second-brain-rename

Rename a page

An agent renaming a file directly is the single most common source of broken links in an agent-maintained vault. Obsidian fixes links when you rename inside the app; writing the file directly does not.

Core rule

A rename is four operations, not one. All four, or none.

Workflow

1. Check the new name against existing pages and aliases. A rename that collides with an existing alias creates ambiguity the graph cannot resolve.
2. Rename the file and update the title in frontmatter.
3. Add the old title to aliases. This keeps external references, the user's memory, and any link you miss working.
4. Update every inbound link. Search the whole vault, including index.md.
5. Log it: old name, new name, links updated.
6. Verify with a link check.

Output format

Renamed: [[old]] -> [[new]]
Inbound links updated: <n> across <n> pages
Alias added: <old>
Remaining references: <none | list>

Calibration

Do not rename to fix a style preference on a page with many inbound links. The cost is real and the benefit is cosmetic.

If the correct name is genuinely ambiguous, ask rather than picking. A second rename is more disruptive than the first.