---

name: "knowledge-synthesis" description: "Cross-project pattern recognition — abstract, generalize, connect, store at the highest true level" applyTo: "/knowledge,/insight,/pattern,/global"

Knowledge Synthesis Skill

Extract the reusable from the specific. Store at the highest level that remains true.

The Synthesis Process

1. Abstract — Strip project-specific details

Before (project-specific)	After (abstracted)
"In Alex extension, synapses.json breaks when files are renamed"	"Connection metadata breaks when target files are renamed"
"We migrated knowledge files to skills/"	"When reorganizing knowledge files, update all internal references"
"Alex's dream runs brain-qa.ps1"	"Automated health checks should run validation scripts"

Test: Would this insight help someone who's never seen this project?

2. Generalize — Find the abstraction level

Level	Example	Store As
Project-specific	"Alex uses synapses.json"	Don't store globally
Technology-specific	"JSON schema files break silently on rename"	GI-* insight
Architecture pattern	"Self-referencing metadata needs rename-aware tooling"	GK-* pattern
Universal principle	"Metadata that references other files is fragile by nature"	GK-* (high value)

Store at the highest level that remains true. If generalizing makes it wrong, stay specific.

3. Connect — Link to existing knowledge

Before creating new knowledge, check: does this extend an existing pattern?

Signal	Action
"We solved this before in project X"	Extend existing GK-* with new example
"This is the third time I've seen this"	Promote from insight (GI-) to pattern (GK-)
"This contradicts what we knew"	Update existing pattern, note the exception
"This is entirely new"	Create new GI-* insight, observe before promoting

4. Store — Right format, right location

Type	Prefix	Criteria	Location
Pattern	GK-*	Proven in 2+ projects, abstracted, actionable	patterns/
Insight	GI-*	Single observation, timestamped, may not generalize	insights/

Quality bar: 10 great patterns > 100 mediocre notes.

Pattern Triggers

Signal During Work	Synthesis Opportunity
"We did this before"	Recurring solution → pattern candidate
Same bug in different context	Missing knowledge → capture the fix pattern
"This works everywhere"	Universal principle → high-value pattern
"I wish I'd known this earlier"	Onboarding knowledge → insight worth capturing
"This is not obvious"	Non-obvious insight → capture the why

Promotion Checklist (Insight → Pattern)

Before promoting a GI-* insight to GK-* pattern:

• Abstracted from original project context
• Named with clear, searchable slug
• Tagged with relevant categories
• Connected to existing patterns (if related)
• Includes at least one concrete example
• The generalization is still true (not over-abstracted)

Anti-Patterns

Don't	Why	Do Instead
Store every learning	Creates noise, reduces signal	Filter for non-obvious insights
Copy-paste project specifics	Not reusable outside original context	Abstract first
Create near-duplicates	Fragments knowledge	Extend existing patterns
Over-generalize	"Always do X" is usually wrong	Include scope and exceptions
Skip examples	Abstract knowledge is hard to apply	Include 1-2 concrete examples

Synthesis During Meditation

Phase 2 of meditation is the natural synthesis point:

1. Review session insights (Phase 1 output)
2. For each insight: Abstract → check if existing pattern covers it → extend or create
3. Connect new entries via synapses to related skills
4. Verify the global knowledge index is updated

Synapses

See synapses.json for connections.