Desk Journal
OfficialFreeCapture and recall your work progress effectively.
Free · Opens the source repo
What Desk Journal does
The Desk Journal skill is designed to help developers and designers maintain a clear and concise record of their work sessions. By allowing users to write, append, or read journal entries, it serves as a persistent memory that survives session boundaries. This means that at the end of each session, users can document what they accomplished, the current state of their work, and the next steps to take. This structured approach ensures that important details are not lost and that the next session can begin with clarity and context.
To create an effective journal entry, users simply append their notes to a markdown file located in desks/<desk-name>/journal.md. Each entry should include a date, a summary of the work done, the current state of the project, and a clear next step. This practice not only helps in tracking progress but also in preventing repetitive mistakes by documenting what didn’t work during a session. The guidelines emphasize brevity and specificity, encouraging users to keep entries short and focused, which is particularly useful for quick reference during subsequent sessions.
The skill is particularly beneficial for teams or individuals who work on complex projects that require continuity across sessions. By reading the most recent journal entry at the start of each new session, users can quickly pick up where they left off, making it easier to maintain momentum. Additionally, the end-of-desk entry feature allows for a comprehensive summary when a desk is being closed, ensuring that key accomplishments and artifacts are noted for future reference.
Overall, the Desk Journal skill is an essential tool for anyone looking to streamline their workflow and enhance productivity through effective documentation of their work processes. It is ideal for individuals who value organization and clarity in their project management practices.
When to use it
Use this skill at the end of a work session to document progress, at the start to review past entries, or during a session to note significant developments.
When not to use it
This skill may not be suitable for those who prefer informal note-taking or do not require structured documentation of their work.
What you can build with it
End of Session Documentation
At the end of a work session, write a journal entry summarizing what was done, the current state of the project, and the next steps to take.
Session Start Review
Begin each new work session by reading the latest journal entry to quickly regain context and pick up where you left off.
Mid-Session Notes
During a session, jot down significant progress or decisions made to ensure important details are recorded for future reference.
How to install Desk Journal
View source1. Install with the skills CLI
npx skills add github/awesome-copilot/desk-journal --agent claude-code2. Or install it manually
Download the skill folder and drop it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or .claude/skills/ to scope it to one repo. Restart Claude Code so it picks up the new skill.
Anthropic's agentic coding CLI, and the reference implementation of Agent Skills. Drop a skill folder into ~/.claude/skills and Claude Code loads it automatically whenever a task matches the skill's description. Claude Code docs
Inside SKILL.md
Written by githubDesk 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.
Frequently asked questions about Desk Journal
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