| name | add-domain |
| description | Add a new knowledge domain to an existing vault. Creates domain-specific MOCs, templates, and vocabulary mappings. |
| tags | ["architecture","domain","expansion"] |
Skill: add-domain
Delegates to: @ars-contexta:vault-architect
Trigger
Invoke this skill when the user wants to extend their vault with a new subject area, discipline, or knowledge domain — without rebuilding from scratch.
Arguments
Optional: domain name (e.g. add-domain "machine learning")
Behavior
Conversation Phase
If no domain name was provided, ask: "What domain do you want to add? Describe the kinds of things you'll be capturing in it."
Conduct a brief 2–3 turn conversation to understand:
- The domain's vocabulary (what do practitioners call things?)
- How this domain relates to existing domains in the vault
- Typical note granularity for this domain (concepts, papers, people, projects?)
- Whether this domain needs its own MOC hierarchy or integrates into an existing one
Derivation Phase
Derive domain-specific configuration:
- Vocabulary mappings: canonical terms the user uses for notes, links, and tags in this domain
- MOC hierarchy: which hub MOC this domain hangs from, and what topic MOCs are needed immediately
- Templates: note templates tuned to the domain's typical structure
- Schema additions: any new frontmatter fields needed for this domain's notes
Proposal Phase
Show the user what will be generated:
- New MOC files and their location in
notes/
- New templates and their names
- Additions to
ops/derivation-manifest.md
- Any updates to context files (
copilot-instructions.md, CLAUDE.md)
Wait for confirmation before generating.
Generation Phase
Execute the approved additions:
- Create domain MOC(s) in
notes/ using the vault's established MOC template
- Create domain-specific note templates in
templates/
- Append domain entry to
ops/derivation-manifest.md under the domains section
- Update
ops/config.yaml if new schema fields were added
- Refresh
copilot-instructions.md and CLAUDE.md to include domain vocabulary
Validation
Confirm that:
- New MOC links into at least one existing MOC (no orphan domains)
- All new templates pass the vault's schema enforcement rules
ops/derivation-manifest.md reflects the addition with a timestamp
