idea-ingest

# Idea Ingest Skill > **Filing rule:** Read `skills/_brain-filing-rules.md` before creating any new page. ## Contract This skill guarantees: - Every ingested item has a brain page with genuine analysis (not just a summary) - The author is always credited: back-linked from an existing `people/` page (timeline update), or inline on the ingested page (`**Author:** {Author}, {role}`) when no page exists. A NEW `people/` page is created only when the author passes the notability gate AND you have at least two independent, durable facts about them beyond this one item — never a stub (`skills/_brain-filing-rules.md` §Notability Gate) - Cross-links created bidirectionally (source ↔ author, source ↔ mentioned entities) - Raw source preserved for provenance via `gbrain files upload-raw` - Every fact has an inline `[Source: ...]` citation - Filing follows primary subject rules (not format-based) **Returns** (when invoked by another skill or sub-agent): - `page_path`: brain page path of the ingested item (e.g., `concepts/flywheel-effects`) - `author_path`: brain page path of the author (e.g., `people/alice-example`), or `null` when the notability gate was skipped and the author was credited inline instead - `cross_links`: list of all cross-links created - `status`: `ingested` | `updated` | `fetch_failed` > **Convention:** See `skills/conventions/quality.md` for Iron Law back-linking. Every mention of a person or company with a brain page MUST create a back-link. Format: `- **YYYY-MM-DD** | Referenced in [page title](path) — brief context` ## Phases 1. **Fetch the content.** Use appropriate tools for the content type (web fetch for articles, API for tweets, PDF reader for documents). 2. **Upload raw source.** Save the fetched content for provenance: `gbrain files upload-raw <file> --page <slug>` 3. **Identify the author — notability-gated.** Search brain for an existing author page first. - If page exists → update timeline with this new publication, then cross-link both directions - If no page → create one ONLY if the author passes the notability gate (`skills/_brain-filing-rules.md` §Notability Gate, `skills/conventions/quality.md`) AND at least two independent, durable facts about them exist beyond this one item. Create a FULL page (not a stub) from enrichment — a single ingested item is not an entity worth a page. - Otherwise credit the author inline on the ingested page (`**Author:** {Author}, {role}`) and note the gap in the reply. When in doubt, DON'T create. A missing page can be created later. 4. **Save to brain.** File by PRIMARY SUBJECT (read `skills/_brain-filing-rules.md`): - About a person → `people/` - About a company → `companies/` - A reusable framework → `concepts/` - Raw data dump → `sources/` 5. **Analyze for the user.** Reply with analysis that connects the content to what the brain knows. Think about: - Active projects — is this relevant? - Contradictions — does this challenge existing brain knowledge? - Connections — does this involve known people/companies? - Don't just summarize. Tell the user things they wouldn't have noticed. 6. **Sync.** `gbrain sync` to update the index. ## Output Format ```markdown # {Title} — {Author} **Source:** {URL} **Author:** {Author}, {role} **Published:** {date} **Ingested:** {date} ## Context {Why this matters now, connected to brain knowledge} ## Summary {3-5 bullet core arguments} ## Key Data / Claims {Specific facts, numbers, quotes} ## Analysis {How this connects to existing brain knowledge. What's new. What contradicts.} ``` ## Edge Cases - **Fetch fails (paywall, 404, timeout):** Save a stub page with URL + metadata + reason for failure. Tell the user content couldn't be fetched and ask if they can paste it. - **Duplicate URL:** Before ingesting, search brain for the URL. If found, update the existing page rather than creating a new one. Tell the user it was already ingested. - **No identifiable author:** Use `sources/` filing. Skip the people page but note the gap. - **Tweet thread vs single tweet:** Fetch the entire thread. Treat the thread as one unit. - **Video/podcast link:** Note that only metadata can be ingested unless a transcript is available. Ask the user for a transcript. - **Raw upload:** Use the `file_upload` tool (not CLI `gbrain files upload-raw`) when operating as an agent. ## When it fails Follow the [agent operator protocol](../conventions/agent-operator-protocol.md) for any gbrain error `code`, exit code, `[AGENT]` block or notice block. Specific to this skill: - The fetch fails (paywall, 404, timeout): save a stub with URL, metadata and the failure reason (`status: fetch_failed`) and ask the user to paste the content. - `gbrain files upload-raw` / `file_upload` is refused (path outside the allowed root, payload too large): tell the user the limit and offer a link or an excerpt instead. - `write_pending` (exit 10) on the page write: poll `gbrain write-request <request_id>` before reporting `ingested`. ## Anti-Patterns - Just summarizing without connecting to brain knowledge - Filing everything in `sources/` (sources is for raw data dumps only) - Dropping the author credit entirely — neither a back-link on an existing author page nor an inline `**Author:**` line on the ingested page - Creating a `people/` page that fails the notability gate in `skills/_brain-filing-rules.md` or is a stub built from this one item - Not cross-linking to mentioned entities - Ingesting without checking brain first for existing coverage - Overwriting an existing brain page instead of merging new content into it - Hallucinating connections to brain knowledge — only cite connections you verified via search/query - Creating generic slugs like `concepts/strategy` — be specific: `concepts/flywheel-effects` - Assuming the fetch succeeded without verifying content was actually retrieved