cross-reference-maintenance

name	cross-reference-maintenance
description	Maintain cross-references between artifacts and documentation. Identify missing references, update existing references, validate reference integrity, and ensure all links are current. Use when maintaining reference integrity or updating references after changes.

Cross-Reference Maintenance Skill

Maintain cross-references between artifacts and documentation, ensuring reference integrity and completeness.

When to Use

• Use when maintaining reference integrity
• Use when updating references after file moves
• Use when validating cross-references
• Use when identifying missing references

Instructions

Maintenance Process

1. Scan artifacts: Review all artifacts for references
2. Identify missing: Find artifacts that should have references but don't
3. Validate existing: Check that existing references are valid
4. Update broken: Fix broken or outdated references
5. Add missing: Add missing references where appropriate

Reference Identification

Missing References

Look for:

• Related artifacts without cross-references
• Documentation without artifact links
• Artifacts without documentation links
• Broken reference chains

Invalid References

Check for:

• Broken file paths
• References to non-existent files
• Incorrect relative paths
• Outdated references after moves

Reference Updates

When Files Move

1. Find all references: Search for references to moved file
2. Update paths: Update all reference paths
3. Verify links: Ensure links work after update
4. Check documentation: Update documentation references

When Files Are Added

1. Identify related: Find artifacts related to new file
2. Add forward refs: Add references in new file
3. Add backward refs: Add references in related files
4. Update docs: Add to documentation

When Files Are Removed

1. Find all references: Search for references to removed file
2. Remove references: Remove from all artifacts
3. Update documentation: Remove from docs
4. Verify cleanup: Ensure no broken references

Validation Checklist

For each artifact:

• Has "Related Artifacts" section
• References are to existing files
• Paths are correct
• Bidirectional references where appropriate
• Documentation links are current

Examples

Example 1: Adding Missing References

Scenario: New rule created, but related skill doesn't reference it

Action:

1. Identify related skill
2. Add reference to new rule in skill's "Related Artifacts" section
3. Add reference to skill in rule's "Related Artifacts" section
4. Update documentation if needed

Example 2: Fixing Broken References

Scenario: File moved, but references still point to old location

Action:

1. Find all references to old path
2. Update all references to new path
3. Verify links work
4. Check documentation references

Best Practices

• Validate references regularly
• Update immediately when files change
• Maintain bidirectional references when relevant
• Document reference relationships
• Use relative paths consistently

Related Artifacts

• Cross-Referencing Rule
• Update Cross-References Command
• Cross-Reference Maintainer Subagent
• Skills/Commands Patterns