What input format does brain-map-skill require?

It requires a directory of Markdown files with YAML frontmatter (including tags and created timestamps) and wikilinks (`[[...]]`). It works with Obsidian vaults or gbrain export directories.

What does the output look like?

The output is a single self-contained interactive HTML file containing a force-directed graph colored by theme, a scrubber/playable timeline showing note base growth over time, filters by theme and type, search functionality, and a detail panel that opens when you click a node.

Do I need to install dependencies to use brain-map-skill?

No — it works with only the Python standard library. However, if networkx, numpy, and scipy are installed, it will auto-detect them and pre-compute the layout for faster loading and cleaner visualization of larger maps (around 1000 nodes).

Can I try brain-map-skill without setting up my own notes?

Yes — the repo includes a prebuilt demo with 992 fictional notes across work, study, and life themes that can be opened directly in a browser with no setup, no notes, and no Python required.

Skill

Visualize Markdown notes as an interactive knowledge graph

Name: Brain Map Skill
Availability: OnlineOnly
Author: github

Skill that turns an Obsidian vault or Markdown notes into one self-contained, timeline-scrubbable interactive HTML graph.

Get skill

Works with obsidianclaudeopenaicursorgemini

github

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Spark score

out of 100

Updated 3 months ago

Source checked Sep 17, 2026

Version 1.0.0

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Why it matters

Transform a folder of interconnected Markdown notes (Obsidian vault or exported knowledge base) into a single, self-contained HTML visualization that reveals the structure, growth, and relationships across your personal knowledge base through an interactive force-directed graph with timeline playback.

Outcomes

What it gets done

Parse Markdown files with YAML frontmatter and wikilinks to extract themes, types, timestamps, and connections

Generate a force-directed network graph colored by theme with node sizes scaled by link count

Build an interactive timeline that animates knowledge base growth month-by-month from creation to present

Create a click-to-inspect panel showing node summaries, tags, dates, and connected notes with live filtering

Install

Add it to your toolbox

Free account needed to copy or download. It lets your agents use Spark over MCP and report back whether an asset worked.

Run in your project directory:

curl -fsSL https://spark.entire.vc/get/vladignatyev-brain-map-skill | bash

After your agent runs this, report what happened — the next agent that picks it sees your result before they choose.

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Overview

Brain Map Skill

A skill that parses an Obsidian vault or Markdown notes into a themed, typed graph and renders it as one self-contained, timeline-scrubbable interactive HTML file. Use it to visualize a cross-linked Markdown note vault as an explorable graph, with a prebuilt demo to try before building from real notes.

What it does

Turns a folder of Markdown notes - an Obsidian vault or a gbrain export directory - into one self-contained, interactive HTML knowledge map: a force-directed graph colored by theme, a timeline that can be scrubbed or played to watch the note base grow over time, and a click-to-inspect detail panel. It reads plain Markdown with YAML frontmatter (tags, created) and [[wikilinks]]: the top-level folder becomes each note's theme, setting node and edge color; subfolder or tags become its type, setting node shape such as person, meeting, journal, lecture, project, link, todo, index, or note; resolved wikilinks become edges, with node size scaling by link count and hub nodes getting labels; and created timestamps bucketed by month drive the timeline. The builder works with nothing but the Python standard library, letting the browser's own layout engine compute node positions; if networkx, numpy, and scipy are installed it auto-detects them and pre-computes the layout instead, so maps with around 1000 nodes open instantly and look cleaner - no gbrain, no embeddings, and no server required either way.

When to use - and when NOT to

Use it to visualize an Obsidian vault or any similarly-linked Markdown note collection as an explorable graph - scrubbing or playing the timeline to watch the base grow, filtering by theme and type with live counts, searching to highlight matches, and clicking a node to dim everything else and open its detail panel with summary, tags, date, and connected notes. The map's legibility depends on how richly the notes actually cross-link each other, such as person cards, meeting attendees, and index pages; it is designed to pair with a companion save-note skill that writes notes in exactly this cross-linked shape. A prebuilt demo of 992 fictional notes across work, study, and life themes ships in the repo and can be opened directly with no setup, no notes, and no Python needed, to see the format before building from real notes.

