Vault Architecture Reference

Where Everything Lives

A complete guide to routing rules, folder mandates, tag taxonomy, federation decisions, structural critique, and a proposed Life OS reorganization for the TAC2026.2 Obsidian vault.

Date: 2026-05-14
Vault: TAC2026.2
Phase: P10 Partial · P11–P13 Pending
tAC7CODE: v8r4
1.

Current Vault Structure

The JD 00–99 map as it stands post-P9 migration. Legacy PARA folders (01–04) still exist but are empty — P12 will retire them.

00–09
System Management
  • 00 GKOS Registry · vault contract
  • 01 About This Vault
  • 02 Templates
  • 03 Dashboards & Bases
  • 04 Triage / Needs Review
  • Standard Zeros: .00 JDex · .01 Inbox · .02 Tasks · .09 Archive
10–19
Knowledge & Learning
  • Personal development
  • Books · Research · Courses
  • AI Prompts
20–29
Work & Projects
  • 24W.IN · SETT.LIFE · mySETT.LOG
  • SEMISTRY · Clients · Career
30–39
Finance & Legal
  • Personal finance · Business finance
  • Taxes · Insurance · LRAM · Legal
40–49
Health & Wellness
  • Fitness · Nutrition
  • Mental health · Medical
  • Sexuality & Intimacy
50–59
Creative & Content
  • Writing · Content strategy
  • Music · Visual/Design · Brand
60–69
Tech & Systems
  • Apps · NAS · Obsidian
  • Automation · Python scripting
70–79
People & Community
  • People · Community
  • UNIVER.SE project
80–89
Home & Life
  • Home · Travel · Recipes
  • Events · Spirituality & Philosophy
90–99
Vault Infrastructure
  • Vault management · Journal
  • Templates · Dashboards · Archive
  • GK-VAULT-CHARTER · JD-Refactor-SOP
Special
Not Under JD
  • Journal/ (daily/weekly/monthly/yearly)
  • _attachments/
  • Changelog.md (auto-maintained)
00 inbox/
Default Landing Zone
  • Any note with unclear destination
  • Drafts pending classification
  • Triage: 00.04 Needs Review (~75 items)
2.

Routing Mandates

All placement decisions are governed by these rules. They are not guidelines — they are in-force policies per the GK-VAULT-CHARTER.

Inbox First
Unclear destination → 00 inbox/
When the right JD folder is not obvious, drop the note into 00 inbox/ and classify later. Never guess silently.
JD Discipline
JD numbers are earned, not automatic
Drafts, captures, and supporting material go to 00.04 triage and wait. Nest under an existing JD note when destination is unclear. Never assign JD numbers speculatively.
Search First
Search before creating any note
Before creating a new note, search the vault for an existing note on the same topic using obsidian:obsidian-cli. Creating duplicates silently is not acceptable.
Ask, Don't Guess
Folder placement: AskUserQuestion
When the right destination is unclear, ask using AskUserQuestion rather than assuming. Never silently place a file in a folder not explicitly specified.
No Auto-Move
Human-in-the-loop required for routing
All routing must have human-in-the-loop gates. Auto-move is an anti-pattern (P7/P8 experience: classification right, routing wrong).
Standard Zeros
XX.00–.09 reserved; content starts .10+
.00 = JDex · .01 = Inbox · .02 = Tasks · .03 = Templates · .04 = Links · .05–.08 reserved · .09 = Archive. Vision/intent notes → XX.11.
KAT Federation
Knowledge → this vault; Action → second-brain; Tooling → obsidian-claude-code
If it needs to be known or connected → TAC2026.2. If it needs to be done → Action vault. If it's agent infrastructure → Tooling vault.
Wikilinks
ANY noun → [[wiki link]]
Any year → [[year]]. Any named entity → wikilink. More links = better graph. Only add wikilinks when explicitly asked — linking decisions belong to the user unless creating/editing.
Bulk Gate
Editing 4+ notes requires preview + confirm
Before editing more than 3 notes in a single operation (batch frontmatter, tag migrations), show a preview of what will change and wait for confirmation.
Changelog
Changelog.md is auto-maintained — never touch it
The Changelog.md is managed by an Obsidian plugin. Do not manually edit it. Similarly, do not modify .obsidian/ config.
Vault Log
Session log mandatory after file changes
After any session with file changes: update 90 Organize/Vault-Log/YYYY-MM-DD-vault-log.md AND the daily journal at Journal/2026/YYYY-MM-DD.md. Neither step is optional.
tAC7CODE
Every new document needs the structure standard
New docs must include: random 4-char tac7code: in frontmatter + displayed inline below H1, a Table of Contents (H2), and numbered sections. Applies to new notes, plans, reference docs, frameworks. Not to daily notes, templates, or fleeting captures.
3.

