Networked note-taking is having a bit of a moment.
The tools that support it are gaining popularity. Books and courses are being created around it, and even Apple has decided it’s time for their Notes to adopt the capability.
What is networked note-taking?
What exactly is networked note-taking? It’s note-taking with a twist: you write your notes normally, and then link key themes (like, say, an important person in your life) to a note dedicated to that theme. Your notes link to each other in a similar fashion to how web pages link to each other.
This parallels how our brains work - linking thoughts and ideas via associations (as opposed to hierarchy).
How does this work in practice? You need a note-taking tool that supports these kinds of links – the industry term for this is a backlink. Our tool (Reflect) supports backlinks, but there's lots of great options (listed below) that have their strengths and weaknesses.
Why spend all the effort linking your notes together? In the short-term, you get an infallible recall (computers never forget). Longer term, it improves your thinking. Over-time these connections form a map of our thoughts and ideas. You can build on them and perform your thinking in your notes (rather than attempting to hold all of it in your head).
Networked note-taking tools
Here are some tools that allow bi-directional backlinks.
Reflect
Reflect is a networked-note-taking app that mirrors the way your brain works. It has AI built in, end-to-end encryption, and polished experience.
Obsidian
A powerful and customizable note-taking app that stores data locally on your device. Obsidian is very plugin heavy with a slightly higher learning curve.
Roam Research
A note-taking tool designed for long-term, complex research. It allows for real-time collaboration, making it great for researchers and teams.
Logseq
Logseq is a free and open source tool that stores your notes as markdown files. It has a localization, making it popular among a global user base. It’s highly customizable.
Notejoy
If you’re looking for a collaborative note-taking tool with lots of integrations and plugins, Notejoy might be your answer. It’s also available across Mac, OS, Android and Windows platforms.
Zettlr
Zettlr is a great tool for researchers and journalists who prefer writing in markdown. It integrates well with other reference managers and adheres to established citation standards.
Bear App
If you’re a coder or developer, you might enjoy the fact that Bear supports and highlights over 150 programming languages. It’s also encrypted and comes with many export options.
Notion
While more of a wiki and project management tool than a personal note-taking tool, Notion is beloved by many. It’s great for teams looking for an all-in-one productivity tool.
How to use backlinks in your notes
Backlinking is simple but it can take some adjusting.
Here are some tips:
- Backlink all entities (people, places, things, projects, etc.). In Reflect this is done by using 2 square brackets [[like this.
- As a general rule of thumb, if it starts with a capital letter, it should be backlinked
- Start by logging what happens in your day or creating a to-do list, backlinking things along the way
- Add tags or keywords to help categorize notes and find them later
- Try to regularly review your notes to reinforce connections and find new ones
Are there downsides to networked note-taking?
Backlinking currently requires a bit of extra cognitive effort.
Early on, you'll need to set aside some devoted time to actually backlinking entities in your notes. Once you get in the habit, you’ll find backlinking comes quite naturally.
Soon, we will be able to automatically organize our notes with backlinks using AI. For now, you’ll still have to do some manual work in adding them.
Why you should start now
Building up these associations takes time. The sooner you start the better. The benefits of networked note-taking compounds.
The earlier you start, the more your second brain will grow and expand. You’ll discover new connections and associations that you otherwise wouldn’t have.
New ideas can have profound effects on where our lives go. The associations you are creating within your notes today are the building blocks of your future thought.
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