codealmanac 0.1.2 → 0.1.4

package/guides/mini.md

@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@ The output is page slugs. Pick 1-3 that look relevant, `almanac show <slug>`, fo
 
 ---
 
-## The five commands you'll actually use
+## The commands you'll use
+
+Other commands exist (`list`, `tag`, `untag`, `hook`, `uninstall`, `doctor`, etc.) — most are administrative. See `almanac --help` or `@~/.claude/codealmanac-reference.md` for the full surface. In normal sessions you'll live in the four commands below.
 
 ### 1. `almanac search` — the starting point
 
@@ -122,32 +124,40 @@ Almost always existing. Skim `almanac topics` before creating. New topic is just
 ### "Can I just `almanac tag`?"
 Yes — safe, idempotent, preserves body bytes. Use `almanac tag` / `untag` rather than hand-editing frontmatter.
 
+### "The wiki returned nothing. Now what?"
+Trust the silence. Empty stdout with `# 0 results` on stderr means the query ran cleanly and matched nothing — the wiki doesn't have a page on that yet, or the query needs to be broader. That is the answer, not a bug. Don't fall back to guessing; fall back to the code, and trust that capture will surface the knowledge the next time a session naturally discovers it.
+
+If stderr shows a real error (an `almanac:` prefix or a commander parse failure), the invocation is broken — re-read `almanac --help` for the right flags.
+
 ---
 
 ## A concrete example
 
-User: *"fix the checkout timeout bug."*
+User: *"the indexer isn't picking up my new page, what's going on?"*
 
 ```bash
-# 1. Find relevant pages
-$ almanac search --mentions src/checkout/
-checkout-flow
-inventory-lock-gotcha
-stripe-async-migration
+# 1. Find pages touching the indexer
+$ almanac search --mentions src/indexer/
+sqlite-indexer
+wikilink-syntax
 
 # 2. Triage with --lead
-$ almanac show checkout-flow --lead
-$ almanac show inventory-lock-gotcha --lead
+$ almanac show sqlite-indexer --lead
+The indexer (`src/indexer/`) builds and maintains `.almanac/index.db` — a
+SQLite database that powers all query commands (`search`, `info`, `health`,
+`topics show`). It runs silently before every query command, comparing page
+file mtimes against the stored `content_hash`; only changed or new pages are
+re-parsed.
 
 # 3. Read the most relevant
-$ almanac show inventory-lock-gotcha
-# ...points to [[stripe-deadlock]], show that too
+$ almanac show sqlite-indexer
+# ...covers the schema, freshness rules, and where new pages get picked up
 
-# 4. Before editing, check backlinks
-$ almanac show checkout-flow --backlinks
+# 4. Before you touch anything, check backlinks
+$ almanac show sqlite-indexer --backlinks
 ```
 
-You now know: there was a deadlock between webhooks and the inventory lock, the team moved to async Stripe in April, two other pages link to `checkout-flow` so your edits matter beyond this file.
+You now know: the indexer only re-parses pages whose mtime is newer than the stored `content_hash`, runs on every query command, and backing it is a schema you can read at `src/indexer/schema.ts`. The lead alone ruled out two entire hypotheses ("maybe it only indexes on startup", "maybe I need to restart something") before you read any source code.
 
 You don't write anything. At session end the capture agent reads the transcript, sees your discovery, writes or updates pages. Next session, a different agent running a related task sees it surface in `--mentions`.
 
