Source profileQuality 76/100

github/awesome-copilot/skills/desk-journal/SKILL.md

desk-journal

Write, append, or read desk journal entries. The journal is persistent memory — what survives session boundaries. A good entry has: what was done, current state, next step.

Source repository stars
37,126
Declared platforms
0
Static risk flags
0
Last source update
2026-07-28
Source checked
2026-07-28
DecisionCompatibilityInstallWorkflowPermissionsEvidenceSource

Decision brief

What it does—and where it fits

Manage a desk's journal — the persistent memory that survives session boundaries.

Best for

  • End of session: Write what was done, current state, next step
  • Start of session: Read the journal to pick up where you left off
  • Mid-session checkpoint: Note significant progress or decisions

Not for

  • Tasks that require unconfirmed production actions or broad system permissions.
  • Environments where the pinned source and install steps cannot be inspected.

Compatibility matrix

Platform support, with evidence labels

PlatformStatusEvidenceWhat to check
CodexNot declaredNo explicit evidencePortability before use
Claude CodeNot declaredNo explicit evidencePortability before use
CursorNot declaredNo explicit evidencePortability before use
Gemini CLINot declaredNo explicit evidencePortability before use
Open the compatibility checker

Installation

Inspect first. Install second.

The source command is displayed only when detected. A safe inspection prompt is always available so your agent can explain every action before execution.

Source-detected install commandSource
npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill "skills/desk-journal"
Safe inspection promptEditorial

Inspect the Agent Skill "desk-journal" from https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/blob/9933dcad5be5caeb288cebcd370eeeb2fc2f1685/skills/desk-journal/SKILL.md at commit 9933dcad5be5caeb288cebcd370eeeb2fc2f1685. List every install step, command, network request, credential, file read/write, external action, and rollback step. Explain whether it fits my task. Do not install or execute anything until I approve.

Workflow

What the source asks the agent to do

  1. 01

    How to write a journal entry

    Append to desks//journal.md. Each entry is a section:

    Append to desks//journal.md. Each entry is a section:
  2. 02

    When to use

    End of session: Write what was done, current state, next step

    End of session: Write what was done, current state, next stepStart of session: Read the journal to pick up where you left offMid-session checkpoint: Note significant progress or decisions
  3. 03

    —

    Worked on:

    Worked on:Current state:Next step:
  4. 04

    Guidelines

    Be specific. "Worked on security scanning" is useless to the

    Be specific. "Worked on security scanning" is useless to theInclude what didn't work. Dead ends are valuable — they preventKeep it short. The journal is a trail marker, not a diary.

Permission review

Static risk signals and limitations

No configured static risk pattern was detected

This is not proof of safety. Runtime behavior, indirect dependencies, and hidden external systems are outside the static scan.

Evidence record

Why each signal appears

EvidenceSourceComputedTestedEditorial
SignalValueEvidence typeMeaning
Quality score76/100ComputedDocumentation, specificity, maintenance, and trust rules
Repository stars37,126SourceRepository attention, not individual Skill quality
Compatibility0 platformsSourceDeclared in the catalog source record
Usage guideautomated source guideEditorialGenerated or reviewed according to the visible evidence level

Pinned source

Provenance and original SKILL.md

Repository
github/awesome-copilot
Skill path
skills/desk-journal/SKILL.md
Commit
9933dcad5be5caeb288cebcd370eeeb2fc2f1685
License
MIT
Collected
2026-07-28
Default branch
main
View the original SKILL.md

Desk Journal

Manage a desk's journal — the persistent memory that survives session boundaries.

When to use

  • End of session: Write what was done, current state, next step
  • Start of session: Read the journal to pick up where you left off
  • Mid-session checkpoint: Note significant progress or decisions
  • Desk wind-down: Write a final summary when a desk is being closed

How to write a journal entry

Append to desks/<desk-name>/journal.md. Each entry is a section:

## <date> — <short summary>
- **Worked on:** <what was done this session>
- **Current state:** <where things stand right now>
- **Next step:** <what the next session should pick up>

Guidelines

  • Be specific. "Worked on security scanning" is useless to the next session. "Scanned repos A, B, C for CWE-502; found 3 findings in A, 0 in B and C; findings triaged to bench" — that's a trail.
  • Include what didn't work. Dead ends are valuable — they prevent the next session from walking the same path.
  • Keep it short. The journal is a trail marker, not a diary. 3-5 lines per entry. If you need more, the important context should go on the bench as a separate artifact.
  • Always include next step. The next session starts from zero. Without a next step, it has to re-derive everything.

End-of-desk entry

When a desk is being wound down (not just a session ending, but the desk itself closing):

## <date> — Desk closed
- **Summary:** <what this desk accomplished overall>
- **Artifacts:** <what's on the bench from this desk>
- **Handoff:** <anything another desk or the operator needs to know>

Reading the journal

At session start, read the desk's journal to pick up context. The most recent entry is the most important — it has the current state and next step. Earlier entries provide history if needed.

Principles

  • The journal is a cairn — stones left so the next traveler finds the way. Every entry is a stone.
  • Honesty over completeness. "I got stuck on X and don't know why" is more useful than silence.
  • The journal is for the next session, not for the current one. Write for someone who knows nothing about what you just did.