Doc Consolidation

---
name: doc-consolidation
description: Merges ephemeral report and analysis artifacts into permanent documentation. Use when LLM-generated markdown files have accumulated and need consolidation.
globs: "**/*.md"
alwaysApply: false
category: documentation
tags:
- docs
- consolidation
- cleanup
- git-hygiene
- knowledge-management
status: stable
created: 2025-12-06
updated: 2025-12-06
modules:
- modules/candidate-detection.md
- modules/content-analysis.md
- modules/destination-routing.md
- modules/merge-execution.md
model_hint: standard
---

# Doc Consolidation

Extracts valuable knowledge from ephemeral LLM outputs and merges it into permanent documentation.

## When To Use

Use this skill when:
- You have untracked `*_REPORT.md` or `*_ANALYSIS.md` files from Claude sessions
- Git status shows markdown files that shouldn't be committed but contain useful content
- You want to preserve insights from code reviews, refactoring reports, or API audits
- Preparing a PR and need to clean up working artifacts

Do NOT use when:
- Files are already in proper documentation locations
  (`docs/`, `skills/`)
- Files are intentionally temporary scratch notes
- User explicitly wants to preserve the original report format
- Source files have no extractable value (pure log output)

## When NOT To Use

- Updating docs to match a code change (use `sanctum:doc-updates`)
- Detecting AI patterns in prose (use `scribe:slop-detector`)

## Formatting

When merging content into permanent documentation, follow
`Skill(leyline:markdown-formatting)` conventions: wrap prose
at 80 chars (prefer sentence/clause boundaries), blank lines
around headings, ATX headings only, blank line before lists,
and reference-style links for long URLs.

## Quick Start

```
/consolidate-docs
```

Or invoke directly:

```
I have some report files that need consolidating into permanent docs.
```

## Two-Phase Workflow

### Phase 1: Triage (Fast Model)

Read-only analysis to generate a consolidation plan:

1. **Detect candidates** - Find untracked markdown files with LLM output markers
2. **Analyze content** - Extract and categorize valuable sections
3. **Route destinations** - Match content to existing docs or propose new files
4. **Present plan** - Show user what will be consolidated and where

**Checkpoint**: User reviews and approves plan before execution.

### Phase 2: Execute (Main Model)

After approval, performs the consolidation:

1. **Merge content** - Weave into existing docs or create new files
2. **Delete sources** - Remove ephemeral files after successful merge
3. **Generate summary** - Report what was created/updated/deleted

## Workflow Details

### Step 1: Candidate Detection

Load: `@modules/candidate-detection.md`

Identifies files using:
- Git status (untracked `.md` files)
- Location (not in standard doc directories)
- Naming (ALL_CAPS non-standard names)
- Content markers (Executive Summary, Findings, Action Items)

### Step 2: Content Analysis

Load: `@modules/content-analysis.md`

For each candidate:
- Extract sections as content chunks
- Categorize: Actionable Items, Decisions, Findings, Metrics, Migration Guides, API Changes
- Score value: high/medium/low

### Step 3: Destination Routing

Load: `@modules/destination-routing.md`

For each valuable chunk:
- Semantic match against existing documentation
- Apply default mappings if no good match
- Determine merge strategy (weave, replace, append, create)
- **Check the audience tier before routing.** A destination
  serves one reader, and merging across tiers is how a
  getting-started page acquires an audit table. Report-derived
  findings, metrics, and rationale are `expert` content: route
  them to `docs/deep-dive/<topic>.md`, an ADR, or a benchmarks
  page, then link from the `newcomer` document rather than
  weaving into it. Tier table and cut test:
  `scribe:slop-detector` module `audience-targeting.md`. When
  the destination's own tier is unclear, **ask, do not guess**.

### Step 4: Generate Plan

Present consolidation plan to user:

```markdown
# Consolidation Plan

## Source: API_REVIEW_REPORT.md

| Content | Category | Value | Destination | Action |
|---------|----------|-------|-------------|--------|
| API inventory | Findings | High | docs/api-overview.md | Create |
| Action items | Actionable | High | docs/plans/2025-12-06-api.md | Create |

### Post-Consolidation
- Delete: API_REVIEW_REPORT.md

Proceed with consolidation? [Y/n]
```

### Step 5: Execute Merges

Load: `@modules/merge-execution.md`

After user approval:
- Group operations by destination file
- Apply merge strategies
- Validate results (frontmatter intact, structure preserved)
- Delete source files
- Generate execution summary

## Fast Model Delegation

Phase 1 tasks are delegated to haiku-class models for efficiency:

```python
# plugins/sanctum/scripts/consolidation_planner.py handles:
-scan_for_candidates()
-extract_content_chunks()
-categorize_chunks()
-score_value()
-find_semantic_matches()
```

Phase 2 stays on the main model for careful merge execution.

