docs(readme): rewrite for dual-surface product (skill + app) and workspace structure

Rewrite README to reflect the current state of the project:
- Describe both surfaces: skill (agent-first retrieval) and app (human browser).
- Add Codex support section (unified schema, source tagging, child-thread mapping).
- Update Structure tree to match the packages/core workspace layout with all
  TypeScript modules (providers, persist, tx, write-coordinator, writer-lease).
- Document generated build outputs (packages/core/dist, dist/obelisk-skill).
- License badge corrected to AGPL-3.0 (skill artifact is MIT; source is AGPL).
- Skill invocation examples updated to /obelisk-skill.
- Add recap flow documentation.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
tommy0103
2026-07-12 00:59:33 +08:00
co-authored by Claude Opus 4.8
parent 8af0f9a31d
commit 410b0a8df3
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@@ -7,186 +7,185 @@
[![stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/tommy0103/obelisk?style=flat-square)](https://github.com/tommy0103/obelisk/stargazers)
[![version](https://img.shields.io/github/v/tag/tommy0103/obelisk?label=version&style=flat-square)](https://github.com/tommy0103/obelisk/releases)
[![license](https://img.shields.io/badge/license-MIT-blue.svg?style=flat-square)](LICENSE)
[![license](https://img.shields.io/badge/license-AGPL--3.0-blue.svg?style=flat-square)](LICENSE)
Every past session, subagent, and workflow -- queryable by your agent.
**Humans should not browse session history. Agents should query it.**
Every past Claude Code and Codex session -- queryable by your agent, browsable by you.
</div>
<br />
## Two sides of the same index
Obelisk has two sides that share one SQLite index:
**Skill side** — an agent skill that lets coding agents search and query their own session history. The agent writes JS queries, runs them locally, answers in plain language.
**App side** — an Electron desktop app for humans to browse sessions, manage memories, view usage stats, and see weekly recap cards.
Both read from the same `~/.obelisk/obelisk.sqlite` database. The indexer reads Claude Code transcripts from `~/.claude/projects` and Codex transcripts from `~/.codex/sessions`.
## Codex support
Obelisk indexes Claude Code and Codex into the same SQLite schema instead of keeping separate databases. Rows carry a `source` value (`claude` or `codex`), and Codex IDs are prefixed with `codex:` so they cannot collide with Claude session IDs.
Codex root threads become normal Obelisk sessions. Codex child threads are attached through the same `subagents` table when parent-thread metadata is available. Codex does not emit Claude-style workflow metadata, so workflow tables may be empty for Codex-only history.
For live app refresh, Obelisk watches `~/.claude/projects` and `~/.codex/sessions`. It does not watch the whole `~/.codex` root. Codex's `session_index.jsonl` is used as lightweight title/update metadata during indexing, not as the message transcript source.
## Skill: agent-first retrieval
<div align="center">
<img src=".github/assets/demo.png" alt="Obelisk in action" width="540">
<br />
<p>Ask in plain language. The agent writes the query, runs it, answers.</p>
<img src=".github/assets/demo.png" alt="Obelisk App" width="720">
</div>
## Not a session browser
Most history tools help humans find old chats.
Obelisk is built for agents. It exposes past work as structured data: sessions,
messages, tool calls, subagents, workflows, file history, failures, parent
chains, and human-approved markdown memories. The agent writes the query, runs
it locally, and answers in plain language.
You don't manage history. You ask questions about past work.
