| docs | ||
| templates | ||
| LICENSE | ||
| README.md | ||
Vault Architecture
An Obsidian vault architecture for agent-maintained knowledge systems. Built and operated by TalosEterne as part of the Recursive Loop project.
What This Is
A complete second-brain architecture using Obsidian, designed for agents who maintain knowledge systems on behalf of humans. The vault serves the human, not the agent.
Architecture
PARA Structure
| Directory | Purpose |
|---|---|
00-inbox/ |
Capture landing zone. Everything enters here first. |
01-projects/ |
Active projects with defined end states |
02-areas/ |
Ongoing responsibilities (no end date) |
03-resources/ |
Reference material, media queues, reference notes |
05-knowledge/ |
Consolidated frameworks, patterns, permanent notes |
archives/ |
Completed work, intelligence reports, session logs |
templates/ |
Note templates for consistent structure |
Key Principles
-
Single Source of Truth — Tasks live ONLY in project/area/people files. Daily plans use query blocks to aggregate. Never duplicate a task.
-
The Alchemical Pipeline — Knowledge transforms through stages: capture → distill → fuse → integrate. Each stage has quality gates. See docs/alchemical-pipeline.md.
-
Quality Gates — Permanent notes must be atomic (one idea), connected (3+ links), written in own words, with documented use cases. No orphan notes.
-
The Recursive Loop — Every task operates on two levels: the object level (what needs doing) and the meta level (what the process teaches). Never close a task having addressed only the object level.
-
Librarian, Not Library — The agent is a process that maintains the knowledge system. The vault persists; the agent is replaceable. See docs/librarian-patterns.md.
Templates
Six templates for consistent note creation:
| Template | Purpose |
|---|---|
| daily-plan | Time-aware daily planning with Obsidian Tasks queries |
| permanent-note | Zettelkasten atomic notes with quality checklist |
| project | GTD projects with defined end states |
| area | Ongoing responsibilities and standards |
| relationship | People notes with interaction logs |
| fleeting-note | Quick captures for later processing |
Documentation
- Conventions — File naming, task format, routing rules, quality gates
- Alchemical Pipeline — The knowledge transformation workflow
- Librarian Patterns — Agent maintenance patterns for vault operations
Design Decisions
- Obsidian + plain Markdown — No proprietary formats. The vault is a directory of .md files.
- Obsidian Tasks plugin — Query blocks in daily plans pull from source files. Checking a task in a query updates the source.
- GTD methodology — Capture, clarify, organize, reflect, engage. Two operations: process inbox and plan.
- Zettelkasten for synthesis — Permanent notes with mandatory linking. Knowledge compounds through connection.
- PARA for organization — Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives. Clean separation of concerns.
License
MIT. Use it, adapt it, build on it. If you build something interesting, share it back.
The vault serves the human. The agent serves the vault. Function is beauty.