Standardized Frontmatter Format and Date Representation

Summary

Standardized frontmatter across the content repository, fixing timestamp and quoted date issues, ensuring consistent author list formatting, and normalizing YAML structure across all content files.

Changes Made

  • Fixed timestamp formatting in date fields, converting all to standard YYYY-MM-DD format
  • Removed unnecessary quotes from date fields and other string values
  • Standardized author list format to use consistent array notation
  • Normalized YAML structure across all content files
  • Fixed spelling error in vocabulary file (renamed "Engineering Managemrnt.md" to "Engineering Management.md")
  • Created comprehensive issue resolution documentation

Affected Directories

  • /content/vocabulary/ - 330 files processed, 329 fixed with standardized date format
  • /content/lost-in-public/prompts/ - 50 files with standardized frontmatter
  • /content/tooling/ - Multiple files with fixed frontmatter format
  • /content/lost-in-public/issue-resolution/ - Added new documentation

Impact

  • Improved Consistency: All content files now follow the same frontmatter structure
  • Eliminated Observer Errors: Prevented infinite loop issues in the filesystem observer
  • Enhanced Maintainability: Standardized date format makes content easier to maintain
  • Better Automation: Consistent YAML structure enables more reliable automation tools

Technical Details

The standardization was implemented through a series of targeted commits:
  1. Date Formatting Fix:
    • Removed timestamps (e.g., 2025-04-07T22:42:08.649Z → 2025-04-07)
    • Removed quotes from date values (e.g., '2025-04-07' → 2025-04-07)
    • Used the Single Source of Truth formatDate utility from tidyverse/observers/utils/commonUtils.ts
  2. Author List Standardization:
    • Converted all author formats to consistent array notation:
    yaml 
    authors:
  - Author Name
  3. YAML Structure Normalization:
    • Ensured consistent indentation
    • Standardized array notation for tags and other list fields
    • Removed unnecessary quotes from string values

Documentation

  • Created detailed issue resolution document at /content/lost-in-public/issue-resolution/2025-04-11_Frontmatter--Date-formatting-fix.md
  • Updated Map of Relevant Paths with critical path structure warnings
  • Added lessons learned about YAML library limitations and proper frontmatter handling

Implementation Tools

  • Created and used a custom script at tidyverse/observers/scripts/fix-date-timestamps.ts
  • Implemented regex-based frontmatter parsing to replace YAML libraries
  • Used git commit hooks to ensure consistent formatting

List of Key Affected Files

2025 04 11_Frontmatter Date formatting fix Map of Relevant Paths Engineering Management Conditional Logic for Content