summarizing-topic

name	summarizing-topic
description	Synthesize knowledge on a topic from multiple notes. Use when asked "what do I know about X", "summarize topic", "synthesize notes on", or "overview of".
allowed-tools	Read, Glob, Grep

Synthesizing Topic Knowledge

This skill aggregates knowledge from multiple notes on a topic to create a unified understanding.

Workflow

1. Identify the Topic

The user will specify a topic, which could be:

• A tag (e.g., "vue", "testing")
• A concept (e.g., "local-first", "composables")
• A question (e.g., "how to test Vue apps")

2. Find Related Notes

Search by tag:

grep -l "tags:.*topic-name" content/*.md

Search by title/content:

grep -l "topic keyword" content/*.md

Search by wiki-links:

grep -l "\[\[topic-related-slug\]\]" content/*.md

3. Read and Extract

For each related note, extract:

• Title and type: What is this content?
• Summary: The core idea
• Key points: Main takeaways
• Quotes: Memorable passages
• Connections: What it links to

4. Synthesize

Combine the extracted knowledge into a coherent overview:

## What You Know About [Topic]

### Overview
[1-2 paragraph synthesis of the topic based on your notes]

### Key Themes
1. **Theme A**: Explanation drawing from multiple notes
2. **Theme B**: Explanation drawing from multiple notes

### Sources in Your Knowledge Base
| Note | Type | Key Contribution |
|------|------|------------------|
| [[note-1]] | article | Introduces concept X |
| [[note-2]] | book | Deep dive on approach Y |
| [[note-3]] | podcast | Practical examples |

### Notable Quotes
> "Quote from note-1"

> "Quote from note-2"

### Gaps and Questions
- You don't have notes on [related subtopic]
- Consider exploring: [suggested areas]

### Suggested Next Steps
- Read [[related-note]] for more on X
- Consider adding notes on Y

Synthesis Guidelines

Do:

• Identify common threads across notes
• Note contradictions or different perspectives
• Highlight unique insights from each source
• Suggest gaps in coverage

Don't:

• Just list summaries without connecting them
• Ignore contradictions between sources
• Over-quote without synthesis
• Make up information not in the notes

Output Formats

Brief Summary

For quick reference - 2-3 paragraphs max.

Comprehensive Overview

For deep understanding - includes all sections above.

Gap Analysis

Focus on what's missing - useful for deciding what to read next.

Quality Checklist

When synthesizing:

• Found all relevant notes (tags + keywords)
• Read each note thoroughly
• Identified common themes
• Noted contradictions or tensions
• Credited sources with wiki-links
• Highlighted gaps in coverage
• Provided actionable next steps