How do I install the Para Second Brain skill?

Run npx skillmds add robdefeo/para-second-brain in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Para Second Brain safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Capability flags: executes scripts. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Para Second Brain?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Para Second Brain free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Para Second Brain?

robdefeo (@robdefeo) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Para Second Brain by robdefeo — Agent Skill

Name: Para Second Brain
Rating: 4.5 (4 reviews)
Author: robdefeo

Para Second Brain

Use this skill when the user wants to organize, classify, or maintain a PARA-method second brain. Triggers include asking where to file something, distinguishing projects from areas, processing an inbox, setting up a new project, completing or archiving a project, running a monthly review, validating system structure, or finding stale/orphaned content.

robdefeo 52ea696 18 files · 20.8 KB Updated Sep 9, 2026

File contents

PARA Method

Use this skill to help users organize and maintain a second brain using the PARA system (Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives).

Routing

Pick the entry point based on user intent:

Classification and "where does this go?" questions: read references/decision-trees.md
Example requests and edge-case comparisons: read references/examples.md
Operational process requests (inbox, review, setup, close-out, archive): read references/workflows.md
Troubleshooting pain points and validation guidance: read references/common-problems.md

If the request is broad or does not clearly match one route, default to references/decision-trees.md.

Output Convention

Classification guidance and Q&A: answer in chat
Validation workflows: run scripts/validate.sh and write report output to PARA-validation-YYYY-MM-DD.md in the current working directory
Installation location: out of scope for this skill; installation is handled by separate tooling

Terminology

Use "second brain" for the user's vault/folder structure
Use "PARA system" only for the method/framework

Validation Workflow

When the user asks to validate structure or project health:

Read references/common-problems.md for interpretation guidance.
Run scripts/validate.sh <path> (or omit path to use current directory).
Save report output to PARA-validation-YYYY-MM-DD.md if user wants a file.
Summarize critical findings and recommended next actions.

Frequently asked questions