#+TITLE: SKILL: Atomic Notes (Zettelkasten) (Permanent Knowledge)
#+author: Amero Garcia
#+created: [2026-03-16 Mon 14:28]
#+ID: skill-atomic-notes
#+DATE: 2026-03-11
#+STARTUP: content

* Philosophy
Atomic notes. Stand-alone knowledge. Linked by ideas, not categories. Use the second-degree connection to build a brain.

* The Workflow

** 1. Fleeting Notes (`$MEMEX_DAILY/`)
- Temporary captures from today's sessions or conversations.
- Put these in the daily file: `YYYY-MM-DD.org`.
- Don't worry about structure; just get the facts down.

** 2. Literature Notes (`$MEMEX_RESOURCES/`)
- Summaries of external material (books, articles, podcasts) in your own words.
- Always include a source link.

** 3. Permanent Notes (`$MEMEX_NOTES/`)
- *Atomic:* Each note covers exactly ONE concept or idea.
- *Stand-alone:* A developer or researcher should understand it without context.
- *Linked:* Every new note must link to at least one existing note. Look for non-obvious connections.

** 4. Structuring
- Use `ID` properties for Org-roam style linking.
- Avoid deep folder hierarchies; let the links provide the structure.
- Review and prune. Knowledge that isn't connected is forgotten.

** 5. Discovery
- When researching a new topic, always search the existing Atomic Notes (Zettelkasten) first.
- Link new findings to old assumptions.
- Identify "Second-Degree" connections (A -> B, B -> C, therefore A -> C).

* The Distillation Pipeline

** 6. Nightly Distillation
- Dailies (`$MEMEX_DAILY/`) are raw, immutable logs. They are never destructively modified during processing.
- A state file (`$MEMEX_SYSTEM/distillation-state.json`) tracks the last processed Git commit hash.
- **Process:**
  1. Read state file for the last processed commit.
  2. Diff `$MEMEX_DAILY/` since that commit to identify new Atomic Notes (Zettelkasten) captures.
  3. Extract these captures.
  4. Generate a descriptive, concept-based filename (e.g., `proof_of_work.org`). *NO DATES IN PERMANENT FILENAMES.*
  5. Create the new atomic note in `$MEMEX_NOTES/` with an `#+ID` and a `Source:` link pointing back to the specific daily log heading.
  6. Update `distillation-state.json` with the new commit hash.

** 7. Weekly Interlinking (Maintenance)
- A deeper pass over the graph in `$MEMEX_NOTES/`.
- Goal: Find orphaned notes, merge conceptually similar notes, flesh out stubs, and establish new connections.
- Constraint: Ensure notes maintain their evergreen, atomic nature even when expanded. Do not let them turn into sprawling essays.