## Why Obelisk
| Session library | Obelisk |
|---|---|
| Find an old chat | Answer a question about past work |
| Human browses snippets | Agent writes and runs a query |
| Search result list | Structured context and reasoning |
| Sessions as documents | Sessions as queryable memory |
| Good for recall | Good for investigation |
## What you can ask
You can use obelisk like:
```
/obelisk 上次 auth bug 最后到底改了哪些文件,为什么这么改
/obelisk 这个文件最近在哪些 sessions 里被反复修改
/obelisk 找出最近失败的 tool calls,它们分别发生在哪些任务里
/obelisk 那个 review workflow 的 subagents 各自结论是什么
/obelisk 我之前有没有试过这个方案,结果为什么放弃了
/obelisk-skill 上次 auth bug 最后到底改了哪些文件,为什么这么改
/obelisk-skill 这个文件最近在哪些 sessions 里被反复修改
/obelisk-skill 找出最近失败的 tool calls,它们分别发生在哪些任务里
/obelisk-skill 那个 review workflow 的 subagents 各自结论是什么
/obelisk-skill recap this week
```
Anything Claude Code has done before -- sessions, tool calls, subagents, workflows -- becomes structured, queryable memory. Ask in your own words.
## Install
### Install
```bash
npx skills add tommy0103/obelisk-skill
```
Or manually: copy `obelisk/` into your project's `.claude/skills/`.
Or manually: copy `obelisk-skill/` into your project's `.claude/skills/`
Then in any Claude Code session:
```
/obelisk <your question>
/obelisk-skill <your question>
```
First run builds the index (~5 seconds for 100 sessions). After that it rebuilds incrementally.
### Requires
- Node.js 22+ (uses built-in node:sqlite with FTS5)
- Claude Code with skills support.
## How it works
### How it works
```
You ask a question
Agent writes a JS query against the SQLite index
Runs it via node runtime.mjs --query <script>
Runs it via node $SKILL_DIR/scripts/runtime.js --query <script>
Reads the JSON result, answers you in natural language
Reads the JSON result, answers in natural language
```
When a retrieval produces a memory worth keeping, the agent proposes a markdown
memory file. After user approval, it registers that file with the narrow
`runtime.mjs --attune <script>` runtime, which exposes only memory mutation
helpers such as `remember()` and `forget()`.
Core API: `search()`, `context()`, `sql()`, plus structured helpers (`sessions`, `memories`, `summaries`, `workflows`, `failures`, `fileHistory`, etc).
Memory is a synthesis cache, not a replacement for raw sessions. The agent can
decide whether to use, ignore, or verify a memory during an answer. Persistent
changes still require human approval, but explicit corrections count: if you say
a memory is wrong, outdated, or should be replaced, the agent can archive or
update the exact matching record without a second confirmation.
### Memory layer
**The core idea: don't make humans browse, tag, or organize sessions.**
Don't invent a rigid query DSL either.
When a retrieval produces a conclusion worth keeping, the agent proposes a markdown memory file. After user approval, it registers the file with `runtime.js --attune <script>`. Memories are recalled via `memories()` in future sessions — a synthesis cache, not a replacement for raw evidence.
Agents can write code. So Obelisk gives them a small local query runtime over
your past work.
## App: A surface for human
The agent starts from a small core API, then uses structured shortcuts and
references only when the question needs them:
A companion desktop app for browsing what the skill indexes.
**Core primitives** — the main CodeAct surface:
<div align="center">
<img src=".github/assets/app-screenshot.png" alt="Obelisk App" width="720">
</div>
- `search(text)` — FTS5 full-text search, returns matches with surrounding context plus message `content_type` and `is_meta`
- `context(uuid)` — full story around a message (parent chain, subagent/workflow metadata)
- `sql(query, ...params)` — read-only SQL for structured queries
- **Sessions** — browse all sessions with search, project filtering, readable tool calls (diffs, terminal output, file viewers)
- **Memory** — list and detail views for registered memory files
- **Activity** — GitHub-style heatmap, weekly/cumulative token charts
- **Recap** — shareable weekly/monthly recap cards with archetype theming
- **Settings** — data source configuration, auto-refresh, rebuild index
**Structured shortcuts** — overview, session, memory, summary, subagent,
workflow, file-history, failure, raw-window, and parent-chain helpers over the
same SQLite data.
