---
name: Add Frontmatter
slug: add-frontmatter
category: Automation
description: Add Frontmatter scans project Markdown files and inserts or fixes YAML frontmatter with summary and read_when fields. Use it when documents need to be discoverable by context routers like Reflex.
github: "https://github.com/markmdev/meridian/tree/main/skills/add-frontmatter"
language: Python
stars: 183
forks: 22
install: "npx degit https://github.com/markmdev/meridian/tree/main/skills/add-frontmatter ~/.claude/skills/add-frontmatter"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/add-frontmatter
source_path: skills/add-frontmatter/SKILL.md
collection_size: 6
category_size: 2032
collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/markmdev/meridian"
added: 2026-09-06T05:20:57.558Z
last_synced: 2026-09-06T05:20:57.558Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/add-frontmatter"
---

# Add Frontmatter

Add Frontmatter scans project Markdown files and inserts or fixes YAML frontmatter with summary and read_when fields. Use it when documents need to be discoverable by context routers like Reflex.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/markmdev/meridian/tree/main/skills/add-frontmatter ~/.claude/skills/add-frontmatter
```

## README

# Add Frontmatter

Scan every `.md` file in the project and ensure it has the required frontmatter so Reflex can discover and route it.

## Required frontmatter format

```
---
summary: One-line description of what this file covers
read_when:
  - keyword or phrase that signals this file is relevant
  - another keyword
---
```

## What to skip

- Files already having correct `summary` + `read_when` frontmatter — leave them alone
- Files that have frontmatter with any other keys (e.g. `name`, `description`, `title`) — do not replace or merge, leave them alone
- `node_modules/`, `.git/`, `dist/`, `build/`, `vendor/`, `__pycache__/`
- `.claude/` — agents, skills, commands, hooks all use their own frontmatter schemas
- Files that are purely generated output, changelogs, or boilerplate with no reusable knowledge (e.g. `CHANGELOG.md`, `LICENSE`)

## Process

1. Glob all `.md` files, excluding skip dirs
2. For each file: check if frontmatter with `summary` and `read_when` already exists
3. If missing or incomplete: read the file content, infer a concise `summary` and 2-4 `read_when` keywords from the actual content
4. Prepend the frontmatter block (or insert after existing `---` if only partially present)
5. Write the updated file

## Quality criteria

- `summary` is a single line, factual, specific — describes what the file actually covers
- `read_when` keywords match how someone would describe a task that needs this file (e.g. `"setting up auth"`, `"debugging routing"`, `"OpenClaw plugin"`)
- Don't invent knowledge not in the file — infer from actual content only