/dedup — find & merge duplicates (supersede, never delete)

🧒 When reporting to a non-technical operator: end with a child-simple "In plain words" recap in their language.

🖥️ Dashboard first (the operator works visually)

python "$IMPORTS_ROOT/build_dedup_dashboard.py" (it runs the scan itself) → open $OBSIDIAN_VAULT/_Dashboards/Dedup-Dashboard.html: candidate clusters by topic, colour = similarity (🔴 ≥0.7 almost certainly a duplicate); each cluster shows which note to keep (the newer one) and which becomes superseded. DISPLAY ONLY; merging is done by hand below (supersede, never delete). Complementary notes are left alone.

Step 1 — Scan (deterministic; AK-47, ~free; token law)

python "$IMPORTS_ROOT/dedup_scan.py" → scans ACTIVE notes by theme, difflib similarity → candidate clusters in $IMPORTS_ROOT/dedup_report.txt. For a DIFFERENT folder, copy the script and change its OPS path. Start at similarity ≥0.5 (high-confidence), then ≥0.4 for the next tier — loop-until-dry (stop when remaining clusters are complementary/noise).

Step 2 — Judge each cluster (NOT every look-alike is a dup)

• Identical → keep the original (lowest msg_id), mark the echo superseded.
• Same topic, different nuance, non-conflicting → keep the NEWER; graft the older's unique nuances into it.
• Conflict → NEWER wins (the operator's law: fresher beats older on the same topic). BUT an explicit origin: anton rule is overridden only by the operator or an explicit supersedes.
• Complementary (different facets/recipients) → LEAVE. Merging loses nuance (e.g. "notify the operator" vs "notify teacher" vs "notify nanny" = 3 rules, not 1).
• Money / sensitive / ambiguous → do NOT merge; FLAG for the operator.

Step 3 — Apply the merge (truth layer)

• Canonical note: add audience, supersedes: "[[loser]]", graft nuances into the body.
• Loser note: status: active → superseded; add superseded_by: "[[canonical]]"; add body marker > ⊘ Merged into [[canonical]] — <reason>. NEVER delete (git-reversible; nothing lost).
• Record in the sidecar $IMPORTS_ROOT/superseded_rules.json ("<msg_id>": {"by": "<canonical_fn>"}) so the decision survives a pipeline rebuild.

Step 4 — Fix the index/MOC view

• If a generator builds the list (e.g. build_rules2.py, superseded-aware) AND its inputs exist → re-run → deploy just the MOC file.
• Else hand-fix the index: drop the superseded lines + update the count.
• ⚠️ GRABLI: deleting MULTIPLE adjacent list-lines via batched \n-anchored Edits JOINS neighbor lines. To remove several lines, use a SCRIPT that filters by slug (like fix_pokupki_moc.py), or git checkout <good-commit> -- <file> then re-script. NEVER batch-Edit list deletions.

Step 5 — Backup + verify + report

vault_backup.py before edits; after, grep-count ^status: superseded to verify the number; commit. Report BEFORE→AFTER on real notes + 🧒 recap. Flag anything left for the operator (e.g. money conflicts).

Like this skill? It is one of 100 in second-brain-starter-kit: the second brain we built for ourselves and run every day at Palo Alto AI Research Lab. Install the whole set with npx skills add tonydzi/second-brain-starter-kit. Everything is open source and free, so take what you need.

Flagships worth a look on their own: secondop-panel (a second opinion from a panel of external models), claude-memory-tidy (stop your agent's memory from rotting), telegram-mcp-kit (your own Telegram over MCP in about 15 minutes).

Author: Anton Dziatkovskii, Palo Alto AI Research Lab. Telegram @tonydzi - WhatsApp +1 341 222 9178 - X @Tony_Stef_

Engineers: want to test-drive this setup? Message me. I hand out free starter seeds to engineers who test and report back, and custom skill requests are welcome.