Naming Conventions

File naming varies by context. The correct pattern depends on where the file will live.

Vault Notes
YYYY-MM-DD-descriptive-name.md
Hyphens throughout
Files / Drive
YYYY-MM-DD_Short-Title
Underscore between date + title
JD System
XX.YY Descriptive Name
Area.Category, space-separated name
Dashboards
📊 03.20 Dashboard-Name.base
Emoji prefix for visual navigation
Journal (Daily)
YYYY-MM-DD.md
Under Journal/YYYY/
Vault Log
YYYY-MM-DD-vault-log.md
Under 90 Organize/Vault-Log/
Brand Names
Exact codebook spelling required
TOE.KNEE.SEE · SETT.LIFE · 24W.IN · K|A · mySETT.LOG
4.

Tag Taxonomy

Two coordinated layers: Layer A (flat, cross-tool) and Layer B (nested, Obsidian-only). Max 4 tags per entry. Vocabulary capped at ~30.

Layer A — Flat Cross-Tool Tags
DimensionPurposeVocabularyRules
DomainWhat area of lifepersonal work home family finance health creative learningAlways required — 1 per entry
TypeWhat kind of contenttemplate checklist journal prompt reference sop contract content note snippetOptional
StatusWhere in lifecycleactive waiting someday read-later reviewOnly for in-flight entries
ProjectNamed initiativep:24w p:j28 p:soonie p:ucms p:14177Always use p: prefix
Layer B — Nested Obsidian Tags
◆
Pattern: #context/subject/topic/specifics — one tag only, four layers deep, lowercase hyphenated. Examples: #work/templates/sow/24w · #personal/journal/reflection/weekly · #finance/reference/tax/2025
Cross-Tool Application Rules
ToolWhich TagsFormat
ObsidianLayer B (nested)YAML frontmatter
DraftsAll four Layer A dimensionsHashtag-style
NotionDomain + Type as multi-select; Project as relation; Status as native fieldNotion properties
ClickUpDomain + Type on tasks; Status = built-in ClickUp statusClickUp tags
Apple NotesDomain + Type onlyHashtag-style
Files/DriveDomain → parent folders; Project → sub-foldersFolder hierarchy
⚠
Governance: New Domain tags (Layer A) require explicit approval — list is intentionally capped. New context roots (Layer B) should map to an existing Layer A Domain. Retired tags from the v1.0 migration map are permanently retired — do not reintroduce. The p: prefix is sacred.
5.

KAT Federation Routing

The three-vault personal operating system. Every piece of content has exactly one home. Get this right first — cross-vault moves are expensive.

K · TAC2026.2 · Knowledge
A · second-brain · Action
T · obsidian-claude-code · Tooling
K

TAC2026.2 · Knowledge

Topics, reference, daily notes, networked thinking, idea storage

  • Any note you'd want to connect to other notes
  • Reference material (books, research, frameworks)
  • Daily/weekly/monthly journal entries
  • Permanent notes and evergreen content
  • Personal knowledge — health, finance, life
  • Creative writing and brand strategy
  • All topic-based knowledge (non-task)
  • Active tasks and project management
  • Agent configs, skills, GOV docs
A

second-brain · Action

Tasks, projects, next actions, execution tracking

  • Active projects with deliverables and deadlines
  • Next actions and task lists
  • Project status and progress tracking
  • Meeting notes tied to action items
  • Waiting-for and delegated items
  • Sprint and milestone planning
  • Reference notes and evergreen content
  • Agent infrastructure and skills
  • Daily journal reflections
T

obsidian-claude-code · Tooling

Agent config, skills, GOV docs, Claude Code infrastructure

  • CLAUDE.md files and agent configurations
  • Skill definitions and skill library
  • GOV documents and governance
  • Claude Code plugin configs
  • Automation scripts and workflows
  • MCP server definitions
  • Personal knowledge or reference notes
  • Tasks and project tracking
  • Journal entries
◆
Triage file: federation-triage.md in 00 GKOS Registry/ uses K/M/D labels (Knowledge / Mixed / Discard). Zero cross-vault moves are ever automatic. The routing queue (gkos-routing-check.py + 03.19 Routing Queue.base) runs weekly; Ollama classifies, Claude reviews, human approves.
6.

Structural Critique

Six identified issues in the current JD layout, with before/after analysis and recommendations. This is a structural overhaul proposal — not cosmetic.