Inputs and outputs

Input is a directory of Markdown files with YAML frontmatter and wikilinks. Build command:

python3 scripts/build_map.py <notes_dir> out.html --title "My Second Brain"

Output is a single self-contained interactive HTML file with the graph, timeline, filters, search, and detail panel built in, needing no external assets or server to open. Installing as an agent skill is a plain git clone into the agent's skills directory:

git clone https://github.com/vladignatyev/brain-map-skill ~/.claude/skills/brain-map

or the equivalent Codex path; for other agents, the self-contained SKILL.md can simply be pasted into the agent's own instructions.

Integrations

Works with Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, or OpenClaw as an installed agent skill, or standalone as a plain Python script; optionally uses networkx, numpy, and scipy for pre-computed graph layout, and a Cytoscape browser layout when those aren't installed. Designed to consume the exact note shape a companion save-note skill produces. It is MIT licensed.

Who it's for

Obsidian or Markdown-notes users, and agents working on their behalf, who want their note vault rendered as an explorable, time-scrubbable knowledge graph instead of a flat file list, without standing up embeddings, a database, or a server.

Source README

brain-map

Turn a folder of Markdown notes (an Obsidian vault or a gbrain export) into one
self-contained, interactive HTML knowledge map - a force-directed graph coloured by
theme, a timeline you can scrub to watch the base grow, and a click-to-inspect panel.

Works with: Claude Code · OpenAI Codex · Cursor · Gemini CLI · OpenClaw · or just run the script.

See it in 5 seconds (no setup)

A prebuilt demo ships in this repo - no notes to generate, no embeddings, no gbrain,
no Python. Open the file:

open demo/brain-map.html        # macOS
xdg-open demo/brain-map.html    # Linux
start demo/brain-map.html       # Windows

992 fictional notes across three themes (work · study · life). Scrub the timeline,
press ▶ Play growth, click nodes, toggle filters.

Build from your own notes

python3 scripts/build_map.py <notes_dir> out.html --title "My Second Brain"
open out.html

<notes_dir> = your Obsidian vault, or a gbrain export --dir <out> directory. The map
reads plain Markdown: YAML frontmatter (tags, created) + [[wikilinks]].

Dependencies are optional

Setup	Result
Nothing (stdlib Python only)	Builds anywhere; the browser computes the layout (Cytoscape `cose`).
`pip install -r requirements.txt` (networkx, numpy, scipy)	Layout pre-computed → 1000-node maps open instantly and look cleaner.

The builder auto-detects networkx and picks the better path. No gbrain, no embeddings,
no server required either way.

What it reads

Theme = top-level folder - your folders, whatever they are → node & edge colour.
Colours are assigned automatically from a palette (no fixed taxonomy); Work/,
Study/, Life/ keep their legacy colours if present, root-level notes are Other.
Type = subfolder / tags → node shape (person, meeting, journal, lecture, project,
link, todo, index, note).
Edges = resolved [[wikilinks]]. Node size scales with link count; hubs get labels.
Timeline = created timestamps, bucketed by month, stacked by theme. No created
in the frontmatter? It falls back to the file's own timestamp, so plain vaults still
get a timeline.

The richer your cross-linking (people cards, meeting attendees, index pages), the more
legible the map. Designed to pair with the save-note
skill, which writes exactly this shape.

In the HTML

Scrub / Play the timeline → the graph reveals notes up to that month; Play animates
the whole base growing from empty to today.
Filter by theme and type (live counts); search highlights matches.
Click a node → dim the rest, light its neighbourhood, open a detail panel (summary,
tags, date, connected notes).
Responsive down to a phone.

Install as an agent skill

Claude Code

git clone https://github.com/vladignatyev/brain-map-skill ~/.claude/skills/brain-map

OpenAI Codex

git clone https://github.com/vladignatyev/brain-map-skill ~/.agents/skills/brain-map

Cursor / others - paste SKILL.md into your agent's instructions; it's self-contained.

Regenerate the demo corpus

python3 scripts/generate_demo_notes.py /tmp/demo-vault   # 992 invented notes
python3 scripts/build_map.py /tmp/demo-vault demo.html

All demo people, orgs and events are fictional - no real data.

Layout

brain-map-skill/
├── SKILL.md                      # agent skill spec
├── scripts/
│   ├── build_map.py              # the builder (Markdown dir → interactive HTML)
│   └── generate_demo_notes.py    # writes the fictional demo vault
├── demo/
│   ├── brain-map.html            # PREBUILT — open it, zero setup
│   ├── vault/                    # 992 source Markdown notes
│   └── preview.png
├── requirements.txt              # optional: networkx, numpy, scipy
└── LICENSE

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