## Content Categories

| Category | Description | Default Destination |
|----------|-------------|---------------------|
| Actionable Items | Tasks, TODOs, next steps | `docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-{topic}.md` |
| Decisions Made | Architecture choices | `docs/adr/NNNN-{date}-{topic}.md` |
| Findings/Insights | Audit results, analysis | Best-match existing doc **of the same tier**, else `docs/deep-dive/` |
| Metrics/Baselines | Before/after comparisons | `docs/benchmarks/` |
| Migration Guides | Step-by-step procedures | `docs/migration-guide.md` |
| API Changes | Breaking changes, deprecations | CHANGELOG or api docs |

## Merge Strategies

### Intelligent Weave
Insert content into matching existing sections, preserving style.

  Use when: Destination has relevant section, content is additive.

### Replace Section
Replace existing section with more detailed new content.

  Use when: New content 2x+ more detailed or has later date.

### Append with Context
Add new section with date and source reference.

  Use when: No matching section, content doesn't fit existing structure.

### Create New File
Generate complete new document.

  Use when: No suitable destination exists, content warrants standalone doc.

## Integration

Works with other sanctum skills:

- **git-workspace-review**: May suggest consolidation when untracked reports detected
- **pr-prep**: Warns about untracked analysis files before PR creation
- **doc-updates**: Can invoke for final polish after consolidation

## Example Session

```
User: I have API_REVIEW_REPORT.md from our review session. Can you consolidate it?

Claude: I'll consolidate the report into permanent documentation.

**Phase 1: Triage**

Scanning for candidates...
- Found: API_REVIEW_REPORT.md (untracked, LLM markers detected)

Analyzing content...
- Extracted 6 content chunks
- High value: API inventory, action items, CLI recommendation
- Medium value: security assessment
- Low value: executive summary (generic)

Routing destinations...
- API inventory → docs/api-overview.md (CREATE)
- Action items → docs/plans/2025-12-06-api-consistency.md (CREATE)
- CLI naming → docs/adr/0002-cli-naming.md (CREATE ADR)
- Security → Already covered in docs/security.md (SKIP)

**Consolidation Plan**
[table shown]

Proceed? [Y/n]

User: Y

Claude: **Phase 2: Executing**

Created: docs/api-overview.md (1,247 bytes)
Created: docs/plans/2025-12-06-api-consistency.md (892 bytes)
Created: docs/adr/0002-2025-12-06-cli-naming.md (634 bytes)
Deleted: API_REVIEW_REPORT.md

Consolidation complete. Review the created files and commit when ready.
```

## Troubleshooting

### No candidates found
- Check git status for untracked files
- Files may already be in standard locations
- Try explicit file path: "Consolidate API_REVIEW_REPORT.md"

### Low-quality extractions
- Source file may lack structured sections
- Content may be too generic to categorize
- Try manual extraction for unstructured reports

### Merge conflicts
- Destination file structure changed
- Try APPEND strategy instead of WEAVE
- Manual intervention may be needed

## Related Skills

- `sanctum:doc-updates` - General documentation updates
- `sanctum:git-workspace-review` - Pre-flight workspace analysis
- `sanctum:pr-prep` - Pull request preparation
- `imbue:catchup` - Understanding recent changes

## Exit Criteria

- [ ] Consolidation plan presented to the user showing source files,
      content categories, destination paths, and merge strategies
      before any file is modified
- [ ] All source ephemeral files (`*_REPORT.md`, `*_ANALYSIS.md`, etc.)
      are deleted after their content is successfully merged
- [ ] Each merged destination file has its frontmatter intact and
      existing structure preserved after the merge
- [ ] No merge moved content into a document written for a
      different reader. Cross-tier content went to a linked deep
      dive instead
- [ ] `git status` shows no untracked report-style markdown files
      after consolidation completes
- [ ] If no candidates are found, skill reports "no candidates" with
      the search criteria used rather than silently completing