!
Net assessment: The current structure is functional but shows legacy PARA seams. The two biggest problems are (1) the 00–09 / 90–99 split, which fractures "meta" content across both ends of the number line, and (2) 80–89 Home & Life, which is a catch-all with no unifying principle. Group B addresses both.
Issue 1 · Meta-System Fragmentation
Current

00–09 holds System Management while 90–99 holds Vault Infrastructure. These are conceptually identical — both are "meta" content about the vault itself. Splitting them across the number line means the vault's constitutional documents are in two places. Journal/ also lives outside the JD structure entirely.

Recommendation

Consolidate all vault-meta content into 00–09 META. Move governance docs, infrastructure, dashboards, and journals all under a single top-level area. This is cleaner, easier to find, and resolves the Templater mismatch confusion. See Group B for the proposed breakdown.

Issue 2 · Work/Life Scope Ambiguity in 20–29
Current

20–29 Work & Projects mixes named commercial initiatives (24W.IN, SETT.LIFE) with career development and client work. These have fundamentally different time horizons — brand strategy is long-arc; a client project is sprint-scoped. Mixing them creates navigational friction.

Recommendation

Keep WORK as one area but sub-organize: one Category (.1X) per named initiative (24W.IN, SETT.LIFE, SEMISTRY), one for clients, one for career/positioning. The JD number discipline already handles this — it just needs to be applied more intentionally within the area.

Issue 3 · Health Buried Under Wrong Number Range
Current

40–49 Health & Wellness sits between Finance (30–39) and Creative (50–59). Health is deeply personal and frequently accessed — it deserves to be in a more intuitive location. Grouping health with physical/mental wellness alongside sexuality & intimacy creates a wide category that's hard to navigate.

Recommendation

In Group B, health belongs under SELF (10–19), co-located with personal development, learning, and identity — all content about being rather than doing. Finance stays separate as MONEY (50–59). This creates cleaner mental modes for navigating.

Issue 4 · Creative vs. Tech: Conceptual Overlap
Current

50–59 Creative & Content and 60–69 Tech & Systems are adjacent but the boundary is blurry. Where does a Python automation script for content distribution live? Is "Obsidian" Tech or System Management? The split between "creative tools" and "tech tools" isn't clear.

Recommendation

In Group B: CREATE (30–39) is pure creative output (writing, music, visual, brand). BUILD (80–89) handles infrastructure (apps, NAS, Obsidian, automation, Claude). The test: "Am I making something or maintaining something?" — that separates them cleanly.

Issue 5 · 80–89 Home & Life Is a Catch-All
Current

80–89 Home & Life contains home, travel, food/recipes, events, spirituality, and philosophy. These have almost nothing in common. "What number range do I look in for my recipe?" — this is not a question with an obvious answer. Catch-alls defeat the purpose of JD.

Recommendation

Split into LIVE (60–69) for tangible day-to-day life (home, travel, food, events) and move philosophy/frameworks to KNOW (40–49) under mental models. The guiding question: "Is this about physical reality or intellectual frameworks?"

Issue 6 · Journal/ Lives Outside JD
Current

Journal/ sits at the vault root, outside the JD numbering system entirely. This creates an exception to the JD spine, makes Dataview/Bases queries more complex (different folder paths), and breaks the conceptual unity of "everything is in JD."

Recommendation

In Group B, journals live under 90–99 ARCHIVE / TIME — specifically 90.10 Daily · 90.11 Weekly · 90.12 Monthly · 90.13 Yearly. This preserves the journal structure while putting it inside JD. A plugin path redirect in Obsidian settings handles the Templater target.

7.

Group A · Obsidian Organizers

The six native organizational mechanisms in Obsidian. Every routing decision uses at least one of these. Understanding which tool does what prevents redundancy.

A

Obsidian-Native Organizers

Built-in mechanisms for organizing, connecting, and surfacing vault content

📁

Folder Hierarchy (JD)

Johnny Decimal provides the structural spine. Folders are permanent named locations — not tags, not metadata. Content lives in exactly one folder.

  • 00–99 areas with category sub-folders
  • Standard zeros (.00–.09) reserved for system
  • Content starts at .10
  • 00 inbox/ as default landing
  • Folders earned, not automatic
🏷️

Tags (Layer B Nested)

Obsidian-only hierarchical tagging at four levels deep. Complements the folder hierarchy — cross-cuts by topic where folders organize by location.

