Create Topic Skill

This skill creates a new topic file in the `.notes/` directory with structured frontmatter and section headers.

Instructions for Claude

When this command is invoked with `/ccn:create-topic $ARGUMENTS`:

Step 1: Validate argument

If `$ARGUMENTS` is empty or not provided:

Step 2: Normalize topic name to filename

Take the provided topic name and transform it:

1. Replace all spaces with underscores

2. Replace all hyphens with underscores

3. Convert to UPPERCASE

4. Add `.md` extension

Examples:

Store the result as the filename.

Step 3: Check if file exists

Use the **Read** tool to check if `.notes/{filename}` already exists.

- Tell user: "Error: Topic already exists: .notes/{filename}"

- Tell user: "Use /ccn:update-topic to add entries to this topic"

- STOP - do not continue

- Continue to next step

Step 4: Create .notes/ directory if needed

Use the **Bash** tool to ensure the directory exists:

```bash

mkdir -p .notes

```

Step 5: Generate frontmatter

Create YAML frontmatter with these fields:

1. **description**: "Knowledge and patterns for {original topic name}"

- Use the original input, not the normalized filename

- Example: input "api-design" → "Knowledge and patterns for api-design"

2. **keywords**: Generate array from normalized filename

- Split filename (without .md) on underscores

- Lowercase each part

- Include the combined form (full filename without .md, lowercased)

- Example: "API_DESIGN.md" → `["api", "design", "api_design"]`

3. **last_updated**: Today's date in YYYY-MM-DD format

Step 6: Create file with template

Use the **Write** tool to create `.notes/{filename}` with this structure:

```markdown

---

description: "Knowledge and patterns for {topic}"

keywords: [{keyword array}]

last_updated: "YYYY-MM-DD"

---

{Topic Name}

Overview

(Add overview content here)

Key Concepts

(Document key concepts here)

Patterns

(Capture recurring patterns here)

Notes

(Add detailed notes here)

---

*Topic created: YYYY-MM-DD*

```

**Important formatting notes:**

Step 7: Confirm completion

Tell the user: "Created: .notes/{filename}"

Error Handling

If any tool fails (mkdir, Read, Write):