@@ -180,6 +190,32 @@ The reviewer subagent (run by capture at session end) enforces these. Stricter w
 
 ---
 
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### `almanac doctor` is the catchall
+When anything feels off and you don't know where to start, run `almanac doctor`. It reports the install (binary, native SQLite binding, Claude auth, hook, guides, CLAUDE.md import) and the current wiki (registered, page/topic counts, index freshness, last capture age, health problems). Every ✗ comes with a one-line `run: …` fix. Add `--json` for scripting.
+
+### "better-sqlite3 bindings failed"
+Node version or arch mismatch with the prebuilt native binding. `almanac doctor` reports this under `install.sqlite` with the raw error. Fix by rebuilding the native binding:
+```bash
+npm rebuild better-sqlite3   # in the install directory
+```
+
+### "search returned nothing"
+Empty stdout plus `# 0 results` on stderr means the query ran and genuinely matched nothing. Don't retry with random flag permutations — either broaden the query, or accept the wiki hasn't covered that area yet. A real error would have come with an `almanac:`-prefixed stderr line.
+
+`--json` is silent on stderr — the `[]` array is the empty signal there.
+
+### "capture didn't fire after my last session"
+```bash
+almanac doctor              # install.hook: ok/problem, wiki.capture: last capture age
+almanac hook status         # just the hook entry
+ls -lah .almanac/.capture-*.log
+```
+No logs at all → the hook isn't installed, or bailed before backgrounding, or `cwd` was outside any wiki (silent correct no-op). Capture ran but wrote nothing → the reviewer rejected the draft for notability, or the session was pure-read. Check the `.capture-<id>.log` for the writer/reviewer transcript.
+
+---
+
 ## When in doubt
 
 - `.almanac/README.md` — repo-specific conventions + notability bar

package/guides/reference.md

@@ -4,12 +4,14 @@ Long-form manual for the `almanac` / `codealmanac` CLI. The mini guide at `~/.cl
 
 Groupings match `almanac --help`:
 
-1. **Query** — `search`, `show`, `path`, `info`, `topics`, `health`
-2. **Edit** — `tag`, `untag`, `topics create|link|unlink|rename|delete|describe`, `reindex`
-3. **Wiki lifecycle** — `init`, `list`, `bootstrap`, `capture`
-4. **Install** — `hook install|uninstall|status`
+1. **Query** — `search`, `show`, `health`, `list`
+2. **Edit** — `tag`, `untag`, `topics ...`
+3. **Wiki lifecycle** — `bootstrap`, `capture`, `hook ...`, `reindex`
+4. **Setup** — `setup`, `uninstall`, `doctor`
 
-Every command auto-registers the current repo in `~/.almanac/registry.json` on first run. Exceptions: `init` (registers explicitly) and `list --drop` (skips auto-register so the removal intent isn't undone).
+Every query/edit command auto-registers the current repo in `~/.almanac/registry.json` on first run. Exceptions: `list --drop` (skips auto-register so the removal intent isn't undone) and the setup group (installers, not wiki commands — they never touch the registry).
+
+There is no `almanac init` command. The two ways a wiki gets scaffolded are `almanac bootstrap` (agent reads the repo and seeds stub pages) and committing a `.almanac/` that someone else authored and cloning into it (auto-registered on first query command).
 
 ---
 
@@ -23,7 +25,7 @@ Every command auto-registers the current repo in `~/.almanac/registry.json` on f
 |---|---|---|---|
 | `[query]` | string | — | FTS5 MATCH against titles + bodies. Omit for pure-filter queries. |
 | `--topic <name...>` | repeatable | `[]` | AND-intersect filter. Walks the DAG subtree — `--topic auth` matches `auth` or any descendant. |
-| `--mentions <path>` | string | — | Pages referencing this file (no trailing `/`) or folder (trailing `/`). Matches both `files:` frontmatter and `[[...]]` file refs, case-insensitive. |
+| `--mentions <path>` | string | — | Pages referencing this path. Matches exact file, trailing-slash folders, and any file under a folder prefix. Case-insensitive. |
 | `--since <duration>` | duration | — | Updated within window. Format: `<int>[smhdw]` (`2w`, `30d`, `48h`). By file mtime. |
 | `--stale <duration>` | duration | — | Inverse of `--since`. |
 | `--orphan` | bool | false | Pages with zero topics. |
@@ -33,52 +35,36 @@ Every command auto-registers the current repo in `~/.almanac/registry.json` on f
 | `--json` | bool | false | Structured JSON. |
 | `--limit <n>` | int ≥0 | unbounded | Cap results. |
 