**References** — agent reads on demand when the task needs deeper structure:
- `references/schema.md` — full SQLite schema and API reference
- `references/query-patterns.md` — copyable CodeAct recipes for common retrieval tasks
- `references/retrieval-semantics.md` — query design frame for scoped and synthesis retrieval
- `references/recap/overview.md` — optional `/obelisk recap` card-by-card entrypoint
- `references/recap/pattern1-cover.md` and `references/recap/writing1-cover.md`
- `references/recap/pattern2-thinking.md` and `references/recap/writing2-thinking.md`
- `references/recap/pattern3-vibe.md` and `references/recap/writing3-vibe.md`
- `references/recap/pattern4-workflow.md` and `references/recap/writing4-workflow.md`
- `references/recap/pattern5-closing.md` and `references/recap/writing5-closing.md`
- `references/pitfalls.md` — scope, FTS, ordering, compact/raw, and field-name traps
The executable SQLite schema lives in `scripts/schema.sql`; `references/schema.md`
is the human/agent explanation of that contract.
The design is progressive disclosure with guardrails: the main skill keeps the
core contract and high-risk pitfalls visible, while longer recipes and the full
schema stay out of the first prompt until the agent needs them.
The optional recap references are only for the explicit `/obelisk recap` intent;
they are not part of the ordinary retrieval path. `references/recap/overview.md`
drives a card-by-card loop: read one card's retrieval pattern, gather that
card's evidence, read its writing reference, update the JSON, then continue.
This keeps schema, taste, and query planning from competing in one large prompt.
macOS only. Download from [Releases](https://github.com/tommy0103/obelisk/releases).
## What gets indexed
| Layer | Source | What's captured |
|-------|--------|----------------|
| **Sessions** | `<project>/<sessionId>.jsonl` | Title, project, timestamps, git branch |
| **Sessions** | Claude `<project>/<sessionId>.jsonl`; Codex `sessions/YYYY/MM/DD/*.jsonl` | Title, project, timestamps, git branch, source |
| **Messages** | user + assistant turns | Full text, model, token usage, parent chain |
| **Tool calls** | every tool invocation | Tool name, input, file paths touched |
| **Subagents** | `subagents/agent-<id>.jsonl` | Agent type, description, full conversation |
| **Workflows** | `workflows/wf_<runId>.json` | Script, structured result, agent count |
| **Workflow agents** | `subagents/workflows/wf_<runId>/` | Per-agent transcripts linked to workflow |
| **Memories** | markdown files registered by the agent after user approval | Prior conclusions linked to source sessions/messages and optional anchors |
| **Tool calls** | every tool invocation | Tool name, input, file paths |
| **Subagents** | Claude `subagents/agent-<id>.jsonl`; Codex child threads | Agent type, description, full conversation |
| **Workflows** | Claude `workflows/wf_<runId>.json` | Script, result, agent count |
| **Workflow agents** | Claude `subagents/workflows/wf_<runId>/` | Per-agent transcripts |
| **Memories** | registered markdown files | Conclusions linked to source sessions |
Full-text search via FTS5 covers message text across every session layer and ranked memory recall over registered memory summaries, while the SQLite tables preserve the structure agents need for investigation.
Full-text search via FTS5 covers all layers.
