| name | backlinks |
| description | Use when asked to audit backlinks or repair the knowledge graph structure, or when /backlinks is invoked. Do NOT use for finding conceptual bridges between ideas — use /connect for that. |
Skill: /backlinks [argument]
Audit the vault's backlink structure to surface orphaned notes, dead links, and one-way connections — the value is in finding what the knowledge graph has lost or never built.
Don't: use this to find conceptual bridges — that's /connect. Don't auto-fix findings — surface for Shane to act on.
Steps
- Parse the argument/topic from Shane's request.
- Follow Qwen Protocol with:
task: "Vault access (bash only, no MCP tools): obsidian search query='TERM' limit=10, obsidian read file='Note Name' (no .md), obsidian backlinks file='Note Name'. Audit the vault's backlink structure around '[argument]' (or broadly). Find orphaned notes, broken connections, and opportunities to strengthen the knowledge graph."
skill: "backlinks"
- Review Qwen's result, synthesize if needed, and present to Shane.
Fallback
If Qwen is unavailable:
- If
[argument] is provided, run obsidian search query='[argument]' limit=10 via bash; otherwise run broad searches (e.g. obsidian search query='MOC OR index OR hub' limit=20) via bash to sample the vault
- Read a set of notes by running
obsidian read file='[note name]' via bash for each — look for [[wikilinks]] and [[note references]] embedded in them
- Identify backlink health:
- Orphaned notes: notes that exist but appear nowhere as a
[[link]] in other notes
- Dead links:
[[links]] that reference notes that don't exist yet
- One-way links: A links to B, but B never links back to A despite being clearly related
- Hub notes: notes that are referenced frequently — check they're actually well-developed
- If scoped to
[argument], analyze the local backlink cluster; if broad, sample across the vault
- Present findings as:
- Orphaned notes (list with brief description of what's isolated)
- Dead links / missing notes worth creating
- Recommended reciprocal links to add
- Hub notes that need more development
- Prioritize the top 3–5 highest-value repairs