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[Feature]: Wiki module for Backlog.md #652

@kuwork

Description

@kuwork

Summary

This issue introduces a full-featured Wiki module for Backlog.md, implemented across PR #647 (BACK-473 / BACK-474 / BACK-477). We would like to propose this for inclusion into the main project and welcome feedback from both maintainers and the community.

The wiki lives in backlog/wiki/ and is designed primarily as an LLM-maintained knowledge base — distinct from human-curated documentation.


Wiki vs. Docs — what's the difference?

backlog/docs/ backlog/wiki/
Maintainer Humans write and edit LLM (via Agent skill) writes; humans read and occasionally edit
Content source Manual input, guides, API refs Compiled from tasks, docs, decisions, and project source code
Structure Flat or manually organized LLM-managed folder structure (sources/, concepts/, entities/, comparisons/)
Frontmatter id, type, created_date, updated_date title, created_date, updated_date, labels (no ID system — path is the identifier)
Cross-references Standard Markdown links [[wikilinks]] for internal page linking

Key principle: Backlog source folders (tasks/, docs/, decisions/, etc.) are immutable for the LLM — it never modifies them. The LLM reads these as raw input, compiles knowledge into wiki/, and cross-references everything via wikilinks. This creates a compounding knowledge base that grows richer with every source added.


What we built

📖 Browse & read wiki pages (BACK-473)

  • Collapsible file tree in the sidebar for navigating backlog/wiki/
  • Markdown rendering with Mermaid diagram support and dark mode
  • YAML frontmatter parsing (title, created_date, updated_date, labels)

🛠 Install the wiki skill (BACK-474)

  • backlog wiki install <agent> — deploys the LLM wiki skill to .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/, or .agents/skills/
  • The skill gives the LLM instructions on how to ingest backlog sources, maintain the wiki structure, and follow frontmatter conventions

✏️ Edit pages directly in the browser (BACK-477)

  • Inline markdown editing with a full editor (same component as task descriptions)
  • Title editing via a large input field
  • Labels — add/remove tags (Enter or comma to add, Backspace to remove), displayed as badges below the page title
  • Changes are saved back to frontmatter automatically
  • Real-time sync via WebSocket — edits from CLI or external editors appear instantly in the browser

📁 File & folder management

  • Create files and folders from the sidebar (hover the + button on any folder or the root wiki header)
  • Rename files and folders inline
  • Empty folders are supported and visible in the tree

Frontmatter conventions

---
title: Page Title
created_date: 2026-05-14 10:00
updated_date: 2026-05-14 12:30
labels:
  - concept
  - architecture
---
  • title — editable page title (separate from filename)
  • created_date / updated_date — auto-managed timestamps
  • labels — free-form tag array (replaced the earlier single type field to match task labels)

Request for maintainers

We'd love to see this wiki module merged into the project if it aligns with the project's direction. The implementation reuses existing infrastructure (WebSocket broadcast, ContentStore watchers, ChipInput, PasteAwareMDEditor) to keep the footprint minimal. Please let us know if any changes are needed for the PR to be acceptable.


Questions for the community

  1. Navigation — Is the sidebar tree sufficient for large wikis (100+ pages)? Would you want search, breadcrumbs, or a graph view?
  2. Labels vs. folders — Do you prefer organizing by directory structure, by labels, or both? Should labels be filterable in the UI?
  3. Wiki creation workflow — Should there be a "New wiki page" button in the main content area when nothing is selected?
  4. LLM integration — For those using the wiki skill, what would make the LLM-maintained layer more useful?

Known limitations (future work)

  • No full-text search within wiki pages (only the existing global search)
  • No drag-and-drop to reorder or move pages between folders
  • No "Delete" action in the sidebar dropdown yet
  • No page history / diff view
  • Wiki pages are not yet included in the global kanban or task board

Try it out on PR #647 and let us know what you think — maintainer review, feature requests, UX friction, bugs, or wild ideas are all welcome!


Related: PR #647 (BACK-473 / BACK-474 / BACK-477)

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