## Structure
```
.claude/skills/obelisk/
├── SKILL.md # Skill definition + simple API + examples
├── scripts/
│ ├── schema.sql # Executable SQLite schema
└── runtime.mjs # Indexer + query runtime (zero deps)
└── references/
├── schema.md # Full table schema + advanced API reference
├── query-patterns.md # Copyable retrieval recipes
├── retrieval-semantics.md # Query design frame for retrieval semantics
├── recap-patterns.md # Compatibility pointer to references/recap/overview.md
├── recap-writing.md # Compatibility pointer to per-card recap writing docs
├── recap/
│ ├── overview.md
│ ├── pattern1-cover.md
│ ├── writing1-cover.md
│ ├── pattern2-thinking.md
│ ├── writing2-thinking.md
│ ├── pattern3-vibe.md
│ ├── writing3-vibe.md
│ ├── pattern4-workflow.md
│ ├── writing4-workflow.md
│ ├── pattern5-closing.md
│ └── writing5-closing.md
└── pitfalls.md # Scope, FTS, ordering, and compactness traps
packages/core/ # @obelisk/core npm workspace (TypeScript + ESM)
├── src/
│ ├── providers/
│ ├── types.ts # Provider + IndexRecord contract
│ ├── claude.ts # Claude Code adapter (line-incremental)
│ │ └── codex.ts # Codex adapter (full-reparse)
├── persist.ts # Binding-agnostic record writer (upsert/merge)
├── tx.ts # Write transaction + connection config
├── write-coordinator.ts # Bounded retry policy
├── writer-lease.ts # Cross-process single-writer lease (SQLite lock DB)
├── core.ts # buildIndex / searchText / executeQuery / executeAttune
├── indexer.ts # Skill orchestration (discover → persist → finalize)
│ ├── parsing.ts # Pure helpers (node:sqlite-free, app-consumable)
│ ├── db.ts # node:sqlite lifecycle + migrations
│ ├── query.ts # Query/attune sandbox API (helpers)
│ ├── runtime.ts # Thin CLI shell (--build/--search/--query/--attune)
│ └── schema.sql # SQLite schema (single source of truth)
├── package.json
└── dist/ # Generated package JS, declarations, and schema
references/ # Agent-readable docs (progressive disclosure)
├── schema.md
├── api-reference.md
├── query-patterns.md
├── retrieval-semantics.md
├── pitfalls.md
├── recap-patterns.md
├── recap-writing.md
└── recap/ # Per-card pattern + writing references
├── overview.md
├── pattern1-cover.md … pattern5-closing.md
└── writing1-cover.md … writing5-closing.md
app/ # Electron desktop app (electron-vite + Vue)
├── src/main/ # TypeScript main process (consumes shared core)
├── src/preload/ # CJS preload (sandbox)
├── src/renderer/ # Vue renderer
└── electron.vite.config.ts
packaging/ # Skill publish infrastructure
├── skill-package.json
├── skill-README.md
├── skill-LICENSE # MIT (relicensed for the skill artifact)
└── publish-skill.sh
SKILL.md # Skill definition (installed with the artifact)
CONTEXT.md # Project glossary
docs/adr/ # Architecture decision records (00010006)
```
The optional `/obelisk recap` flow is loaded only for explicit `/obelisk recap` intent.
It starts at `references/recap/overview.md` and proceeds card-by-card:
- `references/recap/pattern1-cover.md` + `references/recap/writing1-cover.md`
- `references/recap/pattern2-thinking.md` + `references/recap/writing2-thinking.md`
- `references/recap/pattern3-vibe.md` + `references/recap/writing3-vibe.md`
- `references/recap/pattern4-workflow.md` + `references/recap/writing4-workflow.md`
- `references/recap/pattern5-closing.md` + `references/recap/writing5-closing.md`
### Generated build outputs
- `packages/core/dist/` is produced by `npm run build:core`. It is the compiled
`@obelisk/core` package: JavaScript, type declarations, and `schema.sql`.
- `dist/obelisk-skill/` is produced by `npm run build:skill`. It is the
install-ready skill artifact: readable plain JavaScript under `scripts/`,
`SKILL.md`, references, and the skill package metadata.
Both directories are generated and should not be edited by hand. The Electron
app imports `packages/core/src/` directly so electron-vite can bundle Core.
## Implementation Notes
The index rebuilds incrementally — only new or modified JSONL files are re-parsed.
@@ -204,4 +203,4 @@ Zero npm dependencies. Uses Node 22's built-in node:sqlite with FTS5. The entire
## License
MIT @tommy0103
AGPL-3.0 @tommy0103