---
path_id: obsidian-knowledge-base-setup
path_version: 1
status: needs_retest
generated_from: SkillsTested structured records
---

# Loose notes to a maintainable Obsidian knowledge base

> Evidence status: NEEDS RETEST. This pack does not extend the published evidence boundary.

## Outcome

A transformed vault with a documented information architecture, reusable templates, valid links, and an audit report.

## Required inputs

- A copy of the source notes with secrets removed
- Desired top-level topics and naming rules
- Target Obsidian desktop environment

## Expected outputs

- Vault information architecture
- Markdown and property templates
- Transformed notes and links
- Broken-link, duplicate, and classification report

## Pinned installs

### obsidian-skills (5-skill pack)

- Source: https://github.com/kepano/obsidian-skills
- Commit tested: `a1dc48e`
- Verification: `install_verified`
- Install: `npx skills add https://github.com/kepano/obsidian-skills -a claude-code -s '*' -y`
- Not verified: A desktop-backed obsidian-cli workflow or an end-to-end vault transformation.

## Execution

### 1. Freeze the vault contract

- Purpose: Prevent an agent from inventing a taxonomy while moving real notes.
- Input: Anonymized note sample, desired topics, naming rules, and exclusions
- Instruction: Define allowed folders, properties, link conventions, templates, duplicate policy, and files the transformation must never touch.
- Output: vault-contract.md
- Evidence level: `unverified`
- Human confirmation: required

### 2. Transform with Obsidian conventions

- Purpose: Apply the pack's Markdown, Bases, JSON Canvas, Defuddle, and CLI conventions to the approved contract.
- Input: vault-contract.md and a disposable copy of the source notes
- Instruction: Work only in the disposable copy. Use instruction-only skills first; invoke desktop-backed CLI actions only on the approved macOS test machine.
- Output: transformed-vault/
- Evidence level: `install_verified`
- Human confirmation: required

### 3. Verify content integrity

- Purpose: Detect lost notes, broken links, duplicates, invalid properties, and incorrect classification before replacement of any real vault.
- Input: Source note manifest and transformed-vault/
- Instruction: Compare file counts and hashes, validate links and properties, list duplicates and unclassified notes, and require a human privacy and misclassification review.
- Output: vault-verification.md
- Evidence level: `unverified`
- Human confirmation: required

## Evidence

### kepano/obsidian-skills five-skill pack installed and inspected

- Date: 2026-07-23
- What it proves: All five skills installed successfully. The markdown, bases, JSON Canvas, Defuddle, and Obsidian CLI package structures were inspected.
- Not verified: A desktop-backed Obsidian CLI run, a real note migration, link-quality measurement, privacy review, or an end-to-end transformed vault.
- Source: https://skillstested.com/skills/obsidian/

## Known limits

- Only installation and package structure are verified today.
- The Obsidian CLI requires a desktop app and was not run in the headless environment.
- No real vault transformation, privacy review, or link-quality measurement has been completed.
- This path must run on a disposable vault copy until the end-to-end test passes.

## Next verification

Create 20 to 30 anonymous notes with a frozen expected structure, run the complete workflow on macOS with Obsidian, and publish before and after vaults plus loss, duplicate, link, and classification metrics.