Bootstrap, maintain, and evolve context networks across their full lifecycle. Use when starting a new project, when existing documentation feels scattered, or when agent effectiveness degrades due to missing context.

Context Network Lifecycle You help users build and maintain context networks—structured frameworks for organizing project knowledge that persist across sessions and support both human and agent work. Your role is to diagnose context network state, generate appropriate scaffolding, and coach users on content decisions. Core Principle Context networks make relationships explicit. Implicit knowledge doesn't survive session boundaries. Structure enables discovery. The goal is not completeness but navigability. Quick Reference Use this skill when: Starting a new project that needs persistent context Existing documentation feels scattered or hard to navigate Agent effectiveness is degrading due to missing context Context retrospective identified gaps to address Key states: CN0: No Network Project has no context network CN1: Scattered Docs Documentation exists but isn't organized as a network CN2: Siloed Structure Structure exists but connections missing CN3: Navigation Broken Connections exist but hard to traverse CN4: Guidance Unclear Structure works but agent instructions fail CN5: Relationships Missing Impacts/dependencies undocumented CN6: Maintenance Failing Network exists but drifts from reality The States State CN0: No Network Symptoms: No .context network.md file. No context/ directory. Documentation scattered in README or absent entirely. Agent asks same questions each session. Key Questions: What type of project is this? (software, research, creative, personal knowledge) Who will use this context? (solo, team, agents) What's the expected lifespan? Interventions: Run Bootstrap Mode (see below) Generate discovery file and initial structure Coach on minimal viable content State CN1: Scattered Docs Symptoms: README.md has grown unwieldy. docs/ folder exists but files aren't connected. Architecture decisions buried in comments or commit messages. Agent finds partial info but misses connections. Key Questions: What documentation already exists? Which docs are still accurate? What relationships exist between these documents? Interventions: Scan for existing documentation Propose migration plan to context network structure Generate relationship mappings for migrated content State CN2: Siloed Structure Symptoms: Context network exists with clear directory structure. Files are well organized within domains. But cross references are sparse. Agent finds info within domains but misses cross domain implications. Key Questions: Which domains affect each other? What changes in A typically require changes in B? Are there shared concepts with different names in different domains? Interventions: Generate relationship templates Coach on identifying cross domain connections Create hub documents that bridge domains State CN3: Navigation Broken Symptoms: Information exists and is connected, but hard to find. status.md is stale. No clear entry points for common tasks. Agent reads many files to find what it needs. Key Questions: What are the most common tasks agents perform? Which files get read most often? Least often? Are there orphan documents no one accesses? Interventions: Create/update hub documents Establish task based navigation guides Prune or consolidate orphan content State CN4: Guidance Unclear Symptoms: Context network is well structured. CLAUDE.md exists but agents still make wrong decisions. Instructions exist but aren't followed. Agent behavior inconsistent with documented patterns. Key Questions: Which agent behaviors are problematic? Are instructions ambiguous or contradictory? Is guidance too abstract to act on? Interventions: Refine CLAUDE.md with specific, actionable instructions Add examples to abstract guidance Create decision trees for common choices State CN5: Relationships Missing Symptoms: Changes in one area unexpectedly break another. Dependencies discovered mid task. Impact of decisions unclear until after implementation. Agent doesn't know what else to check. Key Questions: What recent changes had unexpected ripple effects? Which components share data, state, or interfaces? What implicit contracts exist between areas? Interventions: Document dependency maps Create impact relationship documentation Add "affects" and "affected by" sections to key nodes State CN6: Maintenance Failing Symptoms: Context network was once useful but now drifts from reality. status.md describes old state. Decisions documented but not updated. Agent references outdated information. Key Questions: When was the network last meaningfully updated? What triggers should cause updates? Who/what is responsible for maintenance? Interventions: Establish maintenance cadence Define update triggers Integrate with context retrospective skill for continuous improvement Operational Modes Bootstrap Mode (CN0/CN1 → CN2) Use when starting fresh or organizing scattered documentation. Process: 1. Existing Documentation Scan Automatically scan for: README.md , docs/ , documentation/ Architecture decision records (ADRs, adr/ , decisions/ ) Design docs, planning files Package files ( package.json , Cargo.toml , pyproject.toml ) for project metadata Existing .claude/ or memory bank structures Report findings: 2. Project Discovery Questions Ask: Project type? Software / Research / Creative / Personal Knowledge Primary domains? (For software: frontend, backend, data, infra, etc.) Stakeholders? Solo / Team / Agents / Mixed Expected lifespan? Short term / Long term / Indefinite Which discovered docs to incorporate vs. leave in place? 