-**Default output:** one slug per line to stdout.
-**`--json` schema:** `{wiki, results: [{slug, title, updated_at, topics, path}]}`.
-**Exit:** `0` always (empty result isn't an error). `2` on flag validation failure.
+**Default output:** one slug per line to stdout. When zero pages match, stdout is empty and stderr emits `# 0 results` (a breadcrumb so users can tell "matched nothing" apart from "command broken"). `--json` is silent on stderr — `[]` is the unambiguous empty signal there.
+**`--json` schema:** JSON array of `{slug, title, updated_at, topics, path}`.
+**Exit:** `0` always (empty result isn't an error). Arg-parse failures exit `1` with an `almanac:` error.
 
 #### `almanac show [slug]`
 
-| Flag | Semantics |
-|---|---|
-| `[slug]` | Required unless `--stdin`. Slugs are kebab-canonicalized before lookup. |
-| `--stdin` | Read slugs from stdin. Pages separated by form-feed (`\f`) in output. |
-| `--wiki <name>` | Target a specific registered wiki. |
-
-Projections (if available in the installed build — check `--help`): `--raw` (body only), `--meta` (metadata only), `--lead` (first paragraph), `--backlinks` (pages linking in), `--links` (pages this links out to). Falls back to `almanac info` + `path` if missing.
-
-**Exit:** `0` on success, `1` if slug not found, `2` on flag errors.
-
-#### `almanac path [slug]`
+Unified reader. Absorbs the old `info` and `path` commands — pick fields with flags.
 
-Resolve slug → absolute file path. `--stdin` writes one path per input line, preserving order; missing slugs emit a blank line so output is 1:1.
-
-#### `almanac info [slug]`
-
-Metadata only (topics, refs, links, lineage). No body.
-
-**`--json` schema:**
-```json
-{
-  "slug": "checkout-flow",
-  "title": "...",
-  "updated_at": 1713000000,
-  "archived_at": null,
-  "superseded_by": null, "supersedes": null,
-  "topics": [...],
-  "files": [...],
-  "wikilinks_out": [...],
-  "wikilinks_in": [...],
-  "file_refs": [{"path": "...", "is_dir": false}],
-  "cross_wiki_refs": [{"wiki": "...", "target": "..."}]
-}
-```
-
-#### `almanac topics` (and subcommands)
-
-`almanac topics` — list all with page counts. `--json` emits `[{slug, description, parents[], children[], page_count}]`.
-
-`almanac topics show <slug>` — description, parents, children, pages. `--descendants` includes pages tagged with descendant topics (walks the DAG subtree).
+| Flag | Default | Semantics |
+|---|---|---|
+| `[slug]` | — | Required unless `--stdin`. Slugs are kebab-canonicalized before lookup. |
+| `--stdin` | false | Read slugs from stdin, one per line. JSON Lines output for `--json` mode. |
+| `--wiki <name>` | current repo | Target a specific registered wiki. |
+| `--json` | false | Structured JSON. Overrides every view/field flag. |
+| `--raw` / `--body` | false | Body only (alias pair). Guarantees exactly one trailing newline — shell redirect produces a well-formed file. |
+| `--meta` | false | Metadata header only, no body. |
+| `--lead` | false | First paragraph of the body only (cheap preview). |
+| `--title` | false | Print title. |
+| `--topics` | false | Print topics. |
+| `--files` | false | Print file refs. |
+| `--links` | false | Print outgoing wikilinks. |
+| `--backlinks` | false | Print incoming wikilinks. |
+| `--xwiki` | false | Print cross-wiki links. |
+| `--lineage` | false | Print `archived_at` / `supersedes` / `superseded_by`. |
+| `--updated` | false | Print updated timestamp. |
+| `--path` | false | Print absolute file path (`info` + `path` replacement). |
+
+Combining field flags emits labeled sections in canonical order. `--meta` is the full labeled header; individual flags like `--title --topics` give you just those two sections.
+
+**Exit:** `0` on success, `1` if slug not found, non-zero on flag/input errors.
 