  • One tag per note only
  • Format: #context/subject/topic/detail
  • Lowercase, hyphenated
  • No tool names or action words
  • Maps to Layer A Domain at root level
🔗

Wikilinks & Graph

The connective tissue of the vault. Any noun can become a node. The graph view surfaces emergent structure that folders and tags cannot show.

  • Any noun → [[wikilink]]
  • Any year → [[2026]]
  • Only add when explicitly asked
  • Linking decisions belong to the user
  • Backlinks auto-maintained by Obsidian
📋

Frontmatter / Properties

YAML metadata block between --- delimiters. Required for every note. Powers Dataview and Bases queries.

  • Required: title, date, tags, status
  • tAC7CODE field on every new document
  • Strip legacy plugin artifacts when editing
  • Preserve: aliases, cssclasses, type, source
  • Status values: active/wip/reference/planned/concept/published
📊

Bases & Dashboards

Obsidian Bases (.base files) provide database-like views. Six shipped in P10. Three more infrastructure bases in the governance suite.

  • 03.16–03.22 active dashboards
  • 📊 03.20 JD-Refactor 45-Day queue
  • 📺 03.21 Vault Health Monitor
  • 🎛️ 03.22 Inbox Triage
  • 03.19 Routing Queue (weekly launchd)
🗂️

Templates (Templater)

Obsidian Templater provides note structure on creation. Must point to the correct template folder — a known active blocker.

  • Templates live at 00-09 System Management/02 Templates/
  • ⚠️ Templater currently points at wrong path
  • Tony must update: Obsidian Settings → Templater
  • Vision/intent notes use template 02.21
  • JD ID XX.11 = vision note convention
8.

Group B · Life OS / JD Reimagined

A structural overhaul of the 00–99 space, organized around life domains with clear mental models. Addresses all six critique items. Each area has a single-word identity to anchor the mental model.

B

Life OS · Johnny.Decimal Reimagined

Ten domains. Each anchored to a single mental model. Resolves fragmentation, catch-alls, and JD-external structure.

◆
Migration note: This is a proposal, not an instruction to move files. Any migration requires explicit approval per the GK-VAULT-CHARTER and JD-Refactor-SOP. The 45-day refactor window is open 2026-05-14 → 2026-06-28.
00–09
META
System & Infrastructure · "The Vault Itself"
00.00GKOS Registry · vault contract · JDex
00.01Inbox (triage landing)
00.11About This Vault · vision
01.xxDashboards & Bases (03.xx → 01.xx)
02.xxTemplates (Templater source)
03.xxSOPs & Process Docs
04.xxGovernance (Charter, Refactor-SOP)
10–19
SELF
Identity & Growth · "Who I Am"
10.xxPersonal development · values · identity
11.xxLearning, courses, certifications
12.xxPhysical health · fitness · nutrition
13.xxMental health · therapy · reflection
14.xxSexuality & intimacy
15.xxMedical records · healthcare
20–29
WORK
Professional Life · "What I Do For Money"
20.xxCareer & positioning
21.xxTOE.KNEE.SEE brand / operations
22.xx24W.IN initiative
23.xxSETT.LIFE · mySETT.LOG
24.xxSEMISTRY
25.xxClient work (active & archive)
30–39
CREATE
Creative Output · "What I Make"
30.xxWriting & long-form content
31.xxMusic & audio
32.xxVisual design & art direction
33.xxBrand strategy & identity
34.xxContent distribution · publishing
35.xxInspiration sets & references (03.33 → here)
40–49
KNOW
Knowledge Base · "What I've Learned"
40.xxResearch & reference notes
41.xxBooks · media · reading notes
42.xxAI prompts & model notes
43.xxMental models & frameworks
44.xxPhilosophy & spirituality (from 80–89)
45.xxCourse notes & certifications
50–59
MONEY
Finance & Legal · "What I Owe and Own"
50.xxPersonal finance · budget · net worth
51.xxBusiness finance · P&L
52.xxTaxes (personal & business)
53.xxInsurance policies
54.xxLegal · contracts · LRAM
55.xxInvestments & assets
60–69
LIVE
Home & Daily Life · "Where and How I Live"
60.xxHome · property · maintenance
61.xxTravel · trips · packing lists
62.xxFood · recipes · meal planning
63.xxEvents · milestones · celebrations
64.xxPurchases · gear · reviews
70–79
CONNECT
People & Community · "Who I Know"
70.xxKey relationships & people notes
71.xxCommunity & network
72.xxUNIVER.SE project
73.xxCollaborators & partners
80–89
BUILD
Tech & Infrastructure · "What Powers My Work"
80.xxApps & tools · software
81.xxNAS & home servers
82.xxObsidian · vault configuration
83.xxAutomation · scripts · Python
84.xxClaude & AI systems · Screen Time MCP
85.xxNetwork · security · infra
90–99
ARCHIVE
Time & History · "The Record of When"
90.xxDaily journals (replaces Journal/ root)
91.xxWeekly reviews
92.xxMonthly retrospectives
93.xxYearly reviews
94.xxVault logs & session records
95.xxCompleted project archive
99.xxHistorical records · retired content
↔
Current → Proposed mapping: 00–09 META absorbs 90–99 Vault Infrastructure governance docs. 10–19 SELF absorbs 40–49 Health. 30–39 CREATE absorbs 50–59 Creative & Content. 40–49 KNOW absorbs 10–19 Knowledge & Learning + philosophy from 80–89. 60–69 LIVE absorbs home/travel/food from 80–89. 80–89 BUILD absorbs 60–69 Tech & Systems. 90–99 ARCHIVE absorbs Journal/ (currently outside JD).
9.

