# Consolidate Notes

Promote existing research into a stable-status canonical article under `articles/` in a...

- Repository: https://github.com/inkeep/open-knowledge (4756 stars)
- Category: Writing
- License: GPL-3.0
- Last updated: 2026-10-31
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add inkeep/open-knowledge --skill consolidate-notes -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add inkeep/open-knowledge --skill consolidate-notes -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add inkeep/open-knowledge --skill consolidate-notes -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add inkeep/open-knowledge --skill consolidate-notes -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Promote existing research into a stable-status canonical article under `articles/` in a Knowledge Base project (the `knowledge-base` starter pack). Read when a decision has actually been made and the team wants the source-of-truth written down, or when asked to consolidate, canonicalize, promote research, or supersede an older article. Carries the decision-confirmation gate, the `supersedes:` chain that keeps the evidence trail intact, and the canonical voice. Does not conduct new research, that is the sibling `research-with-sources` skill.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Consolidate, promote research into a canonical article

> This skill is pack guidance. The platform `/open-knowledge` skill (read/write/preview/linking/grounding rules) still governs every markdown operation, this layers the procedure on top.

Promote existing research on a topic into a canonical article under `articles/`. **Canonical, not provisional**, the output is the source of truth for future agents, not a snapshot of uncertainty.

The content directory is the resolved `content.dir`, read it with `config({ key: 'content.dir' })` if you don't already know it. Paths below are relative to it.

**Legacy reads:** Existing research and articles may use `status: provisional` / `canonical`, and existing `sources:` may contain string paths. Treat those as draft / stable and source resources. Do not mass-rewrite them; new writes use the OKF forms below.

## STOP gate: has a decision actually been made?

Consolidation is **promotion, not creation**. If the team hasn't decided, the resulting "canonical" article lies about the team's state of understanding, future agents read it, act on it, and the false certainty compounds.

Before any write, confirm out loud with the user:

- **What is the actual decision?** (e.g., "We chose Yjs for CRDT", not "Yjs is one option")
- **What alternatives were considered and rejected?** (these go in "Alternatives considered," not as equals)
- **What's the rationale the team used?** (not your reconstruction from sources)

If the decision is still open, **do not consolidate**. Tell the user: "The research is still provisional. When the team decides, come back and consolidate with the outcome." Then stop.

## When to use this procedure

- A team has made a decision after research and wants the outcome committed as canonical knowledge
- You want to compact several provisional research notes into one authoritative article
- A developer asks to "consolidate" or "finalize" the knowledge on a topic

The rest: https://github.com/inkeep/open-knowledge/blob/HEAD/packages/server/assets/skills/packs/knowledge-base/consolidate/SKILL.md