 #### `almanac health`
 
@@ -94,75 +80,137 @@ Eight independent categories. One failing doesn't skip the others.
 
 **Categories:** `orphans`, `stale`, `dead-refs`, `broken-links`, `broken-xwiki`, `empty-topics`, `empty-pages`, `slug-collisions`. Archived pages are exempt from most (see §4). Exit `0` always — the report IS the output.
 
+#### `almanac list`
+
+| Flag | Semantics |
+|---|---|
+| `--json` | Structured JSON. |
+| `--drop <name>` | Remove a wiki from the registry. The **only** way entries are ever removed. Skips auto-register. |
+
 ### 1.2 Edit
 
 #### `almanac tag [page] [topics...]`
 
 Add topics to a page. Auto-creates missing topics. Idempotent. Rewrites only the frontmatter block; body bytes preserved. `--stdin` tags every page-slug from stdin with the same topic set — in that mode all positionals are topics.
 
+Flags: `--stdin`, `--wiki <name>`.
+
 #### `almanac untag <page> <topic>`
 
-Remove one topic. Idempotent (silent 0 if page wasn't tagged).
+Remove one topic. Idempotent (silent `0` if page wasn't tagged).
+
+Flags: `--wiki <name>`.
 
-#### `almanac topics create <name>`
+#### `almanac topics` (DAG management)
 
-`--parent <slug>` repeatable. Rejects if any parent slug doesn't exist.
+- `almanac topics list` — list all topics with page counts. `--json` emits an array of `{slug, description, parents[], children[], page_count}`.
+- `almanac topics show <slug>` — description, parents, children, pages. `--descendants` includes pages tagged with descendant topics (walks the DAG subtree).
+- `almanac topics create <name>` — `--parent <slug>` repeatable. Rejects if any parent slug doesn't exist.
+- `almanac topics link <child> <parent>` / `almanac topics unlink <child> <parent>` — add/remove a DAG edge. `link` is cycle-checked (§5). `unlink` is idempotent.
+- `almanac topics rename <old> <new>` — rewrites `topics.yaml` first (atomic tmp+rename), then every affected page's `topics:` frontmatter. YAML-first so a mid-pass crash leaves the graph, not the pages, as the source of truth.
+- `almanac topics delete <slug>` — removes from `topics.yaml`, untags every affected page. Does **not** cascade to children — orphaned children become top-level. Run `almanac health` to surface stragglers.
+- `almanac topics describe <slug> <text>` — set the topic's one-line description.
+
+All topic subcommands accept `--wiki <name>`. `list` / `show` accept `--json`.
+
+### 1.3 Wiki lifecycle
+
+#### `almanac bootstrap`
 
-#### `almanac topics link <child> <parent>` / `topics unlink <child> <parent>`
+Spawns an agent to create initial wiki stubs. Requires `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` or a logged-in Claude subscription. `--quiet` suppresses per-tool streaming. `--model <model>` overrides the model. `--force` overwrites an existing populated wiki. Writes `.almanac/.bootstrap-<timestamp>.log`.
 
-Add/remove a DAG edge. `link` is cycle-checked (§5). `unlink` is idempotent.
+Bootstrap is the scaffolding path — it creates `.almanac/pages/`, `.almanac/topics.yaml`, `.almanac/README.md`, and stub entity pages based on what the agent reads in the repo.
 
-#### `almanac topics rename <old> <new>`
+#### `almanac capture [transcript]`
 
-Rewrites `topics.yaml` first (atomic tmp+rename), then every affected page's `topics:` frontmatter. YAML-first so a mid-pass crash leaves the graph, not the pages, as the source of truth.
+Run the writer/reviewer pipeline on a Claude Code session transcript. Usually automatic — the `SessionEnd` hook invokes this. Refuses if no `.almanac/` exists in cwd or any parent (capture maintains wikis, doesn't create them; run `almanac bootstrap` first).
 
