locator. If the Source or read set drifted, reread instead of overwriting. 9. **Apply serially and complete.** Edit only the validated notes, then run `complete` with every changed or newly created note. Read back Source hashes, note hashes, conflicts, and residue before reporting completion. ## Evidence and privacy rules Each changed state, event, relationship, claim, or conflict needs at least: ```text source_id + vault-relative source path + sha256 + locator ``` Keep credentials, identifiers, addresses, private conversations, health details, and unrelated personal information in the private Source layer unless the user has authorized a specific long-term business use. Store only the minimum fields needed for the decision. Missing content stays unknown; filenames and placeholders are not evidence of contents. Do not convert a repeated mention into a new object, co-occurrence into a relationship, one case into a universal method, or a model inference into a permanent fact. Preserve competing claims when identity or authority cannot be proved. ## Commands Create a no-move intake plan: ```bash python3 scripts/evidence_intake.py plan \ --vault "$SECOND_BRAIN_ROOT" \ --source "/path/to/bounded-source" \ --exclude-extension .dmg ``` Apply and verify one authorized plan: ```bash python3 scripts/evidence_intake.py apply \ --plan "$SECOND_BRAIN_ROOT/evidence/.intake//plan.json" \ --confirm "" python3 scripts/evidence_intake.py status \ --plan "$SECOND_BRAIN_ROOT/evidence/.intake//plan.json" ``` Prepare, validate, and complete a semantic batch: ```bash python3 scripts/digest_batch.py prepare \ --vault "$SECOND_BRAIN_ROOT" \ --batch-id "digest_" \ --source-id "src_<24-hex>" \ --read-note "path/to/current-note.md" python3 scripts/digest_batch.py validate \ --vault "$SECOND_BRAIN_ROOT" \ --batch-id "digest_" python3 scripts/digest_batch.py complete \ --vault "$SECOND_BRAIN_ROOT" \ --batch-id "digest_" \ --changed-note "path/to/current-note.md" ``` Index a long WeChat-style Markdown export without copying its message body: ```bash python3 scripts/wechat_windows.py index \ --source "$SECOND_BRAIN_ROOT/evidence/sources//.md" \ --max-messages 1000 ``` ## Modes and stopping points - `inventory`: report the bounded scope; do not move files or edit notes. - `admit`: complete an authorized evidence intake and stop before semantic digestion. - `digest`: update minimum knowledge from already admitted Sources; do not admit extra files. - `consolidate`: compare duplicate notes and propose one authority; stop when identity, ownership, or deletion authority is unclear. - `report`: summarize existing notes and receipts without creating a second fact store. Stop the affected scope on incomplete reads, permission errors, Source drift, broken locators, conflicting identity, or missing authority. Preserve the Source, plan, batch result, and unknowns; never fill gaps by guessing.