What problem does it solve? Working directly on the Apple Notes container database (NoteStore.sqlite) on macOS is risky: TCC permissions block access, open Notes.app makes copies unreliable, and naive writebacks can corrupt the live database. This Skill enforces a safe workflow for probing authorization, copying the database to /tmp, analyzing tags and metadata, and gating any writeback behind verified backups and source fingerprints. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Authorization Probing: Verifies real access to the Notes group container before planning any database work, distinguishing live container access from user-provided /tmp copies. - Copy-First Analysis: Copies NoteStore.sqlite plus WAL/SHM files into a timestamped /tmp directory, merges them via sqlite3 .backup, and inspects hashtag rows (ZALTTEXT, ZTOKENCONTENTIDENTIFIER) and gzip-compressed note-data blobs without touching production. - Writeback Guardrails: Requires Notes.app to stay quit, validates backups twice, captures and rechecks SHA-256 fingerprints of the live file set, and aborts on any mismatch before replacing the whole file set. - Use Case: You need to check whether a specific note contains an inline hashtag that AppleScript cannot expose. The Skill copies the database, merges the WAL, queries ZICCLOUDSYNCINGOBJECT for hashtag child rows, and reports tag placement without ever modifying the live database. ## Quick Start Use the apple-notes-db-guardrails skill to copy my Apple Notes database to /tmp and check whether a specific note contains a given hashtag, without modifying the live database.