-#### `almanac topics delete <slug>`
+| Flag | Semantics |
+|---|---|
+| `[transcript]` | Explicit path. Falls back to `--session` match or most-recent-by-cwd. |
+| `--session <id>` | Target a specific session by ID. Matches filename under `~/.claude/projects/`. |
+| `--quiet` | Suppress per-tool streaming; print only the final summary. |
+| `--model <model>` | Override the agent model. |
 
-Removes from `topics.yaml`, untags every affected page. Does **not** cascade to children — orphaned children become top-level. Run `almanac health` to surface stragglers.
+Writes SDK transcript to `.almanac/.capture-<session-id>.log`. A writer subagent drafts pages; a reviewer subagent enforces notability + writing conventions (§9) before drafts land.
 
-#### `almanac topics describe <slug> <text>`
+#### `almanac hook install | uninstall | status`
 
-Set the topic's one-line description in `topics.yaml`.
+See §7 — the hook is complex enough to warrant its own section.
 
 #### `almanac reindex`
 
 Forces a full rebuild of `.almanac/index.db`. Rarely needed — every query calls `ensureFreshIndex` first. Use after manual `topics.yaml` edits or when clock skew defeats mtime checks.
 
-### 1.3 Wiki lifecycle
+Flag: `--wiki <name>`.
 
-#### `almanac init`
+### 1.4 Setup
 
-Scaffolds `.almanac/` in cwd. `--name <name>` sets the registry entry (default: basename of cwd). `--description <text>` stored in the registry. Creates `pages/`, `topics.yaml`, `README.md`, `index.db`, and adds `.gitignore` entries.
+#### `almanac setup` (alias: bare `codealmanac`)
 
-#### `almanac list`
+Install the SessionEnd hook + the two CLAUDE.md guides (`codealmanac.md`, `codealmanac-reference.md`) + the `@~/.claude/codealmanac.md` import line. Idempotent.
 
-`--json` for structured output. `--drop <name>` is the **only** way to remove a registry entry.
+| Flag | Semantics |
+|---|---|
+| `-y, --yes` | Skip prompts; install everything. |
+| `--skip-hook` | Opt out of the SessionEnd hook. |
+| `--skip-guides` | Opt out of the CLAUDE.md guides. |
 
-#### `almanac bootstrap`
+Both `almanac setup` and bare `codealmanac` route here. `codealmanac --yes`, `codealmanac --skip-hook`, and `codealmanac --skip-guides` are the typical first-run invocations. Passing `--skip-hook --skip-guides` together short-circuits with a terse line — nothing was installed, no banner drawn.
 
-Spawn an agent to create initial wiki stubs. Requires `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`. `--quiet` suppresses per-tool streaming. `--model <model>` overrides the model. `--force` overwrites a populated wiki. Writes `.almanac/.bootstrap-<timestamp>.log`.
+#### `almanac uninstall`
 
-#### `almanac capture [transcript]`
+Remove the hook + guides + import line.
 
-Capture knowledge from a Claude Code session transcript. Requires `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` or a logged-in Claude Code session. Refuses if no `.almanac/` exists — capture maintains wikis, doesn't create them.
+| Flag | Semantics |
+|---|---|
+| `-y, --yes` | Skip confirmations; remove everything. |
+| `--keep-hook` | Don't remove the SessionEnd hook (guides still prompted unless `--yes`). |
+| `--keep-guides` | Don't remove the guides or CLAUDE.md import (hook still prompted unless `--yes`). |
 
-**Transcript resolution order:** explicit positional → `--session <id>` matches filename under `~/.claude/projects/` → most recent transcript whose recorded `cwd` matches this repo.
+#### `almanac doctor`
 
-Writes SDK transcript to `.almanac/.capture-<session-id>.log`. A writer subagent drafts pages; a reviewer subagent enforces notability + writing conventions (§9) before drafts land.
+Read-only install + current-wiki health report. Every check reports a state; none of them mutate. Exit always `0` — doctor is a report, not a test.
 
