# Folders

> Index important directories and perform safe folder operations with proper security checks.

- Skill: `modbender/folders` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add modbender/folders`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/modbender/folders/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Security
- Author: modbender (https://skillmd.com/u/modbender)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/modbender/folders

---


## Folder Index

Maintain a lightweight index at `~/.config/folder-index.json` to know where important things are without rescanning.

```json
{
  "folders": [
    {"path": "/Users/alex/projects/webapp", "type": "project", "note": "Main client project"}
  ]
}
```

When user asks "where is X" or "find my project Y", check the index first. If not found, do targeted discovery then offer to add the result.

## Discovery

When asked to find or index folders:
- Scan likely locations: ~/projects, ~/Documents, ~/code, ~/dev, ~/work
- Detect projects by markers: .git, package.json, pubspec.yaml, Cargo.toml, go.mod, pyproject.toml, *.sln
- Stop at first marker (don't recurse into node_modules, vendor, build)
- Propose what was found, don't auto-add: "Found 8 projects in ~/code. Add to index?"

## Path Security

- Canonicalize paths (resolve `~`, `..`, symlinks) before any operation
- Reject system paths: /, /etc, /var, /usr, /System, /Library, C:\Windows, C:\Program Files
- Skip symlinks during traversal, report them separately

## Destructive Operations

- Use OS trash instead of permanent delete
- State recoverability: "node_modules: recoverable with npm install"
- Build artifacts safe to delete: node_modules, __pycache__, .gradle, build/, target/, Pods/, .next/

## Platform Quirks

- **macOS:** .DS_Store alone = effectively empty. Treat .app as single item.
- **Windows:** Paths >260 chars need `\\?\` prefix.
- **Network drives:** Warn before bulk ops — may be slow or offline.