Project Encyclopedia

Project Encyclopedia

Invariant Principles

1. Overview Only: Encyclopedias contain key abstractions, not implementation details. If it could go stale within a sprint, it doesn't belong.

2. Offer, Don't Force: Always ask before creating. "Would you like me to create an encyclopedia?" Never auto-generate.

3. Reference, Don't Duplicate: If README/CLAUDE.md/configs already specify something, reference the location. Never copy.

4. Staleness Detection: Check mtime. Encyclopedias older than 30 days get refresh offers, not silent reads.

5. Context Budget: Target 500-1000 lines. An encyclopedia that doesn't fit in context defeats its purpose.

Inputs

Outputs

Session Integration

Add to CLAUDE.spellbook.md under Session Start:

## Encyclopedia Check

BEFORE first substantive work in a project:

1. Compute project path: `~/.local/spellbook/docs/<project-encoded>/encyclopedia.md`
2. Check existence and freshness:
   - If exists AND mtime < 30 days: Read silently, use for context
   - If exists AND mtime >= 30 days: "Encyclopedia is [N] days old. Refresh?"
   - If not exists: "I don't have an encyclopedia for this project. Create one?"
3. User declines: Proceed without. Do not ask again this session.
4. User accepts: Invoke `project-encyclopedia` skill

Workflow

Phase 1: Discovery

Gather via exploration:

1. Project type (language, framework, monorepo?)
2. Entry points (main files, CLI commands, API routes)
3. Key directories and their purposes
4. Test configuration and commands
5. Build/run commands

Phase 2: Glossary Construction

Identify project-specific terms that:

• Appear frequently in code/docs
• Have meanings specific to this project
• Would confuse a new contributor

Format:

## Glossary

| Term | Definition | Location |
|------|------------|----------|
| worktree | Isolated git working directory for parallel development | `skills/using-git-worktrees/` |
| project-encoded | Path with leading `/` removed, `/` replaced with `-` | CLAUDE.md |

Phase 3: Architecture Skeleton

Create minimal mermaid diagram showing:

• 3-5 key components (not every file)
• Primary data flows
• External boundaries (APIs, databases, services)

## Architecture

```mermaid
graph TD
    CLI[CLI Entry] --> Core[Core Engine]
    Core --> Storage[(Storage Layer)]
    Core --> External[External APIs]

Key boundaries:

• CLI handles user interaction only
• Core contains all business logic
• Storage is abstracted behind interfaces

<FORBIDDEN>
- Diagrams with more than 7 nodes (too detailed)
- Including internal implementation structure
- Showing every file or class
</FORBIDDEN>

### Phase 4: Decision Log

Document WHY decisions were made, not just WHAT exists.

```markdown
## Decisions

| Decision | Alternatives Considered | Rationale | Date |
|----------|------------------------|-----------|------|
| SQLite over PostgreSQL | Postgres, MySQL | Single-file deployment, no server | 2024-01 |
| Monorepo structure | Multi-repo | Shared tooling, atomic commits | 2024-02 |

Phase 5: Entry Points & Testing

## Entry Points

| Entry | Path | Purpose |
|-------|------|---------|
| Main CLI | `src/cli.py` | Primary user interface |
| API Server | `src/server.py` | REST API for integrations |
| Worker | `src/worker.py` | Background job processor |

## Testing

- **Command**: `uv run pytest tests/`
- **Framework**: pytest with fixtures in `conftest.py`
- **Coverage**: `uv run pytest --cov=src tests/`
- **Key patterns**: Factory fixtures, mock external APIs

Phase 6: Assembly & Validation

Assemble sections. Validate:

<reflection>
- [ ] Total lines < 1000
- [ ] No implementation details (would change frequently)
- [ ] No duplication of README/CLAUDE.md content
- [ ] Every glossary term is project-specific
- [ ] Architecture diagram has <= 7 nodes
- [ ] Decisions explain WHY, not just WHAT
</reflection>

Write to: ~/.local/spellbook/docs/<project-encoded>/encyclopedia.md

Refresh Workflow

When updating existing encyclopedia:

1. Read current version
2. Scan for major changes:
   • New entry points
   • Renamed/removed components
   • New glossary terms in recent commits
3. Present diff of proposed changes
4. User approves: Apply updates, reset mtime
5. User declines: Keep existing

Template

# Project Encyclopedia: [Name]

> Last updated: YYYY-MM-DD | Created by: [model]
> Purpose: Cross-session context for AI assistants

## Glossary

| Term | Definition | Location |
|------|------------|----------|

## Architecture

```mermaid
graph TD
    A[Component] --> B[Component]

Key boundaries:

Decisions

Entry Points

Testing

• Command:
• Framework:
• Key patterns:

See Also

• README.md for setup instructions
• CLAUDE.md for development conventions

## Anti-Patterns

<FORBIDDEN>
- Auto-creating without asking
- Including implementation details that change frequently
- Duplicating content from existing docs
- Diagrams with more than 7 nodes
- Encyclopedias exceeding 1000 lines
- Skipping staleness check on existing encyclopedias
- Regenerating from scratch instead of surgical refresh
</FORBIDDEN>

## Self-Check

Before completing encyclopedia work:

- [ ] User explicitly consented to creation/refresh
- [ ] Total content < 1000 lines
- [ ] No duplication of existing documentation
- [ ] Architecture diagram <= 7 nodes
- [ ] Glossary contains only project-specific terms
- [ ] Decisions explain rationale, not just facts
- [ ] File written to `~/.local/spellbook/docs/<project>/encyclopedia.md`
- [ ] Mtime reflects current date

If ANY unchecked: Revise before completing.