-### 1.4 Install
+| Flag | Semantics |
+|---|---|
+| `--json` | Structured JSON. |
+| `--install-only` | Report only on the install (skip the wiki section). |
+| `--wiki-only` | Report only on the current wiki (skip the install section). |
 
-#### `almanac hook install | uninstall | status`
+**JSON shape:**
+```json
+{
+  "version": "0.1.3",
+  "install": [
+    { "key": "install.path",   "status": "ok", "message": "..." },
+    { "key": "install.sqlite", "status": "ok", "message": "..." },
+    { "key": "install.auth",   "status": "problem", "message": "...", "fix": "run: claude auth login --claudeai" },
+    { "key": "install.hook",   "status": "ok", "message": "..." },
+    { "key": "install.guides", "status": "ok", "message": "..." },
+    { "key": "install.import", "status": "ok", "message": "..." }
+  ],
+  "wiki": [
+    { "key": "wiki.repo",       "status": "info", "message": "repo: /abs/path" },
+    { "key": "wiki.registered", "status": "ok",   "message": "registered as '...'" },
+    { "key": "wiki.pages",      "status": "info", "message": "pages: 42" },
+    { "key": "wiki.topics",     "status": "info", "message": "topics: 7" },
+    { "key": "wiki.index",      "status": "info", "message": "index: rebuilt 2m ago" },
+    { "key": "wiki.capture",    "status": "info", "message": "last capture: 1h ago (.capture-<id>.log)" },
+    { "key": "wiki.health",     "status": "ok",   "message": "almanac health reports 0 problems" }
+  ]
+}
+```
 
-See §7 — the hook is complex enough to warrant its own section.
+Each check has a stable `key` safe for scripting. ✗ entries include a `fix` field with a one-line "run: …" hint. Parse `--json` and count `status === "problem"` for a pass/fail gate.
 
 ### 1.5 `--stdin` pipe semantics
 
-Commands that accept `--stdin`: `show`, `path`, `info`, `tag`, `health`.
+Commands that accept `--stdin`: `show`, `tag`, `health`.
 
 - One slug per line; blank lines ignored; whitespace trimmed.
-- Output order mirrors input order (matters for `path`, `info`).
-- Missing slugs don't abort — logged to stderr, pipeline continues. `show --stdin` writes a "not found" marker and keeps exit `0` for pipeline resilience; `path` / `info` exit `1` overall if any slug was missing.
+- Output order mirrors input order.
+- Missing slugs don't abort — logged to stderr, pipeline continues. `show --stdin` writes a "not found" marker per slug and keeps exit `0` for pipeline resilience.
 - `--stdin` must be explicit. No `isTTY` auto-detection (confusing under script redirection).
 
 ---
@@ -230,6 +278,8 @@ inventory lock row to Supabase, returns the PI client secret. See
 [[inventory-lock-gotcha]] for the deadlock we hit in March.
 ```
 
+CRLF-terminated files are handled transparently — `show --raw` strips frontmatter without leaving a stray `\r` at the body head.
+
 ---
 
 ## 4. Archive / lineage
@@ -348,7 +398,7 @@ almanac topics delete old-payments
 **List pages that lack `files:` frontmatter for files they mention in prose:**
 ```bash
 almanac search | while read slug; do
-  info=$(almanac info "$slug" --json)
+  info=$(almanac show "$slug" --json)
   prose=$(echo "$info" | jq -r '.file_refs[].path' | sort -u)
   fm=$(echo "$info" | jq -r '.files[]' | sort -u)
   missing=$(comm -23 <(echo "$prose") <(echo "$fm"))
@@ -358,7 +408,17 @@ done
 