3. Structure Generation Generate based on project type: For software projects: For research projects: For creative projects: For personal knowledge: Also generate: .context network.md discovery file in project root CLAUDE.md with basic agent instructions (if not present) 4. Migration Execution For docs user wants to incorporate: Copy/move to appropriate context network location Convert format if needed (e.g., flatten ADRs into decisions.md entries) Update internal cross references Add relationship metadata 5. Content Coaching Guide user to populate: status.md : Current state, recent changes, active work decisions.md : Key decisions made, rationale, date glossary.md : Project specific terms, abbreviations Relationships between migrated content Maintenance Mode (CN2 CN6 → improved state) Use when network exists but needs improvement. Process: 1. State Diagnosis Analyze: Structure completeness : Required files present? Domains covered? Relationship density : Cross references per document? Orphan files? Navigation paths : Clear entry points? Task based routes? Guidance clarity : CLAUDE.md actionable? Instructions followed? Freshness : Last update dates? Stale content? Produce diagnosis: 2. Gap Identification Prioritize: Critical : Blocking agent effectiveness (can't find what it needs) High : Requires real time discovery (agent has to search) Medium : Would improve efficiency (extra steps to navigate) Low : Nice to have (marginal improvement) 3. Intervention Based on diagnosed state: State Generate Coach CN2 Relationship templates How to identify connections CN3 Hub documents, navigation guides Task based organization CN4 CLAUDE.md refinements Writing actionable instructions CN5 Dependency map templates Impact analysis process CN6 Maintenance cadence doc Update triggers, responsibilities Retrospective Integration Accept output from context retrospective skill: 1. Import findings : Knowledge gaps, navigation issues, guidance assessments 2. Map to states : Which CN state do these findings indicate? 3. Prioritize : Use retrospective priority levels (Critical/High/Medium/Low) 4. Execute : Run appropriate maintenance mode interventions Anti Patterns The Empty Scaffold Pattern: Generating full directory structure but leaving files empty or with placeholder content only. Problem: Structure without content is worse than no structure—it creates false confidence that context exists. Fix: Generate only structure user commits to populating. Start with status.md and one domain. Expand as content accumulates. The Kitchen Sink Pattern: Initial network tries to anticipate every possible need. Complex taxonomies, deep hierarchies, elaborate metadata. Problem: Maintenance burden exceeds value. Network becomes intimidating. Users avoid updating it. Fix: Start minimal. Add structure only when pain emerges from its absence. Two levels of hierarchy maximum initially. The Orphan Network Pattern: Creating network during initial enthusiasm, then never updating it. status.md frozen in time. Problem: Stale context is worse than no context—agents act on outdated information. Fix: Establish minimal maintenance triggers: update status.md at session start/end. Schedule periodic retrospectives. The Template Trap Pattern: Using templates without adaptation. Every file has same sections regardless of relevance. Problem: Boilerplate obscures actual content. Templates become noise to skip. Fix: Templates are starting points, not requirements. Delete irrelevant sections. Add project specific ones. The Completeness Illusion Pattern: Believing the network can/should capture everything. Adding more and more detail hoping to prevent all gaps. Problem: Signal to noise degrades. Navigation becomes impossible. Maintenance unsustainable. Fix: Focus on high impact gaps. Document what agents actually need. Accept that some discovery will always be real time. Verification (Oracle) What This Skill Can Verify Structure completeness Required files exist, directories present Link validity Cross references point to existing targets Freshness indicators Last modified dates, update frequency Orphan detection Files with no incoming references What Requires Human Judgment Content quality Is the information accurate and useful? Relationship accuracy Do documented connections reflect reality? Appropriate scope Is the network right sized for the project? Navigation effectiveness Do paths match actual usage patterns? Design Constraints This Skill Assumes Project benefits from persistent context across sessions User wants agent accessible documentation Some structure is better than pure freeform notes This Skill Does Not Handle Real time project work Route to: domain specific skills Retrospective analysis of agent sessions Route to: context retrospective Framework development Route to: skill builder Degradation Signals User wants "just a README" may not need full network Project lifespan < 1 week overhead may exceed benefit Pure spike/experiment freeform notes may be better fit Output Persistence Output Discovery Before generating structure: 1. Check for existing .context network.md 2. Check for existing context/ directory 3. If starting fresh, confirm target location with user Primary Output This skill generates: .context network.md Discovery file context/ directory structure Template files (status.md, decisions.md, glossary.md) CLAUDE.md updates (if needed) What Goes Where Goes to File Stays in Conversation Directory structure Diagnosis discussion Template files Coaching Q&A Discovery file Migration decisions CLAUDE.md updates Prioritization reasoning Integration Graph Inbound (From Other Skills) Source Skill Trigger Action context retrospective Gap findings Run Maintenance Mode skill builder New skill needs context Run Bootstrap Mode Outbo

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