Thought Forest Note Refactor

Refactor Strategy

Default to small-step migration. The safe order is:

1. Inventory the topic cluster.
   • Read the target note plus the approved intake plan, the nearest MOC, and related notes.
   • Identify duplicate pages, overgrown pages, and missing middle-layer pages.
2. Classify each page.
   • concept
   • synthesis
   • MOC
   • howto, debug, resource, or snippet when applicable
3. Design the target topology.
   • points: atomic concept notes
   • lines: synthesis notes
   • surfaces: MOC pages
4. Migrate forward, not destructively.
   • Create or improve the target notes first.
   • Keep the old note as an entry page or legacy page when backlinks likely exist.
   • Add transition text and aliases before considering deletion.
5. Normalize metadata.
   • repair frontmatter
   • remove placeholder descriptions
   • bring tags back to the current dimensions
6. Repair navigation.
   • update nearby MOC pages
   • add related notes
   • add synthesis links for comparisons and dependency paths
7. Verify that the cluster still reads cleanly from the entry point.

Default Decisions

• Prefer new-note + old-note-as-entry over renaming and deleting.
• Prefer one or two stable extractions over a giant one-shot rewrite.
• Prefer preserving old links over cosmetic neatness.
• Prefer upgrading the clearest existing page to main note over inventing a second main note.

Guardrails

• Do not delete old notes unless the user explicitly asks for that and links are safe.
• Do not split for the sake of splitting. Each extracted note must stand on its own.
• Do not leave a topic with only atomic fragments and no synthesis or MOC when the cluster clearly needs one.
• Do not introduce a new tag taxonomy during refactor work.
• If the required change spans many files, work in coherent batches and keep each batch reviewable.