 **Open every orphan page in `$EDITOR`:**
 ```bash
-almanac search --orphan | almanac path --stdin | xargs -n 1 "$EDITOR"
+almanac search --orphan | almanac show --stdin --path | xargs -n 1 "$EDITOR"
+```
+
+**Export a page's body to a standalone markdown file:**
+```bash
+almanac show checkout-flow --raw > checkout-flow.md   # exactly one trailing \n
+```
+
+**Doctor a flaky install in CI:**
+```bash
+almanac doctor --json | jq '.install[] | select(.status == "problem")'
 ```
 
 ---
@@ -396,11 +456,14 @@ Falls back to `npx --no-install codealmanac` if `almanac` isn't on `PATH`.
 **`status`:**
 - Reports installed / not installed, the script path, the settings path. Non-interactive.
 
+`almanac setup` wraps `hook install` alongside the guides. `almanac uninstall` wraps `hook uninstall` alongside guide removal. You rarely invoke `hook *` directly.
+
 ### Diagnosing "capture didn't run"
 
 ```bash
-almanac hook status                      # installed?
-ls -lah .almanac/.capture-*.log          # any logs at all?
+almanac doctor              # catch-all — reports hook state + last capture age
+almanac hook status         # just the hook entry
+ls -lah .almanac/.capture-*.log
 ```
 
 Installed but no log: `SessionEnd` didn't fire (rare, hard crash), or script bailed before backgrounding (add `set -x` to trace), or no `.almanac/` upward from `cwd` (silent correct no-op).
@@ -434,13 +497,13 @@ Common causes:
 
 ### Registration paths
 
-- **`almanac init`** — explicit. Sets `name` and `description`.
-- **Silent auto-register** — every other command (except `list --drop`) calls `autoRegisterIfNeeded` on cwd. Repo with `.almanac/` but no registry entry → added with `name = basename(cwd)`, no description. Makes "cloned a repo with `.almanac/` committed" just work.
+- **Silent auto-register** — every query/edit command (except `list --drop`) calls `autoRegisterIfNeeded` on cwd. A repo with `.almanac/` but no registry entry → added with `name = basename(cwd)`, no description. Makes "cloned a repo with `.almanac/` committed" just work.
+- **`almanac bootstrap`** — auto-registers as a side effect of scaffolding. `name` defaults to the repo basename; edit `~/.almanac/registry.json` or re-bootstrap to rename.
 - **`almanac list --drop <name>`** — the only removal path. Skips auto-register so the removal isn't immediately undone.
 
 ### `--wiki <name>`
 
-Route the command at a specific registered wiki. Used when you're in one repo but querying another. Without `--wiki`, commands resolve to the wiki whose `path` is an ancestor of cwd. If none, commands error: `almanac: no wiki registered for this cwd. run 'almanac init' or pass --wiki.`
+Route the command at a specific registered wiki. Used when you're in one repo but querying another. Without `--wiki`, commands resolve to the wiki whose `path` is an ancestor of cwd. If none, commands error: `almanac: no .almanac/ found in this directory or any parent; run 'almanac bootstrap' first`.
 
 ### Cross-wiki link resolution
 
@@ -563,31 +626,54 @@ one, usually the webhook, leaving orders silently stuck in pending.
 
