KINTSUGI Repository-to-Project Sync Workflow
Experiment Overview
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | 2025-12-17 |
| Goal | Establish correct workflow for editing shared notebook modules |
| Environment | KINTSUGI multi-project setup with shared codebase |
| Status | Success |
Context
KINTSUGI uses a shared codebase model where:
- •Main repo:
/blue/maigan/smith6jt/KINTSUGI/contains the source code - •Project folders:
/blue/maigan/smith6jt/KINTSUGI_Projects/.../notebooks/contain working copies
Project folders sync FROM the main repo. If you edit a project folder directly, those changes will be overwritten when the user syncs from the main repo.
Verified Workflow
CORRECT: Edit Main Repo First
bash
# 1. Make edits to the main repo /blue/maigan/smith6jt/KINTSUGI/notebooks/Kdecon/deconvolution.py # 2. User syncs to project folder (or you can do it) cp /blue/maigan/smith6jt/KINTSUGI/notebooks/Kdecon/*.py \ /blue/maigan/smith6jt/KINTSUGI_Projects/.../notebooks/Kdecon/
Key Paths
| Component | Main Repo Path | Project Folder Path |
|---|---|---|
| KDecon | KINTSUGI/notebooks/Kdecon/ | KINTSUGI_Projects/.../notebooks/Kdecon/ |
| Kstitch | KINTSUGI/notebooks/Kstitch/ | KINTSUGI_Projects/.../notebooks/Kstitch/ |
| Kreg | KINTSUGI/notebooks/Kreg/ | KINTSUGI_Projects/.../notebooks/Kreg/ |
| Kview2 | KINTSUGI/notebooks/Kview2/ | KINTSUGI_Projects/.../notebooks/Kview2/ |
| src/kintsugi | KINTSUGI/src/kintsugi/ | N/A (installed package) |
Failed Attempts (Critical)
| Attempt | Why it Failed | Lesson Learned |
|---|---|---|
| Editing project folder first | User synced from main repo, overwriting all changes | Always edit main repo first |
| Copying project→main after edit | Creates confusion about source of truth | Main repo is ALWAYS the source |
Key Insights
- •The main repo (
/blue/maigan/smith6jt/KINTSUGI/) is the single source of truth - •Project folders are working copies that get synced FROM main repo
- •After editing main repo, remind user to sync OR sync for them
- •When user reports a fix "didn't work", check if they synced (overwriting your changes)
- •Jupyter kernels cache imports - remind user to restart kernel after sync
Trigger Conditions
This skill applies when:
- •Editing any file in
KINTSUGI/notebooks/subdirectories (Kdecon, Kstitch, Kreg, Kview2, etc.) - •User mentions syncing or copying files between repos
- •A fix "doesn't work" after being applied
- •Working with KINTSUGI_Projects folders
References
- •KINTSUGI CLAUDE.md development workspace section
- •VS Code multi-root workspace:
kintsugi-dev.code-workspace