03.33 Inspiration Sets

Folders of curated inspiration material — currently omitted from the vault's category map. These span both Group A (Obsidian-organized) and Group B (Life OS). Some categories are missing entirely.

◆
Location: In Group A, 03.33 lives in 00-09 System Management/03 Dashboards/ as an inspiration-set index. In Group B, creative inspiration migrates to 35.xx under CREATE. The current 03.33 slot is an index/navigator; the content lives in context.
Group A · Current
Typography & Type Design

Font specimens, pairing examples, type hierarchy references. Accessible fonts (Atkinson Hyperlegible), display weights, editorial type.

Group A · Current
Color Palettes

Brand palette references, seasonal color sets, accessibility contrast charts. TOE.KNEE.SEE brand colors (magenta/blue).

Group A · Current
Layout & Grid Systems

Editorial layouts, asymmetric grids, JD-grid inspiration, presentation decks with strong spatial composition.

Group B · Proposed
Brand Identity References

Competing and admired brand identity systems. Logo evolution, wordmark studies, visual identity guidelines from brands you study.

Currently missing
Group B · Proposed
Content Strategy Examples

Effective content architecture, newsletter formats, social strategy case studies. Filed under 34.xx in Group B (Content Distribution).

Currently missing
Group B · Proposed
Music & Sound Design

Reference tracks, sonic identity examples, production approaches. Filed under 31.xx in Group B (Music & Audio).

Currently missing
Group A · Current
Obsidian Vault Designs

Public vault screenshots, dashboard designs, graph views from other knowledge systems. Organizational inspiration for vault structure.

Group B · Proposed
Personal OS / Life OS Examples

Other people's PKM and life operating systems. PARA case studies, JD implementations, GTD setups — organizational inspiration.

Currently missing
Group B · Proposed
AI & Prompt Engineering

Effective prompt structures, skill templates, agent workflow patterns. Filed under 42.xx in Group B (AI Prompts & Model Notes).

Currently missing
Group A · Current
Photography & Visual References

Mood boards, visual direction for projects, photography style guides. Clips, screenshots, and saved images organized by project.

Group B · Proposed
Writing Voice & Style

Published examples in the target TOE.KNEE.SEE tone. Before/after rewrites, voice calibration samples, brand voice guidelines.

Currently missing
Group B · Proposed
Architecture & Space Design

Home renovation inspiration, spatial design references, workspace layouts. Filed under 60.xx in Group B (Home & Property).

Currently missing
Provenance

This document is a vault architecture reference compiled on 2026-05-14 for the TAC2026.2 Obsidian vault belonging to TOE.KNEE.SEE. It was generated fresh in a Cowork mode session using Claude (claude-sonnet-4-6) operating on top of the Anthropic Claude Agent SDK. The content was derived entirely from the vault's active CLAUDE.md project instructions — routing mandates, tag taxonomy, JD structure, federation routing, session decisions, and the current GKOS migration status were extracted and synthesized from that single authoritative source. No prior handoff documents were used. The structural critique (Section 6) and Group B Life OS proposal (Section 8) represent original analysis by Claude, not user-specified content; they constitute suggestions for human review and approval before any migration is undertaken. The 03.33 inspiration categories (Section 9) identify both existing and missing folder categories based on the vault's current creative scope. Typography uses Atkinson Hyperlegible (Braille Institute open-source font), paired with Syne for headings. Visual design is inspired by the Braille Institute free font page aesthetic with TOE.KNEE.SEE brand colors (magenta / electric blue) on dark ground. tAC7CODE: v8r4.