 ## 10. Troubleshooting
 
-### "dead-refs reports files that exist"
-Case sensitivity on Linux. Schema v2 stores `original_path` for case-preserving stat; upgrade from pre-v2 requires `almanac reindex`. Dangling symlinks fail `existsSync` too.
+### Catch-all: `almanac doctor`
+
+When something feels off and you don't know where to start, run `almanac doctor`. It reports install state (binary, native binding, Claude auth, hook, guides, import line) and current-wiki state (registered, page/topic counts, index freshness, last capture age, health problems). Every ✗ comes with a one-line `run: …` fix. `--json` for scripting.
+
+### "better-sqlite3 bindings missing"
+Node version / arch mismatch with the prebuilt binary. `almanac doctor` reports it as `install.sqlite: problem` with the underlying error's first line. Fix:
+```bash
+npm rebuild better-sqlite3   # in the install directory
+```
+On M-series Macs with x64+arm64 Node installs, bindings are arch-specific — rebuild in the arch you'll run from. Node ≥20 required (`engines.node`).
+
+### "search returns nothing"
+
+Two different outcomes to distinguish:
+- **Silent stdout, stderr says `# 0 results`.** The query ran and genuinely matched nothing — this is an answer, not a failure. Either the wiki doesn't cover that area yet, or the query needs broadening.
+- **An actual error on stderr.** Commander or `almanac:` prefix. That's a broken invocation; re-read the `--help`.
+
+`--json` is silent on stderr — the `[]` array is the unambiguous empty signal.
 
 ### "pages don't show up in `--mentions`"
+
 Missing `files:` frontmatter, OR path referenced only in inline prose (not via `[[...]]`). Inline prose isn't indexed. If neither: `almanac reindex`.
 
 ### "topics missing after rename"
+
 `topics rename` bumps `topics.yaml` mtime → next query's `ensureFreshIndex` catches up. Hand-edited `topics.yaml` without page rewrites leaves frontmatter out of sync — `almanac reindex` then audit with `almanac health --orphans --empty-topics`.
 
 ### "capture didn't fire"
+
 ```bash
-almanac hook status
-claude auth status                  # OAuth token present?
-echo "${ANTHROPIC_API_KEY:0:10}"    # API key fallback?
+almanac doctor              # reports hook state + last capture age + auth
+claude auth status          # OAuth token present?
+echo "${ANTHROPIC_API_KEY:0:10}"   # API key fallback?
 ls -lah .almanac/.capture-*.log
 ```
-No logs at all → script bailed pre-background. Add `set -x` to `hooks/almanac-capture.sh` to trace.
+
+No logs at all → script bailed pre-background. Add `set -x` to `hooks/almanac-capture.sh` to trace. If the hook itself isn't installed, `almanac doctor` reports `install.hook: problem` with `run: almanac setup --yes`.
 
 ### "slug collision warnings"
+
 Two files kebab-case to the same slug (`Checkout Flow.md` and `checkout-flow.md`). `health --slug-collisions` lists them. Rename one, grep `.almanac/pages/` for any `[[...]]` references, update them.
 
-### "better-sqlite3 bindings missing"
-Node version / arch mismatch with the prebuilt binary. `npm rebuild better-sqlite3`. On M-series Macs with x64+arm64 Node installs, bindings are arch-specific — rebuild in the arch you'll run from. Node ≥20 required (`engines.node`).
+### "dead-refs reports files that exist"
+
+Case sensitivity on Linux. Schema v2 stores `original_path` for case-preserving stat; upgrade from pre-v2 requires `almanac reindex`. Dangling symlinks also fail `existsSync`.
 
 ### Forensics files
+
 - `.almanac/.capture-<session-id>.log` — per-session SDK transcript from capture. Writer + reviewer interleaved.
 - `.almanac/.bootstrap-<timestamp>.log` — one per bootstrap. Gitignored by default.
 
@@ -596,4 +682,5 @@ Node version / arch mismatch with the prebuilt binary. `npm rebuild better-sqlit
 ## When in doubt
 
 - `almanac --help` / `almanac <command> --help` — flags are always current for the installed build.
+- `almanac doctor` — one command that reports everything relevant about install + current wiki.
 - `.almanac/README.md` in the repo — the notability bar and topic taxonomy for *this* repo override anything here.

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "codealmanac",
-  "version": "0.1.2",
+  "version": "0.1.4",
   "description": "A living wiki for codebases, maintained by AI agents. Documents what the code can't say: decisions, flows, invariants, incidents, gotchas.",
   "keywords": [
     "wiki",