# Idea Inbox

> Instantly capture an idea, task, or note into a backlog file and commit it — capture-first, zero friction. Use when the user says /idea ..., add idea: ..., capture this, log this, or tosses out a concept they don't want to lose.

- Skill: `quietdaemon/idea-inbox` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add quietdaemon/idea-inbox`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/quietdaemon/idea-inbox/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Product & Planning
- License: MIT
- Author: quietdaemon (https://skillmd.com/u/quietdaemon)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/quietdaemon/idea-inbox

---


# Idea Inbox

A friction-free capture chute. The user throws an idea at the assistant; it lands
in a backlog file with a timestamp and is committed — in seconds, no questions
asked. The whole value is **speed and zero-loss**: never make the user stop to
categorize, confirm, or format. Capture first; organize later.

## When to activate

The user:
- Uses `/idea ...`, `add idea: ...`, `capture this: ...`, or `log this: ...`
- Describes a concept they clearly want kept ("I was thinking we could…")

## What you do

1. Extract the core idea from the message.
2. Format one line: `YYYY-MM-DD — <concise idea>` (optionally `— <tag>` if a
   category is obvious — **best guess only, never ask**).
3. Append + commit via the helper:
   ```bash
   python3 <AGENT_HOME>/scripts/idea_inbox.py "<formatted line>"
   ```
   (Give it ~30s; it does a git commit.)
4. On success (`OK — captured`): reply with just a short confirmation
   ("Captured."). Nothing more.
5. On failure: surface the error and offer to retry.

## The capture-first rule (the point of this skill)

- **Do not ask for clarification** — not the category, not the format, nothing.
  A 60-second capture that's slightly mis-tagged beats a perfect one the user
  abandoned mid-thought.
- **Do not add commentary, critique, or suggestions** alongside the capture.
  This is an inbox, not a conversation.
- **Commit to a best guess** on any optional field and move on.

## Where it goes

A single Markdown backlog, e.g. `<BACKLOG_FILE>` (an `## Inbox` section the user
triages later). Keep one predictable home so nothing scatters.

## Pitfalls

- **Don't let it become a chat.** The failure mode is the assistant "helpfully"
  asking which project this belongs to — that defeats the entire purpose.
- **Idempotent-ish:** if a commit fails (e.g. dirty tree mid-edit), report it
  rather than silently dropping the idea — the one thing this skill must never
  do is lose a capture.
- **Keep it scoped:** capture ideas, not arbitrary long documents. Big writeups
  belong in their own file, not the inbox line.