# What Are Source-Cited Claims in Claude-Obsidian? > Discover what source-cited claims mean in Claude-Obsidian. Learn how this system links statements to verifiable sources for immutable provenance. AgriciDaniel/claude-obsidian. - Repository: [Agrici.Daniel/claude-obsidian](https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/claude-obsidian) - Tags: deep-dive - Published: 2026-08-25 --- **Source-cited claims are statements in Claude-Obsidian notes that are permanently linked to verifiable source material through a dual-ledger system, ensuring every assertion carries an immutable provenance trail.** In the AgriciDaniel/claude-obsidian repository, source-cited claims represent the core data model for building evidence-based knowledge bases. Unlike traditional note-taking where assertions often float without attribution, this architecture binds every claim to its origin through content-hashed source records and structured citation metadata. ## The Dual-Ledger Architecture Claude-Obsidian implements source-cited claims through two interconnected ledgers defined in [`docs/compound-vault-guide.md`](https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/claude-obsidian/blob/main/docs/compound-vault-guide.md). This design ensures that factual assertions cannot be separated from their evidentiary basis. ### The Source Ledger The **source ledger** serves as the canonical registry for all raw materials entering the vault. According to the compound vault guide, each entry tracks the original material—including URLs, files, or PDFs—along with critical metadata dimensions: content hash, authority, independence, freshness, and review state. When you ingest a document using the `wiki-ingest` skill, the system stores a content-addressed copy in `.raw/` and creates an entry in this ledger, establishing the immutable foundation upon which all downstream claims rest. ### The Claim Ledger The **claim ledger** records specific assertions extracted or synthesized from source materials. As implemented in [`docs/compound-vault-guide.md`](https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/claude-obsidian/blob/main/docs/compound-vault-guide.md), each claim entry references its backing source ledger entries while maintaining fields for support, contradictions, confidence levels, and risk assessments. This bidirectional linkage ensures that when you query the vault using `/claude-obsidian:wiki-query`, the system retrieves answers strictly from evidence already stored in the vault, with automatic citation to the concrete sources. ## How Source-Cited Claims Work in Practice The workflow transforms raw documents into traceable knowledge through three integrated stages. ### Ingesting Sources with wiki-ingest The [`skills/wiki-ingest/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/claude-obsidian/blob/main/skills/wiki-ingest/SKILL.md) pipeline automates the creation of source-cited pages. When you place a PDF in the `inbox/` directory and run the ingest command, the skill extracts the content, computes content hashes, and generates the ledger entries necessary for citation tracking. ```bash # Place PDF in inbox/ and run the ingest skill claude-obsidian:wiki-ingest --vault /path/to/MyVault ``` This command performs four critical operations: it stores the raw file in `.raw/` using content-addressed storage, creates the source ledger entry with provenance metadata, generates a markdown page with embedded citations, and links the claim ledger to the source record. ### Rendering Citations in Obsidian Markdown Once ingested, pages render with Obsidian-flavored citations that point directly to the source ledger. The [`skills/obsidian-markdown/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/claude-obsidian/blob/main/skills/obsidian-markdown/SKILL.md) components format these references using standard markdown footnote syntax, creating an unbreakable visual and data link between the claim and its evidence. ```markdown # The Impact of Climate Change on Coral Reefs Recent studies show a 30% decline in coral cover worldwide. [^source-1] [^source-1]: *IPCC 2023 Report*, https://www.ipcc.ch/report/, accessed 2024-08-25. ``` The `[^source-1]` notation acts as a pointer to the source ledger entry, displayed inline within the Obsidian interface while maintaining the underlying provenance trail in the vault's metadata. ### Querying Evidence with wiki-query The `/claude-obsidian:wiki-query` command leverages the claim ledger to return answers that are inherently source-cited. As documented in [`README.md`](https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/claude-obsidian/blob/main/README.md), this query interface only retrieves information already present in the vault, automatically appending citations to the originating source ledger entries. ```bash # Query returns the claim bundled with its source citation claude-obsidian:wiki-query "What is the recent decline in coral cover?" # → "30% decline (see IPCC 2023 Report)" ``` This guarantees that generated answers remain grounded in the ingested evidence rather than hallucinated content, fulfilling the repository's mandate for evidence-based retrieval. ## Why Source-Cited Claims Matter This architectural pattern serves three critical functions that distinguish Claude-Obsidian from conventional note-taking systems. - **Transparency**: Users can inspect the original source of any claim through the source ledger, preventing information drift and hallucination by maintaining direct access to primary materials. - **Recovery**: When source materials change or undergo re-evaluation, the claim ledger automatically flags stale or contradictory evidence, enabling systematic knowledge base maintenance. - **Composability**: Downstream skills like `wiki-fold` propagate provenance automatically when transforming or summarizing content, ensuring that derived claims inherit the citation chains of their parent sources. ## Summary Source-cited claims in Claude-Obsidian create an audit trail between assertions and evidence through: - **Dual-ledger tracking**: Separate source and claim ledgers in [`docs/compound-vault-guide.md`](https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/claude-obsidian/blob/main/docs/compound-vault-guide.md) maintain provenance metadata and bibliographic links. - **Content-addressed storage**: The `wiki-ingest` skill stores originals in `.raw/` using cryptographic hashes to prevent tampering. - **Obsidian-native citations**: Markdown footnotes like `[^source-1]` render transparent links to the source ledger within standard note views. - **Evidence-bound queries**: The `wiki-query` interface retrieves answers exclusively from ingested sources, ensuring every response carries verifiable attribution. This design implements a **trust-by-architecture** approach where claims are never orphaned from the immutable sources that validate them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How do I create a source-cited claim in Claude-Obsidian? Place your source material in the `inbox/` directory and execute the `claude-obsidian:wiki-ingest` command targeting your vault path. The skill automatically generates the source ledger entry, stores a hashed copy in `.raw/`, and creates a markdown page with embedded citations referencing the ledger. You can also manually create claims using the footnote syntax `[^source-id]` as defined in [`skills/obsidian-markdown/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/claude-obsidian/blob/main/skills/obsidian-markdown/SKILL.md), provided you maintain the corresponding entry in the source ledger. ### What happens if a source material changes after ingestion? The source ledger tracks freshness and review state for each entry. If original materials change, the content hash verification detects the discrepancy when new ingestion occurs. The claim ledger then flags dependent claims as potentially stale, allowing you to review contradictions against updated evidence while maintaining the historical provenance trail. ### Can I query the vault without using the wiki-query skill? While you can browse markdown files directly in Obsidian, the `wiki-query` command is specifically designed to respect the source-cited architecture. As noted in [`README.md`](https://github.com/AgriciDaniel/claude-obsidian/blob/main/README.md), this command restricts results to evidence already stored in the vault, ensuring retrieved answers automatically include citations to the source ledger. Direct file browsing shows the rendered citations but does not enforce the evidence-based constraints of the query system. ### What types of sources can be tracked in the source ledger? The architecture supports any verifiable material including URLs, PDFs, text files, and other documents processed by the `wiki-ingest` pipeline. Each source receives a content hash for integrity verification and metadata tracking for authority, independence, and review status, regardless of the original file format.